The South African Sirex Control Programme is a collaborative initiative of the South African Forestry Industry in partnership with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, managed through Forestry South Africa.
The Programme is supported by organisations within the South African Forestry Industry, as well as the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) and the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria
We are focused on developing and implementing a strategy to manage the insect pest Sirex noctilio, in an effort to reduce the impact and risk to South African commercial pine plantations.
The Programme's strategic approach to managing the risk includes:
- Biological Control (research and commercial initiatives)
- Monitoring
- Awareness
- Research to develop a knowledge base of Sirex noctilio
Sirex noctilio is a woodwasp currently threatening commercial pine plantations in South Africa.
It was first introduced into South Africa in the Western Cape in 1994 on Pinus radiata. By 2002, Sirex had spread along the Southern Cape and into the Eastern Cape moving onto Pinus patula. From the Eastern Cape it moved into KwaZulu-Natal where the population exploded with high tree mortality during 2004.
Currently the Sirex front is moving north towards Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces where approximately 280 000 hectares of pine plantation timber is at risk.
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Currently, pine or softwood forestry in South Africa comprises more than 720 000 hectares of timber, predominantly Pinus radiata, P. patula, P. eliottii and P. taeda. Approximately a third of this area has already been affected by Sirex and the rest are at risk.
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In 2002, the South African Sirex Control Programme was formed, and today exists as a collaborative initiative of the South African Forestry Industry, in partnership with the South African National Government Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and is managed through Forestry South Africa, an association representing all timbers growers in the country.
Its objective is to develop and implement a strategy to manage Sirex, by reducing the wasp population to an acceptable level thereby reducing the impact and risk to South African commercial pine plantations.
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Two biological control approaches are being used by the South African Sirex Control Programme, in an effort slow down the spread of the wasp, and control population numbers.
These include the use of:
- parasitic wasps
- the nematode, Deladenus siricidicola
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A number of activities are being used to raise awareness of the threat of Sirex amongst all stakeholders, particularly in areas ahead of the front.
Media including information brochures, posters and articles in relevant trade magazines are being used to inform people about Sirex.
Field Days held around the country provide value interaction to assist in the early detection and identification of Sirex.
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In-house research groups within the South African Forestry Industry together with the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria support the South African Sirex Control Programme by providing a sound knowledge base of the insect and aspects of biocontrol.
An extensive collection of information, relevant literature and photographs on Sirex research can be accessed from the FABI website (www.fabinet.ac.za/sirex)
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