Biological Control of Kudzu

Graduate Research Assistant: Matthew Frye (PhD, Entomology & Wildlife Ecology)

Collaborator: Kathy Kidd (North Carolina Dept. Ag.)

Kudzu, Pueraria montana var. lobata, is considered to be one of the most harmful non-native invasive plant species in the United States, especially in southeastern states. Control through mechanical and/or chemical means is difficult, expensive, and often not effective, and therefore kudzu has been targeted for biological control. Kudzu in China is host to a variety of insect species in different feeding guilds, including defoliators, terminal-clippers, and root borers. We are currently testing the effects of artificial damage to kudzu that simulates these three feeding guilds, in both long-established and newly established kudzu patches, to determine which type of insect feeding could have the greatest impact on the plant.