Madeira vine biocontrol

Anredera cordifolia
Madeira vine, potato vine, lamb's tail vine, sweet mignonette

The madeira vine is a [Weed of National Significance](http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/weeddetails.pl?taxon_id=2643) that poses serious environmental threat in Australia. Madeira vine is a vigorous perennial climber that forms dense mats capable of covering tree canopies and ultimately smothering rainforest vegetation. The resilience of the madeira vine is due to its reproduction via rhizomes and underground tubers which can remain viable for up to 15 years. Currently, one biocontrol agent has been released to control madeira vine.

1. Madeira vine leaf beetle *Plectonycha correntina*

Madeira vine is a relatively new candidate for biocontrol because it does not yet cause significant economical impact on agricultural activities. In 2011 the first release of madeira vine leaf beetle was made in Brisbane, however it is still too early to assess the establishment of this population. One other biocontrol candidate Phenrica sp. has been studied and is yet to complete pre-release testing. Regular updates on field days, workshops, and research results are published on the Blog.

Madeira Vine Tubers, Photo: Jon Sullivan, [CC BY-NC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/au/)