Invaded habitat incompatibility affects the suitability of the potential biological control agent Listronotus sordidus for Sagittaria platyphylla in South Africa

Sagittaria platyphylla (Engelmann) J.G. Smith (Alismataceae) was first recorded in South Africa in 2008 and is considered to be an emerging weed with naturalised populations occurring throughout the country. A biological control programme was initiated in Australia and surveys conducted between 2010 and 2012 yielded potential agents, including the crown feeding weevil, Listronotus sordidus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The potential of L. sordidus as a candidate biological control agent against S. platyphylla in South Africa was examined. Although adult feeding was recorded on a number of plant species, oviposition and larval development indicated a narrow host range restricted to the Alismataceae. In South Africa, S. platyphylla populations are primarily found in inundated systems. However, laboratory studies showed that L. sordidus did not oviposit on inundated plants, potentially nullifying the impact of the insect on South African populations. It is suggested that even though L. sordidus is a damaging, specific agent, its limited impact on inundated plant populations in South Africa does not justify the inherent risk associated with the release of a biological control agent.