Biological

Biological: This practice uses natural enemies, biological control agents, to attack and control the targeted weed.   Biological control methods do not eradicate; rather they provide sustained suppression of the target weed populations.   Insect agents can achieve this by defoliation, seed predation, boring into roots, shoots and stems, or extracting plant fluids. All these effects can reduce the competitive ability of the plant relative to the surrounding vegetation (Wilson and MacCaffery 1999 and DiTomaso et al. 2006.)