Robert E. Eplee | Geology Reports

USGS2011

Overview and status of the witchweed (striga asiatica) eradication program in the Carolinas

Witchweed [( Striga asiatica (L.) O. Kuntze)] is a parasitic weed from Asia and Africa that attaches to the roots of grasses and grass crops such as corn and sorghum. Witchweed was first detected in the western hemisphere in a corn field in Columbus County, North Carolina, in July, 1956. Since that time, a federal/state cooperative program has eliminated over 99% of the 432,000+ acres that have been found infested with witchweed in the eastern Carolinas. This chapter provides an overview of the USDA-Carolinas Witchweed Eradication Program, as well as the methods and procedures that have been employed to achieve this remarkable level of success.

North Carolina, South Carolina↗

USGS2011

Early detection and rapid response

Prevention is the first line of defense against introduced invasive species - it is always preferable to prevent the introduction of new invaders into a region or country. However, it is not always possible to detect all alien hitchhikers imported in cargo, or to predict with any degree of certainty which introduced species will become invasive over time. Fortunately, the majority of introduced plants and animals don't become invasive. But, according to scientists at Cornell University, costs and losses due to species that do become invasive are now estimated to be over $137 billion/year in the United States. Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) is the second line of defense against introduced invasive species - EDRR is the preferred management strategy for preventing the establishment and spread of invasive species. Over the past 50 years, there has been a gradual shift away from large and medium scale federal/state single-agency-led weed eradication programs in the United States, to smaller interagency-led projects involving impacted and potential stakeholders. The importance of volunteer weed spotters in detecting and reporting suspected new invasive species has also been recognized in recent years.

Book chapter↗