Biological control of two major weeds affecting crop and livestock production in East Timor

Activity 1 - Training of MAFF and UNTL staff and students in biological control theory and practice.
Four East Timorese staff from the project attended the short course Biological Control of Tropical Weeds held at the University of Qld from 4-15 April 2005. The course was jointly offered by CSIRO Entomology, Queensland Department of Natural Resources & Mines, and the University of Queensland. Participation was funded through this project, and attendance of Mr Americo Brito was funded by ACIAR through DNR& M Qld.

The participants were:
Mr Americo Brito - MAFF, Chief of Plant Protection
Mr Alao Alvarez - MAFF Technician
Mrs Donata De Araujo - UNTL Lecturer Agronomy dept
Ms Anna Corte e Real - Project Technician

Activity 2 - Community socialisation/awareness raising of biological control program
UNTL team member Acacio da Costa and MAFF team member Lourenco Borges Fontes held a meeting with the local people from the Tibar area to gauge willingness to be involved in the project during November 2004. The outcome of the meeting was positive with an acceptance from the community to host a site for the project. During the trip to identify potential sites, informal meetings and discussions were held with landholders about the project and their involvement. Further socialisation and awareness raising is planned for later in this dry season.

Activity 3 - Introduction of Stem Gall Fly, C. connexa.
During February 2005, the project team identified sites for monitoring and releases of the stem gall fly. There were two types of sites selected. The first is a monitoring site where insects will be released over several seasons. These sites will be monitored for the life of the project by project team members and UNTL agriculture students, in order to determine the establishment of the insects and to document the impact. These sites were selected based on the abundance and density of chomoleana present, and the willingness of the landholder/s to be involved and protect the site from burning. Sites were selected that were less than one day's travel from Dili as sites further distant would mean greater expense and difficulty for team members and students to access the sites.

The second type of site was a release-only site. Once the stem gall flies have established at the four original sites, galls will be collected from the original sites and released at these more remote sites in order to accelerate the establishment, spread and impact of the gall fly over as wide an area as possible. Sites were selected at both ends of East Timor, and on the south coast. These sites were identified on the basis of density and abundance of chromolaena present and reports from farmers experiencing problems with the weed.

Release and monitoring sites identified:

Tibar - Rai Meta
Maubara - along the roadside near the convent
Cribas River - an unused piece of land beside the bridge over the Cribas river, directly south from Manatuto.
Baucau airport opposite barracks.

Release only sites identified:

Maliana
Batugade
Lautem
Fuiloro
Tutuala
Same/Betano - depending on road conditions

During this trip, team members checked the border areas with West Timor for stem gall flies in the hope that the stem gall flies released in the Atambua area in West Timor had reached the border, and galls could be collected within Timor Leste. No galls were located, even at the closest point to previous releases in West Timor which indicates that the stem gall fly did not establish from releases conducted near Atambua area in 1998.

During March 2005, three members of the project team travelled to Lae, Papua New Guinea where, with the assistance of the ACIAR chromolaena project in PNG over 2000 galls containing stem gall flies were collected for transport to Timor Leste. The PNG team also demonstrated collection and release methods, and rearing techniques.

These galls were then released at the four sites in Timor Leste, with the release methods being demonstrated to other members of the project team. The team has reported sightings of adult insects on the chromolaena plants at the sites. Due to the extended dry season, no galls are expected to form at the release and monitoring sites until the next wet season, Nov-Dec this year.

Activity 4 - Introduction of Sap Sucking Psyllid, H.spinulosa
It is planned to introduce this biocontrol agent during 2006 in collaboration with Michael Day from DNR& M Qld. Preparations for the establishment of a nursery site at the Hera university farm will commence towards the end of the dry season, Oct-Nov 2005.

Activity 5 - Introduction of other biological control agents as required
The project will also investigate the potential and possibility of introducing the Calligrapha pantherina beetle for the control of Sida acuta as it is a fairly simple and self-sustaining agent once established.

The leaf miner fly has been introduced to Lae, PNG with the chromolaena project staff there developing rearing, release and collection methods. Once these have been established and the results of trials are clearly successful, this project will commence preparations to import this biocontrol agent.

Activity 1 - Training of MAFF and UNTL staff and students in biological control theory and practice.
- UNTL students and staff and MAFF staff were involved in surveying and monitoring to gather the first data on the gall fly releases. Monitoring methods used were transects and quadrats at the Baucau airport release site, Tibar / Rai Mate and other sites. Participants were trained in monitoring & surveying techniques during March 2006.

- MAFF staff were trained in procedures for rearing and maintaining colonies of H. spinulosa at Triloka (Baucau) by Michael Day. Colin Wilson and Michael Day also trained MAFF staff in selecting suitable sites for the release of biocontrol agents. As East Timor has a long dry season and variable conditions throughout the country, suitable site selection is critical to the survival and establishment of released agents.

- Planned on the job training with the Weeds Branch of NT Government has been postponed until October 2006.

- Compact discs containing photos of weeds in Timor and information and photos on chromolaena, the gall fly and damage, were given to MAFF and UNTL staff for their own information and for preparing teaching materials, extension activities and the production of brochures and leaflets.

Activity 2 - Community socialisation/awareness raising of biological control program
Community socialisation/awareness activities were carried out throughout the reporting period up to March 2006 at several locations using adult learning technique and visual aids. Locations included Maubara, Rai Mate (Liquia), Cribas Village (Manatuto), Triloca Village (Baucau).

After each session, the participants were engaged in discussion about the program, some agreeing to the implementation of the program and others expressing doubt. Most farmers believe that Chromolaena has reduced the production of corn, potatoes, and other consumable vegetables as well as grass used for feeding animals, while others believed that Chromolaena was of benefit as a traditional medicine for humans and animals as well as organic pesticide and fertilizer. However, most participants expressed a commitment to control Chromolaena.
Some people were concerned that the flies might attack humans and animals or damage their crops. The project team explained how biological control worked and highlighted the success of the biocontrol agents in other countries and the evidence that they do not cause damage to any other plants or animals in order to allay any concerns.

The sessions also highlighted the importance of protecting release sites from burning, explaining that it can kill gallflies recently released. Farmers were asked to inform a district crops officer in their area if they needed to burn a certain area to cultivate. MAFF will place announcement boards in four main places that the gallflies have been released to advise the general public of the project, and are preparing a poster and a brochure to distribute around the districts.

Activity 3 - Introduction of Stem Gall Fly, C. connexa.
During the beginning of the wet season, (Nov - Dec) areas around the border region were surveyed for the presence of the gall fly. As releases were made near Atambua over five or more years ago, there was the possibility that the gall fly had established along the south coast of Timor. There were also reports from MAFF staff and AQIS/ NAQS staff of the presence of gall fly-like insects at Viqueque and Same and Tutuala. Surveys of the border area and south coast found that the gall fly was not present in any of these areas and no galls were sighted in any of the infestations checked along the south coast. A specimen of the insect was sent to an Australian taxonomist who determined that it was not Cecidochares connexa.

In February the team travelled to Kupang to collect galls of Cecidochares connexa. Dr Wayan Mudita from Nusa Cendana University in Kupang met the team on arrival in Kupang and provided logistical assistance for the collection of the gall flies. The team collected over 2000 galls and transported these back to East Timor. These galls were released at Betano, Soibara, Mehara, and Hatu-Udu.

An attempt was made to import gall flies from PNG with no success due to the failure of the agent to connect through Denpasar to Dili. It is likely that the gall fly will be in reasonable numbers at Tibar/Rai Mate and Baucau in early 2007, so that the insect will be collected from these sites and released elsewhere.

During April 2006 the team also surveyed the enclave of Oekussi and found gall flies present around the border areas and at Lifau village subdistrict. Future collections will be made from Oekussi or West Timor, depending upon logistics.

Surveys of the Baucau airport site had one or two galls present on about half the plants, although some plants had about 5 galls. While the gallfly typically spreads quite quickly, it is expected to spread slower at this site due to the enormity of the infestation at this site. The gall fly has been successfully established at Tibar/Rai Mate site, while the Cribas river site has not shown establishment as it was extensively burnt in the late dry season (August 05), though there may still be a residual population present. The site at Maubara has not been successful possibly due to its exposed aspect near the sea. Two of the four original sites have had establishment. The team has selected four new sites for future releases and will conduct socialisation sessions with farmers at these locations (listed above). Some sessions have been held in these locations but further activities have been delayed due to the security situation.

Activity 4 - Introduction of Sap Sucking Psyllid, H.spinulosa
During January 2006 the team prepared ministerial papers and a cabinet submission on the psyllid in order to gain approval for the importation and release of the insects. Unfortunately the permits were not ready in time for the consignment to be transported by Michael Day in March, and a later shipment for May was further delayed by the security situation. When possible, a shipment will be sent from Queensland via Darwin.

The project team had prepared a Mimosa nursery at the Comoro compound in preparation to receive the psyllids, however this has been destroyed along with other equipment in the compound. Mimosa infestations at Hera University farm and Triloka and at Tibar were also chosen as release sites, however travel outside of Dili is not safe at present.

Activity 5 - Introduction of other biological control agents as required
Pending the success of the leaf miner fly introduced into Lae PNG, the East Timor project team will commence preparations to introduce the insect.
When the Timorese team travel to Darwin in late 2006 it is hoped that they will be able to transport the biological control agent for Sida weed species, Calligrapha pantherina, back to East Timor. However, this will depend on the issue of import permits.

Members of the team plan to attend the next international workshop on the biological control of chromolaena, where they will be able to meet with South African researchers and determine the progress of research on biocontrol agents being carried out and the suitability of any of these agents for East Timor.

1. Training of MAFF and UNTL staff and students in biological control theory and practice.
Project staff from MAFF and UNTL spent two weeks at the biological control section of the Weeds Branch of the Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts. Activities included rearing, maintaining and field releasing biological control agents, surveying and monitoring biocontrol agents in the field, particularly large pastoral properties outside of Darwin.

The UNTL Faculty of Agriculture has a unit on Weed Science. A theory component on biological control specifically using the chromolaena project as an example has been integrated into the unit. Students are also required to undertake a field activity which is surveying and monitoring for the gall fly. Through this process we plan to establish an ongoing monitoring and surveillance program through the faculty of agriculture, providing a long term picture through long term data collection, beyond the life of the project.

2. Community socialisation/awareness raising of biological control program
The project team developed and distributed brochures on the gall fly and its life cycle. Full colour posters on biological control were translated into Tetum and have been made available on CD. MAFF and UNTL have copies of these posters and these are to be widely available to other agencies and the community.

Evaluation questionnaires have been developed for participants in socialisation and training activities and for people who have agreed to allow releases to be conducted on their land.

Introduction of Stem Gall Fly, Cecidochares connexa.
Gall flies have been released in over 50 locations in East Timor so far.

Gall fly establishment has been confirmed at 2 sites so far;

Intensive monitoring has been carried out at both of these sites, with the project team monitoring these sites when possible. The spread of gall flies has been measured from these two sites at a distance of 5km in all directions in June 2007. Flies were released here in 2004.

3. Introduction of Sap Sucking Psyllid, Heteropsylla spinulosa
Introductions of the psyllid were planned during 2006 with the collection and preparation of a Mimosa diplotricha nursery at the Comoro compound and MAFF staff obtained import permits to allow the transport of the psyllid into East Timor. There were problems, however, in obtaining the psyllid in North Queensland, and then unfortunately the mimosa plants and nursery were destroyed. As the security situation deteriorated and did not improve until 2007, project team members were unable to travel to collect more seeds to establish further plants. This will be progressed in the second half of 2007 as applications have been made for export and import approvals from the relevant authorities in East Timor and Australia. Plans are in place to collect more mimosa seed and establish a new nursery.

4. Introduction of other biological control agents as required
The leaf miner fly has been introduced to Lae, PNG with the chromolaena project staff there developing rearing, release and collection methods, and trials have been carried out in South Africa. The leaf miner has been determined as unsuitable for areas with an extensive dry season, which includes East Timor. It is non-diapausing and has very low impact where it has been established in PNG & Sth Africa