BiCEP: A global alliance for the biological control of eucalypt pests

Australian-origin insect pests threaten the productivity and sustainability of eucalypt plantations worldwide. New pests such as the bronze bug (Thaumastocoris peregrinus), two gall wasps (Leptocybe invasa and Ophelimus maskelli) and the lerp psyllid (Glycaspis brimblecombei) have emerged as key global pests, while longer established pests such as the eucalyptus snout beetle (Gonipterus species complex) are re-emerging as significant issues. The speed at which these new pests have emerged, invaded and spread globally has been taxing industry’s ability to manage them effectively using resistant germplasm and insecticides. To address these problems, the University of the Sunshine Coast is establishing the Biological Control of Eucalypt Pest Research Alliance (BiCEP) to provide a focus for developing effective biological control solutions for key eucalypt pests. BiCEP will be funded by the global eucalypt plantation industry and will deliver the R&D required to underpin effective biological control of pests in three identified categories of need: Discovery: pests that do not have known effective biocontrol agents. Application: pests with known but not yet established or evaluated biocontrol agents. Fine-tuning: pests that have established biocontrol agents but which require better climate/host matching. Membership of BiCEP is being sought from a broad base of countries that have industrial scale eucalypt plantation estates. BiCEP will begin in 2013/14 by establishing a core partnership based on collaborators in Australia, Brazil and South Africa, with a strategic intent to expand to include other countries in South America (e.g. Chile), Asia (e.g. China), and Europe (e.g. Portugal) and elsewhere. The project will run for an initial three-year period