New EPPO PM 6 Standard on host range testing
A new EPPO Standard in the PM 6 Series (Safe use of biological control) has been published in the EPPO Bulletin. The Standard, PM 6/5 Host specificity testing of non-indigenous (classical) biological control agents used against invasive alien plants, describes the procedure for evaluating the host specificity of non-indigenous classical invertebrate and fungal biological control agents for use against invasive alien plants. The Standard covers guidance and best practise on the essential elements of this procedure, including taxonomic confirmation, life cycle studies, the optimal conditions to maintain biological control agents, selection and maintenance of test plants, and host specificity testing.
Sources
EPPO (2023) PM 6/5 (1) Host specificity testing of non-indigenous (classical) biological control agents used against invasive alien plants. EPPO Bulletin 53(3), 480-490. https://doi.org/10.1111/epp.12954