1995 Annual Report for FNC95-119
Bio-control of Canada Thistle
Summary
Minimum and no-till farming, although having many positive aspects, have enhnaced the spread of perennial noxious weeds in some cropping situations; consequently, long-term, cost effective and environmentally sound weed control is required.
Objective: Long-term control of Canada thistle, particularly in irrigated cropland, by utilizing beneficial stem mining weevils and defoliating beetles.
Results: Beneficial insects were releaed in the spring of 1996 in undisturbed areas, such as fence rows, pond edges, etc. where there was heavy thistle infestation. The intent was to allow populations of beneficial insects to increase and move into thistle infested cropland. The project was extended for one year to gather data on population and movement of beneficial insects.