Recipient Organization
TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE
(N/A)
WESLACO,TX 78596
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
50%
Developmental
30%
Goals / Objectives
Investigate and mitigate the negative effects of invasive species, including carrizo cane, Guineagrass, and exotic nilgai on livestock disease vectors in Texas. Exotic weeds and wildlife facilitate the invasion of cattle fever ticks from Mexico and create a pathogenic landscape that favors the disease vector.
Project Methods
Biological control agents will be evaluated for their ability to control exotic weeds. Candidate insects will be evaluated for safety and efficacy and if warranted permitted for release in Texas. To accelerate the impacts of the agents, they will be mass reared and released at field sites. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), operated by Texas A&M Agrilife, will be investigated to measure the impacts of biological control agents on the exotic weeds and to determine movements of exotic nilgai that carry cattle fever ticks across the pathogenic landscape. Field impacts of the biological control agents on the exotic weeds will be measured and this data will be used to determine economic benefits using an existing model developed by Texas Agrilife.