Eshetu BekeleVSU Parthenium Project- Ethiopia

International Workshop on Bioogical Control and Management of Parthenium hysterophorus Addis Ababa, Ethiopia July 14-17, 2014

Address most of the adverse effects on▪ Crops and pastures▪ Livestock health and products▪ Social▪ Natural ecosystems

Include appropriate impact assessment plan and parameters

Quantify the economic benefits that could be obtained by managing the weed

Evaluating pre-release baseline conditions▪ Provides benchmarks against which effectiveness

of the bioagent can be later evaluated Monitoring establishment and spread

of the bioagents ▪ This is an indicator of the ultimate success of any

biological control program Measuring actual impacts ▪ This actually measures the ultimate success or

failure of the biological control program

Photo points▪ Comparison of a series of photographs taken

from a fixed reference points▪ Periodically on release and non-release plots

Stakeholder survey▪ Comparative surveys of perceptions of

managers, farmers DAs, etc▪ A questionnaire to assess their opinions

before and after release

Comparing sites or plots with and without the bioagents:

▪ Abundance of parthenium▪ Abundance of bioagents▪ Extent of damage▪ Response of the associated plant community

Correlative studies:▪ Correlation between weed performance and

agent density or damage severity

Agent exclusion experiments:▪ Comparison of protected plots (using

pesticides or cages) with plots with the bioagents.

On parthenium: before/during release & end of seasons NP, NF, Ht, BM, SB

On bioagent: fortnightly after release & end of seasons (at & beyond the release points) NA, NP, NL, NE per plant

Extent of damage: during the season NDP, PLAD, visual score (0-5)

Associated plant communities Spp., abundance, and % coverage

Data should be taken from a unit area Example: 0.5 x 0.5m quadrant

It should be replicatedAppropriate statistical models should

be selected Example: One way or two way ANOVA followed

by a Tukey test (Dhileepan, 2003)

Ultimate goal of biological control of parthenium is improvement in crop and pasture yields and

qualities. Recovery of native species Reduce the socioeconomic Impacts

But, it may take several years to measure such real impact

Requires continuous monitoring & data collection

Superimposing zonal crop yield data on parthenium distribution map, three major crops identified in potential release areas Teff Sorghum and Maize

Yields vary significantly within zones District (wereda) level yields could be

better Thus, means of the last 5 seasons used

Impact of biological control of parthenium on human health,

livestock health and product qualities,

net savings/incomes generated Determined using well structured

questionnaires. Analyzed with appropriate statistical

procedures

The impact of managing parthenium by bioagents can be evaluated from different perspectives: the establishment and effectiveness of the bioagents

, significant reduction in parthenium populations subsequent increase in crop/pasture yields & quality, Improvements in livestock health and quality of their

products, rehabilitation of other plant communities in the

ecosystem, and the additional economic benefits farmers could get

from reduced weeding costs and labor.