Lantana (Lantana camara L.) biocontrol agents in Australia with possible options for India and Sri Lanka

Abstract

The focus of this short article is the biocontrol agents of the globally-important species - lantana (Lantana camara L.), which was introduced as an ornamental plant during the 18th and 19th Centuries across continents. Lantana is now naturalized in most continents and causing problems in human-modified landscapes and is also spreading fast into conservation areas and forests. Currently, where it needs to be controlled, a variety of methods are available, which include manual, mechanical and chemical control, as well as fire. However, none of these methods, even when applied in combinations (integrated) have been sufficiently effective on a landscape level or can be sustainably applied to control large and dense infestations. It appears that future lantana management must be oriented towards re-investing in biocontrol simply because it is not feasible to control lantana over the long term using conventional methods. Numerous biocontrol agents have shown considerable promise but have not been well utilized in countries that have increased risks of further spread.
Efforts to manage lantana in Australia are still continuing, with a well-developed National framework, an integrated approach and investment in additional biocontrol agents. South-Asian countries, especially India and Sri Lanka, can certainly benefit from Australian experiences in lantana management and R&D investments in biological control. This is especially so since research on host specificity and the
effectiveness of agents would have already been conducted. This would require that both countries, and also, possibly some African countries, re-appraise the risks of lantana and make an increased effort at biocontrol to manage those risks, especially in natural ecosystems and conservation areas, heavily disturbed by tourism activities.