Scientists develop new weapons against bird-strike at airports

The grass “Avanex” is infected with a fungus that birds wont eat and is seen as an important new weapon in a fight that costs the airline industry about $1.4 billion each year. Avanex is being hailed as a breakthrough for the airline industry and its developers say they cant keep up with demand.Weve been staggered by the interest were getting in this grass,” said Cameron Henley.Avanex is an engineered grass containing a fungus that sickens - but doesnt harm - birds when they eat it. Thirteen years of trials have demonstrated that the birds will not return to a field of Avanex if they have eaten it once before, according to scientists.“It’s a natural drug thats in the grass that birds avoid once they eat it, said Dr. Pennell, who led the team that developed the grass at the New Zealand state-owned biotechnology company, AgResearch. Chemicals released by the fungus also repel insects, thus reducing the number of insect-eating birds in areas where it grows as well.The anti-bird grass has proved successful at Christchurch airport. Now, Auckland airport has begun planting it.