Objective:
Conduct research on classical biological control of BLM target weeds such as: leafy spurge, knapweed complex, Russian knapweed, field bindweed, Canada thistle, tamarisk (saltcedar), yellow starthistle, Dyers' woad, musk thistle, Scotch thistle, hoary cress, perennial pepperweed, Dalmatian and common toadflax.

Approach:
Biological control agents (insects and plant pathogens) will be discovered and developed for release against target weeds on BLM lands in the U.S. The research will focus on foreign exploration in the home range (Eurasia) of the target weeds, finding and identifying (through molecular means if appropriate) their natural enemies, and characterizing the promising candidate biological control agents as to life cycle(s), ecological adaptations including climate and soils matching, host ranges (risk analysis), and rearing procedures. For those candidate biological control agents collected outside of France, the biological characterization will be conducted within the EBCL quarantine. Promising biological control agents will be petitioned for approval from the APHIS Technical Advisory group (TAG) for preparation of Environmental Assessments, and after Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSIs) are signed and issued, submissions will be made to APHIS for permits for releases on BLM lands.