November 20,  2001

Hundreds of beetles will tomorrow set about attacking blue heliotrope, a major weed of Australian
pastures and crops.

The mauve coloured flowers of the deadly blue heliotrope (Heliotropum amplexicaule) infest
thousands of hectares in eastern Australia.

It is present in more than 110,000 hectares in NSW alone and has been spreading rapidly in recent years. Herbicides have had limited success in reducing its impact and have not stopped its spread.

"This day has been a long time coming," says David Briese, project leader CSIRO Entomology.

"Ten years ago CSIRO conducted surveys in South America which identified some insect species as potential biological control agents. However, at the time blue heliotrope didn't attract sufficient industry funding, so no further work was done and the plant continued to spread".

"This release is due to the efforts of the Blue Heliotrope Action Committee of northern NSW, who continued to seek support for biological control. They were able to organise funding through the Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).

Member for Gwydir and Deputy Prime Minister the Hon John Anderson MP welcomes today's release.

"I am pleased that the Federal Government was able to be a partner in this weed control endeavour through the RIRDC funding we have contributed. This important project had stalled some years ago, and after Bill Lamble (Blue Heliotrope Action Committee) approached me, we were able to "kick-start" it again.

"We are hopeful that the hard work of researchers in planning, evaluating and carrying out this release today will bring the desired results of curtailing the unchecked spread of this weed, and limiting its impact in the areas in which it has gained a presence".

David Briese explains the recent history of the project.

"After the long delay following the original field work, we were able to begin in earnest in 1998. Professor Miguel Zapater of the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina came on board to study the biology of a number of the potential agents that were identified in the earlier study.

"In March 2000 we received the first batch of eggs of this little beetle called Deuterocampta
quadrijuga. They've spent the past year and a half being tested in our secure containment facility in Canberra, where we've trialed it on a wide variety of native and crop plants, other than blue heliotrope, to ensure that it won't eat them.

"Our tests found it attacked only South American heliotrope and did not pose a risk to non-target plant species, including native Australian Heliotropium species.

Based on these results, in July 2001 Australian Plant Biosecurity authorities approved the release of D. quadrijuga for the biological control of blue heliotrope.

Originally introduced in the 19th century as an ornamental garden flower, blue heliotrope has now spread from southern Queensland as far south as the Victorian border and into South Australia. It is poisonous to stock, causing liver damage that can result in loss of condition and often death.

CSIRO news release
N3968