A new book by a Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher aims to provide environmentally friendly solutions for invasive weeds which cause major problems for agriculture, particularly in tropical regions of developing countries. Biological control of tropical weeds using arthropods, by Dr Anantanarayanan Raman, a senior lecturer at CSU and a researcher at the E H Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, covers the origin, distribution, and ecology of 20 key invasive weed species that occur mostly in the tropics. Dr Raman says cost-efficient biological control is a self-sustaining way to reduce this problem, and produces fewer effects than chemical methods, which can cause serious damage to the environment.’s “The book contains information about the sustainable biological control of each weed using insects and mites,” he said. “It is a valuable resource for scientists and policy makers concerned with invasive tropical weeds and their spread, and will also assist in the assessment of potential risks to native and economic plants.”