Steps in a Weed Biological Control Program

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Biological control programs are large scale projects that take many years from when an agent is first identified in the field in the country of origin of the weed to its approval for release in Australia. The following outlines the steps involved in a typical biological control program:

1. Choosing a Target Weed

2. Native-range Surveying

3. Choosing the Best Potential agent

4. Host-specificity Testing

5. Release Approval (Biosecurity Australia and the Department of Environment and Heritage)

6. Mass rearing, Release and Evaluation

7. Non-target Impacts

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