Nearly 1,000 researchers, resource managers, agriculture and forestry professionals, and other interested people attended the 2020 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference last month, including several MITPPC researchers. Read on for five lessons we learned at this eye-opening virtual conference.
New technologies offer promising, innovative options.
Genetic biocontrol options for invasive species may sound sci-fi, but they are real life! MITPPC researcher Mike Smanski currently has research exploring engineering genetic incompatibility to produce sterile offspring, which is currently being demonstrated first in fruit flies with a goal of transitioning to control of spotted wing drosophila. We’re also using new technologies to take a bird’s-eye view of things: Connor Anderson presented on using drones and satellites to identify invasive Phragmites from above.
Early detection and rapid response is increasingly important.
When it comes to invasive species, the earlier they’re identified, the better. MITPPC researcher Vinni Novi presented on novel rapid detection technologies for oak wilt with on-site detection systems, and Anthony Brusa spoke about genetic testing to identify Palmer Amaranth in seed mixtures. These methods are improvements over existing options in terms of sensitivity, robustness of validation, and ease of use.
There are success stories!
Sometimes invasive species can seem like an unsolvable problem, but many successes were presented at UMISC. Researcher Nick Greatens presented on the promise being shown by crown rust fungus to act as a biological control for buckthorn and reed canary grass. Ben Held presented on saving the American Elm by identifying large surviving elms, clonally propagating them, and planting them in the field to do long-term inoculation studies. Mike Schuster presented on the success of using red elderberry after buckthorn removal to prevent reinvasion.
Interest in terrestrial invasive species is growing.
With specific tracks in forest health and terrestrial invasive species, this year’s UMISC featured 24 talks by MITPPC researchers, which covered a dozen species, ranging from buckthorn to spotted wing drosophila to oak wilt. Four MITPPC researchers also presented posters on garlic mustard, soybean aphid, and more.
Researchers are as well-connected as ever.
Despite the pandemic preventing in-person interactions, MITPPC researchers are still exceptionally engaged with the community we’re here to serve. Our research projects partner with nonprofit organizations like Friends of the Mississippi River, industry groups like the Minnesota Soybean Council, agencies like the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources, and tribal groups like the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. We believe these partnerships are crucial to the success of invasive species prevention and management going forward.