South African researchers move closer to biological control of invasive brambles
Invasive brambles from North America and Europe have spread widely across South Africa, damaging ecosystems and agriculture. Traditional control methods have failed due to scale and plant resilience. Researchers now find biological control using natural enemies from the brambles' native range feasible and promising for managing these invasive weeds.
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Invasive alien brambles, originating from North America and Europe, have been spreading across South Africa since the early 1900s, severely impacting ecosystems and agriculture. These thorny thickets choke pastures, hinder livestock and wildlife movement, and disrupt forestry and roadsides.
Traditional chemical and mechanical controls have proven ineffective due to the vast scale of infestations, high costs, difficult terrain, and the brambles’ ability to regrow from roots and seeds dispersed by birds.
South African researchers have recently clarified the identity of the dominant invasive bramble species and concluded that biological control—introducing specialized natural enemies from the plants’ native habitats—is a feasible and suitable management strategy. This approach undergoes rigorous quarantine testing to ensure host specificity and aims to restore ecosystems with minimal disturbance.
The research marks a significant step toward sustainable management of invasive brambles in South Africa, potentially reducing ecological damage and agricultural losses.