A novel control for the mile-a-minute weed?

Mikania micrantha is an exotic weed that has become a huge problem not only in Florida but internationally.

It is typically called the “ Mile-A-Minute Weed” due to how quickly the plant overgrows and chokes native plants, includinglocal fruits and vegetables. The main focus of my research was to find an innovative solution to eradicating this pervasive weed. To tackle this issue in a way that was both novel and effective, I turned to a biological control using a specific strain of fungus called Glomeralla cingulata that combats only the targeted weed. Biological controls introduce natural predators to control pests. I speculated that when paired with an adjuvant, or a compound that makes the treatment more effective, this approach could easily become one of the most innovative ways to control this weed. Choosing the right adjuvant was tricky.