Salvinia spp. (Giant salvinia)

Giant salvinia, Salvinia molesta D. Mitch. (Salviniaceae), is an aquatic fern that is invasive in most tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The aquatic weevil Cyrtobagous salviniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an effective natural enemy of Salvinia.

Giant salvinia is invading more temperate areas with harsher winters in the US, so that the weevil populations can’t establish and overwinter. An agreement was signed between Louisiana State University (LSU) and FuEDEI to find and assess cold-hardy strains of C. salviniae in Argentina, under the assumption that these weevils could survive Louisiana winters and attain biological control of S. molesta. Other objectives include the study of the seasonal occurrence, abundance and characterization of reproductive stages of C. salviniae over time in the southern range of Salvinia in Argentina.

Staff:
Fernando Mc Kay, Mariel Guala, Alejandro Sosa, Guillermo Cabrera Walsh.

Cooperators:
Rodrigo Díaz, Departamento de Entomología, Universidad Estatal de Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LA, EE.UU.; Ximena Cibils Stewart, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA, La Estanzuela, Uruguay.