Potential of controlling selected weeds in Europe with insects

Abstract

Weed control by insects is increasingly important, as chemical weed control (the use of herbicides) has an important impact on the environment and, consequently, on all organisms living there. The use of insects to control weeds thus represents an alternative to herbicides. The article presents the suppression of some widespread and persistent weeds in Europe with their natural enemies - insects. The following combinations presented below are: broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius L.) – Gastrophysa viridula (De Geer, 1775), curly dock (Rumex crispus L.) – Apion violaceum (Kirby, 1808), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) – Ophraella communa (LeSage, 1986) and Zygogramma suturalis (Fabricius, 1775), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) – Cassida rubiginosa (Müller, 1776), cleavers (Galium aparine L.) – Halidamia affinis (Fallen, 1807) and Sermylassa halensis (Linnaeus, 1767), common knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare L.) and black-bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus L.) – Gastrophysa polygoni (Linnaeus, 1758) and as the last one field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) – Galeruca rufa (Germar, 1824) and Tyta luctuosa (Denis in Schiffmuller, 1775).

Keywords

• weeds
• biological control
• insects
• phytophagous insects
• relation insect - host plant