Jumping lice conquer Japanese knotweed

A jumping louse may be the answer in controlling Japanese knotweed, scientific researchers claim. Fallopia japonica, introduced to the UK in about 1800, was highly prized for its ornamental value by the Victorians. 

However the plant proved highly invasive and resistant to herbicides.  It regrows from tiny pieces of root and can even push its way through concrete.

Scientists from CABI, a not-for-profit agricultural research organisation, believe they have found the answer in psyllids or jumping plant lice, which weaken knotweed by feeding on the sap. CABI has applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for permission to introduce the lice as a biological control.

For more information, visit the Staines News and CABI web sites.