Releases of Beneficial Organisms in the United States and Territories (ROBO) database

The Releases Of Beneficial Organisms (ROBO) database consists of documented importations and releases of beneficial insects, mites, and microorganisms, as biological control agents of invasive pests and weeds, and as pollinators. It also includes information on importation and release of microbial natural enemies, and as such is related to the National Microbial Germplasm Program. The goal of the ROBO program is to provide information on invertebrate and microbial germplasm for biological control of invertebrate pests and weeds and ecological research. Users of this database are expected to be foreign and domestic scientists and students involved in biological control and ecological studies, public and private biological control practitioners, and officials in state and federal regulatory agencies dealing with issues involving the introduction of non-indigenous organisms.

The primary organisms covered by this database include: arthropod (insects, mites, and ticks), nematode and other invertebrate pests, weedy plants, and their microbial (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, etc.), arthropod, nematode and other invertebrate natural enemies. The primary emphasis of the database is collection, introduction, release, culture, establishment, recolonization and impact of non-indigenous organisms on pests in the United States, and their shipment to other countries. The database also includes information on the collection, introduction and release of non-indigenous invertebrate pollinators in the United States.

The ROBO site, originally at https://www.ars-grin.gov/nigrp/robo.html, contained descriptions with links to the database search interface and guidelines, but is in the process of being modernized. The link presented here as part of this resource explains the timeline for this activity, and will be updated once the project is complete.

• Resource Title: Releases of Beneficial Organisms in the United States and Territories (ROBO) web page.

  File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=420819

  The ROBO site, originally at https://www.ars-grin.gov/nigrp/robo.html, contained descriptions with links to the database search interface and guidelines, but is in the process of being modernized. The link presented here as part of this resource explains the timeline for this activity, and will be updated once the project is complete.