Current Researches of Brazilian Weeds in Paraná State - Biological Control of Weeds Program, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil J. H. PEDROSA-MACEDO 1 , C. WIKLER 1 , M. D. VITORINO 2 , and C. W. SMITH 3 1 Engenharia Florestal, DSM/SCA - Universidade Federal do Paraná Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner, 3400, 80.210-170 Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil 2 Av. República Argentina, 2534 Apto 14-A, Bairro Portão, Curitiba-PR, Brasil, CEP: 80610-260 3 Department of Botany - University of Hawaii at Manoa 3190 Maile Way Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA Abstract The history of the biological control program at Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil, is presented. Studies on the insects attacking various native Brazilian species of Senecio are being conducted. Insects are being investigated to discover their potential for enhance control of Senecio species in agricultural situations. Cattle deaths attributable to this genus in the state of Rio Grande do Sul are estimated at US$7.5 mil- lion annually. The remaining projects are all cooperative research projects with foreign universities studying the natural enemies of Brazilian species that are pests elsewhere in the world. Five potential control agents have been identified against strawberry guava which are now undergoing extensive host-range testing. A sawfly, Heteroperreyia hubrichi, that attacks Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius, is in the final stages of host-range testing in Hawaii and Florida. Other species, particularly Pseudophilothrips ichini, are also being evaluated. Exploratory studies are being conducted to find potential agents against Tibouchina herbacea and the apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) for Hawaii. A study of Anthonomus santacruzi is which attacks Solanum mauritianum being conducted for South Africa. Introduction In 1987, Dr. Charles Hodges, Institute of Pacific Island Forestry, Hawaii, began a series of visits to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil looking for araçá (Psidium cattleianum) on behalf of the U.S. National Park Service and the University of Hawaii. Several popula- tions where located from north of Rio de Janeiro to southern Paraná in the coastal region known as restinga. He was unable to find the red-fruited form, the most common form in Hawaii. During his later visits he was instructed to locate potential cooperators who could assist Hawaii in sending potential biological control agents for further evaluation in quar- antine. In 1989, Dr. Hodges contacted several universities with forestry programs in Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Paraná and recommended the Federal Universities in Viçosa and Curitiba. Small cooperative agreements were established to evaluate the local populations of araçá and their associated insects. The University of Viçosa was not suitable for further work because of its distance from the Atlantic Forest and restinga. Subsequent studies, dealing with pathogens as biological control agents against Melastomataceae, have been established at Viçosa. A cooperative agreement with the Curitiba group was established with two objectives: 639 Proceedings of the X International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds 4-14 July 1999, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA Neal R. Spencer [ed.]. pp. 639-643 (2000)