Abstract:
Tea (Camellia sinensis) is particularly susceptible to competition by weeds, and implementation of controlpractices requires considerable inputs from the farmer. Biological control (BC) using fungal natural enemies offers a sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost effective alternative strategy for the control of weeds. Two approaches can be considered in this strategy: classical biological control (CBC) of invasive alien weeds using their coevolved natural enemies, from the centre of origin of the weed; and inundative control using those pathogens that can be mass-produced, and which are already present in the country where the weed is a problem. The BC potential of 22 important weeds in tea in Asia is presented; it includes four weeds where CBC has already been successfully implemented somewhere in the world. A case study on the CBC of the invasive alien weed Mikania rnicrantha, using the coevolved rust fungus Puccinia spegauinii (from Latin America), in the Assam tea-growing region of India is discussed.
