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The White Amur for Aquatic Weed Control

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Jane E. Michewicz,
D. L. Sutton and
R. D. Blackburn
Jane E. Michewicz
Affiliation:
Univ. of Florida, Agr. Res. Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314
D. L. Sutton
Affiliation:
Univ. of Florida, Agr. Res. Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314
R. D. Blackburn
Affiliation:
Plant Sci. Res. Div., Agr. Res. Serv., Agr. Res. Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314
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Abstract

The use of herbivorous fish for the biological control of aquatic weeds has great potential. The susceptibility of most herbivorous fish to low temperature is the principal factor limiting their use in the United States. The white amur (Ctenopharyngodon idella Val.) can tolerate low temperature and other water quality extremes. This fish has a voracious appetite for many aquatic plants, and after attaining a length of 30 mm, it is almost exclusively phytophagous. Factors affecting the feeding habits of the white amur include the species of plants and water temperature. The white amur has been introduced for aquatic weed control in various countries. This fish might ameliorate some of the aquatic weed problems in the United States, and also provide a new source of protein.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Science , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , January 1972, pp. 106 - 110
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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References

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