Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms),
with a geographical origin in South America, continues to
be one of the most prolific aquatic weeds in the world. In
Mexico, more than 40,000 ha of reservoirs, lakes, canals
and drains are infested with E. crassipes. This weed was
probably introduced in Mexico in the early 1900s (Novelo,
1996). Chemical and mechanical control methods have
been used to manage E. crassipes, but these methods have
resulted expensive and unsatisfactory because many
repeated applications have been needed (Gutie´rrez et al.,
1994). E. crassipes control difficulties are related to the
weed’s rapid growth rate and its ability to reinfest via the
seed bank or by flood-borne plants. For these reasons, the
only long-term and sustainable solution is the application
of an integrated approach to E. crassipes management in
which biological control agents can play a key role.