October 10, 2006

INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN

POHNPEIWITH REFERENCES

to BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

of Chromolaena odorataKonrad

Englberger

Pohnpei, FSM

Pohnp

ei

GuamMarshall Islands

African Tulip Tree, Spathodea

campanulata

African Tulip is widespread

in Pohnpei. It is almost

eradicated in Palau, Yap and

Chuuk.It is very invasive in Fiji and Tahiti.

There is no good biological control in

place.

Arrowhead vine, Syngonium

podophyllum

This plant is widespread in

Pohnpei.

It is very difficult to control

chemically or mechanically.There is no biological control in place.

Beggar’s tick, Bides alba

This plant is widespread in the Pacific.

It grows very well on sandy soils.

There is no good biological control in place.

Bengal trumpet vine

Thunbergia grandifora

This is a new species for Pohnpei it was

found in early 2009.

Eradication with chemical control has

started.

Bitter gourd, Momordica

charantia

This gourd is spreading by

birds

and possible other animals.There is no good biological control

available.

Bronze-leaved clerodendrum

Clerodendrum quadriloculare

This species is widespread in

Pohnpei and other parts of the

Pacific. It can be very invasive.

It has been observed that scale insects and

mealybugs have provided some control.

Chain of Love, Antigonon

leptopus

Under eradication in

Pohnpei since 2002.

It was found on 28

locations and it is

eradicated from 23.

Crape Ginger, Costus specious

This plant is widespread in Pohnpei,

it is mainly spreading by birds

and rats.

False Kava, Piper auritum

This plant is under eradication in Pohnpei since

2000.

It has been found on 117 locations.

Over 90% can be confirmed to be eradicated.

Honolulu Rose, Clerodendrum

chinense

Not wide spread in Pohnpei, no control in

place.

Good opportunity for eradication.

Golden pothos

Epipremnum pinnatum cv. Aureum

In Pohnpei this climber is spreading very fast.

There is no biological control in place.

Giant sensitive plant, Mimosa

diplotricha

Widespread in Pohnpei and other islands.

In Pohnpei biological control with

Heteropsylla spinulosa has given very good

results.

Ivy gourd, Coccinia grandis

This vine has been eradicated in Pohnpei. It is

very aggressive in Saipan . Dr Muniappan and

Dr. Reddy introduced two weevils and one stem

borer for biological control in Guam and CNMI.

Koster’s curse, Clidemia hirta

This shade tolerant shrub was only found in

Pohnpei

in early 2009. It is spreading fast.

There is no biological control in place.

Lantana, Lantana camara

Lantana is widespread in the

Pacific.

A leaf mining beetle (Uroplata

girardi) and a leaf mining fly

(Calcomyza lantanae) are

providing some control.Photo by Dr. Muniappan

Merremia, Merremia peltata

This native vine is wide-

spread in Pohnpei and

other PICs.

There is no biological control known to control

this aggressive climber.

Mile-a-minute, Mikania

micrantha

In Pohnpei mile-a-minute is not widespread.

It is eradicated from 7 sites; there is one active

site. In Guam and CNMI mile-a-minute is

widespread and in Palau, Yap and Kosrae it is

spreading.

Octopus tree, Schefflera

actinophlla

This tree is not widespread in Pohnpei. It has

been eradicated from 14 sites, there are 4

active sites. There is no good biological control

known.

Pagoda flower, Clerodendrum

paniculatum

This shrub is widespread in Pohnpei.

There is no biological control in place.

Sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica

This plant is widespread in Pohnpei and other

Pacific Island countries.

There is no biological control in place.

Tangantangan, Leucaena

leucocephala

This small tree is very

widespread in the

PacificHeteropsylla cubana was accidently introduced in

in the 1980s in the Pacific and is providing some

control.

Wedelia, Wedelia trilobata

This fast growing creeping perennial plant

is widespread in Pohnpei and other PICs.

There is no biological control in place.

Other invasive plant species in

Pohnpei are:

Piper lolot

Sponge gourd, Luffa aepyptiaca,

Wild passionfruit, Passiflora foetida,

jj

Part TwoChromolaena odorata biological

control

in the Federated States of

Micronesia, Palau and Marshall

Island

Chromolaena Biological Control in the

Federated States of Micronesia and

Palau

This work is well documented in the different proceedings of 6th and 7th Int. Workshop on Biological Control and Management of Chromolaena odorata, by R. Muniappan and G.V.P. Reddy.

There is also a publication on biological control of Chromolaena in Micronesia, by R.Muniappan, K.Englberger and G.V.P. Reddy No. 55 , Edited by M.D. Day and R.E. MaFadyen ACIAR Technical Reports (printed version published in 2004).

Chromolaena odorata

C. odorata is widespread in Micronesian countries.

C.odorata was first reported on Guam in 1963.

In 1980s spread to Pohnpei, Yap, Kosrae and Palau

In 1990s spread to Chuuk and

In 2001 spread to Majuro, Marshall Islands and 2005

Bikini Island

Biological control of C. odorata with

Pareuchaetes pseudoinsulata

P. pseudoinulata was sent

from Guam to Pohnpei in

1988. Field released in 1989

and 1990, established in

1990.

In 1988 P. pseudoinulata was

sent from Guam to Yap and

Palau it did not establish.

From 2002 to 2004, larvae (44,365) were shipped from

Pohnpei to Chuuk . In 2004 establishment was observed.

From 2003 to 2004, 12,326 larvae were sent to Kosrae until

establishment was observed.

In 2003; larvae (2,133), pupae (247) and egg masses (5)

were sent from Pohnpei to Yap for field release and rearing.

One year later P. pseudoinsulata was established in Yap.

In 2005 several thousand P. pseudoinsulata larvae were sent

from Pohnpei to Palau but it did not establish in Palau.

P. pseudoinsulata control

Once P. pseudoinsulata is

established it provides good

control for some areas.

Larvae defoliating plants.

The leaves turn yellow and

the damage can be seen

from a distance.

P. pseudoinsulata establishment

To reach establishment with P.

pseudoinsulata

is very difficult. Large numbers are

need to be released for a period of

time.

Lizards (Skinks) and birds are natural

enemies to P. pseudoinsulata.

In many cases where P.

pseudoinsulata was established it

has disappeared, it either died out or it

is present in very low numbers.

Cecidochares connexa, Gall FlyIn 1998 Gall fly was introduced

from

Indonesia to Guam and it was

released

and established in 2003.

In 1999 a shipment was sent from

Guam

to Palau and it was released and

established.

In 2003 a shipment was sent from Guam to Pohnpei. From

2003-04 host specificity testing was conducted on Piper

methysticum, Terminalia sp. and Wollastonia biflora, no

feeding was found.

In Feb. 2004 C. connexa was released in Pohnpei and found

to be established in March 2004.

In late 2004 shipments of C. connexa were sent from

Pohnpei to Chuuk and Kosrae and soon after it was

established, and

In early 2005 C. connexa was sent to Yap and soon after it

C. connexa establishment and control

of Chromolaena

C.connexa is very easy

to rear in the Laboratory

and easy to get

establishment in the

field. After one month of

field release

establishment was

found in the field .

In Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae, Yap and Palau C.

connexa is very well established, galls can be

found on every plant on Island.

C. connexa provides some control.

Photo by Dr. Muniappan

Eriophyid mite, Acalitus

adoratus

This mite was first observed in

Palau in 1988 has fortuitously

established in all American

Pacific Micronesian Islands

(Muniappan et al., 2004).

It has been observed that the

mite has a seasonal

appearance.

The mite does not provide a

very good control. Photo by Dr. Muniappan

Chromolaena in Marshall

islands

Chromolaena was

reported in Marshall

Islands in 2002 in

Laura District.

Since this time it

has been under

eradication. In 2005 the presence of Chromolaena

was reported from Bikini Island.

Eradication work has also started on

Bikini Island.

Thank you