If you were given the task of choosing a biological control agent for a reed from eastern China that has become invasive in the southeastern U.S., what do you think would be the best choice? Consider both the effectiveness and the safety of the agent you be releasing.

Question

A. A generalist beetle, native to the U.S., that can consume massive quantities of the reed in a few weeks.
B. A nematode, native to eastern China, that specializes on the reed but can take up to two years to kill a plant.
C. A caterpillar, native to the U.S., that normally eats close relatives of the weed, but has been found in lab trials to perform better on the Chinese reed.
D. A fungal pathogen from eastern China that specializes on the reed and can kill a plant in a few months.

Answer 1

D. A fungal pathogen from eastern China that specializes on the reed and can kill a plant in a few months.