Weevil species released into the Crocodile river to combat invasive alien aquatic plant

Weevil species released into the Crocodile river to combat invasive alien aquatic plant
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report.
Sashnee Moodley:
A weevil species has been imported into South Africa and has been released into the Crocodile river, in Hartbeespoort, in an effort to tackle the spread of salvinia minima, commonly known as common salvinia. Natasha Odendaal has the story.
Natasha Odendaal:
The common salvinia is another invasive aquatic plant native to South America that, similar to water lettuce and hyacinth, presents a substantial threat to South Africa’s freshwater ecosystems.
Since being initially recorded at Hartbeespoort Dam in 2012, salvinia has rapidly spread across various water bodies in the North-West and Gauteng provinces and has spread to the Limpopo river, which forms the national border with Botswana.
National Research Foundation’s South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity / South African Research Chairs initiative biological control and freshwater alien invasive species management chairperson Professor Julie Coetzee...
Natasha Odendaal:
The biological control agent, which was released into the Crocodile river in Hartbeespoort in March, was imported from Louisiana, a state in the US that also battles salvinia minima.
Extensive research has been conducted over several years to evaluate the effectiveness of the insect as a biological control agent for salvinia.
Professor Julie Coetzee...
Natasha Odendaal:
There are plans in place to rear the weevils at rearing facilities at Rhodes University, as well as at community rearing stations around Hartbeespoort dam, Vaalkop dam and Bronkhorstspruit.
Sashnee Moodley:
That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy. Don’t forget to listen to the audio version of our Engineering News daily email newsletter.
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