Suitability for classical biological control of Hedychium coronarium in Argentina

Abstract

Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberales: Zingiberaceae), native to the Himalayas and southern China, has become an environmental weed in many countries around the world. Reported in several provinces of Argentina, H. coronarium constitutes a serious environmental problem especially in the wetlands of natural areas of Misiones Province, such as the Iguazu´ National Park, a World Heritage site. Hedychium coronarium does not have any specialist natural enemies in Argentina, and the Argentine flora does not have taxonomically closely related relatives to it. This suggests that it may be a prospective target for classical biological control in Argentina. Since 2008, the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) (https://www.cabi.org) has been commissioned to find and evaluate biological control agents for the invasive Hedychium species complex for Hawaii and New Zealand. Surveys in the native range of Hedychium spp. have revealed a varied suite of potential biocontrol agents for H. coronarium. A cost-effective and streamlined biocontrol programme for H. coronarium could be developed for Argentina based on CABI’s ongoing biocontrol efforts on this species elsewhere in the world.