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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/federal-register-posts/sa_by_date/sa-2019/japanese-knotweed">https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/federal-register-posts/sa_by_date/sa-2019/japanese-knotweed</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt'>APHIS Seeks Comments on Environmental Assessment for the Release of the Japanese knotweed psyllid to Biologically Control Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian Knotweeds<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Last Modified: May 29, 2019 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has assessed the potential environmental impacts associated with releasing the Japanese knotweed psyllid (Aphalara itadori) to biologically control Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian knotweeds (Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis, and F. x bohemica) within the contiguous United States. These knotweeds are significant invasive weeds. Based on their thorough analysis, APHIS scientists have determined that the release of this psyllid would not have a significant impact on the environment. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment for a 30 day period that ends on June 27, 2019. APHIS will review and respond to all comments received. If the public does not raise any significant concerns, we will issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and begin issuing permits to release Japanese knotweed psyllid into the environment. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Review and comment on this this notice in the Federal Register at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS-2019-0002-0001" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue'>https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS-2019-0002-0001.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><a href="https://www.lancasterfarming.com/news/main_edition/usda-plans-to-release-knotweed-biocontrol/article_07839c33-56d1-52f1-89ec-81d5c2b65c88.html">https://www.lancasterfarming.com/news/main_edition/usda-plans-to-release-knotweed-biocontrol/article_07839c33-56d1-52f1-89ec-81d5c2b65c88.html</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt'>USDA Plans to Release Knotweed Biocontrol <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Philip Gruber News Editor<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>May 31, 2019<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><o:p> </o:p></li></ul><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2'><o:p> </o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lancasterfarming.com%2Fnews%2Fmain_edition%2Fusda-plans-to-release-knotweed-biocontrol%2Farticle_07839c33-56d1-52f1-89ec-81d5c2b65c88.html%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_campaign%3Duser-share" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook"><span style='color:blue'>Facebook </span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <a 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href="mailto:?subject=%5Blancasterfarming.com%5D%20USDA%20Plans%20to%20Release%20Knotweed%20Biocontrol&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lancasterfarming.com%2Fnews%2Fmain_edition%2Fusda-plans-to-release-knotweed-biocontrol%2Farticle_07839c33-56d1-52f1-89ec-81d5c2b65c88.html%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Duser-share" title=Email><span style='color:blue'>Email </span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <a href="javascript:window.print()" title=Print><span style='color:blue'>Print </span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:Symbol'>·</span> <o:p></o:p></p><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo5'><a href="https://www.lancasterfarming.com/content/tncms/live/" title="Save to list"><span style='color:blue'>Save </span></a><o:p></o:p></li></ul><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;border:none;padding:0in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Top of Form<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:1.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;border:none;padding:0in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Bottom of Form<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>An aggressive, hard-to-kill weed that chokes riparian buffers in the Northeast could soon be under attack from one of its natural enemies.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>USDA plans to release the knotweed psyllid in the United States, the agency said Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>The Japanese insect feeds on the sap of the giant, Japanese and Bohemian knotweed.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Marc Imlay <ialm@erols.com> <br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, November 18, 2019 9:33 PM<br><b>To:</b> ialm@erols.com<br><b>Subject:</b> Update biological control of garlic mustard in Canada<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><a href="https://blog.cabi.org/2018/12/18/giving-garlic-mustard-the-biocontrol-treatment/">https://blog.cabi.org/2018/12/18/giving-garlic-mustard-the-biocontrol-treatment/</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>In August and October 2018, Dr. Rob Bourchier, from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) released the <a href="https://www.cabi.org/projects/project/62322"><span style='color:blue'>first biocontrol agent against garlic mustard in North America</span></a> – the root mining weevil <i>Ceutorhynchus scrobicollis. </i>Weevil larvae in lab-inoculated plants and adults were released at a garlic mustard site in Ontario, Canada. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>A population model predicted that of all agents investigated, <i>C. scrobicollis </i>will have the most significant impact on garlic mustard. If the weevils survive the winter and establish themselves in the wild, they are expected to reduce the density of the weed at existing sites and slow its spread to new sites. The project will continue to closely monitor the weevil’s progress and assess whether they live up to the model’s prediction. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>The scientific and regulatory process of releasing <i>C. scrobicollis </i>has been years in the making. It started when CABI’s Switzerland centre was commissioned to look for natural enemies of garlic mustard in its native European range in 1998. After initial literature and field surveys, several potential agents (mostly weevils) were studied. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Thorough safety testing done at CABI in Switzerland and under quarantine conditions at the University of Minnesota in the U.S. demonstrated that <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>C.scrobicollis </span></em>targeted garlic mustard effectively without damaging other native species<em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>. </span></em>Building on this breakthrough, the first petition for field release of the weevil was submitted to the North American regulatory authorities. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Following extensive consultation, supplemental testing and review by regulators, Canada approved the release of the biocontrol agent in June 2018. The research teams are hopeful that a release permit will soon be granted for the United States, which is being pursued by Drs. Jeanie Katovich, Roger Becker, George Heimpel and Ph.D. candidate Mary Marek-Spartz at the University of Minnesota. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>In 2019, the weevil rearing program at the University of Minnesota, European field collections by CABI and field expertise from AAFC will be combined to expand the number of weevil release sites in Ontario. These release experiments will focus on defining the conditions that favour <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>C. scrobicollis</span></em> survival and population growth.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>While conducting pre-release studies, researchers collaborating from the U.S., Canada, and CABI have amassed a wealth of experience rearing this insect. This knowledge will be a huge benefit as the teams develop a prescription for the use of <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>C.scrobicollis</span></em> in North America.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><a href="https://www.cabi.org/projects/project/62322"><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue'>For more information, visit the project page on Biological control of garlic mustard</span></em></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><em><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>* Mycorrhizas are fungal associations between plant roots and beneficial fungi</span></b></em><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p><p><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><a href="https://www.lccmr.leg.mn/proposals/2017/original/107-d.pdf"><span style='font-style:normal'>https://www.lccmr.leg.mn/proposals/2017/original/107-d.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></em></p><p><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></em></p><p><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>