Entyloma ageratinae

Entyloma ageratinae, commonly known as the mist flower smut, is a leaf smut fungus and plant pathogen, originally from Jamaica, that is widely employed as a biological herbicide in the control of the invasive plant Ageratina riparia.[1][2] The species was described as new to science in 1988. It occurs in Mexico, Hawaii and Jamaica.[3]

On 21 October 2010, this fungus was found near Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia. Field surveys confirmed that the fungus was widespread in south east Queensland and NSW North Coast and present in the Coffs Harbour region, Mid-North Coast, NSW. It was not found further south in NSW. Host-specificity testing of the fungus on closely related plant species to mist flower within the Eupatorieae tribe, including two Australian native Adenostemma species, revealed that only the invasive plant crofton weed (Ageratina adenophora) developed some disease symptoms, albeit to a much lesser extent than mist flower.[4] A series of strategic releases of the fungus to non-infected mist flower sites in NSW were made in May 2011.[4] Monitoring sites were revisited in May to July 2012 and a measurable adverse impact of the fungus on mistflower was recorded. There was more than 60% decrease in percentage cover of mist flower across sites, with a corresponding increase, by also more than 60%, of the percentage cover of other plant species. Within a very short time frame, the project demonstrated that the white-smut fungus has great potential as a highly effective and self-sustaining control method for mist flower across its range.[4]