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Growers are advised to begin monitoring for diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella). Diamondback moth (DBM) activity has been reported in canola crops in South Australia, and weather conditions over the coming weeks will influence rates of population growth, which is generally favoured by warm and dry conditions.
DBM caterpillars feed on plant foliage, stems, flower heads and pods of canola plants. They can be responsible for yield losses of up to 80%. DBM caterpillars are pale yellowish-green and tapered at each end of their body. They grow to about 12 mm in length and will often wriggle rapidly when disturbed. The moths are about 10 mm long and are grey-brown in colour. They have a characteristic whitish strip of uneven width down the back, which resembles diamond patterns.
DBM can develop insecticide resistance readily and some populations are difficult to control with insecticides. Furthermore, no single insecticide application will completely eliminate the population. In years when populations are large, a two-spray strategy is recommended.
Sampling crops at several locations is important to determine whether numbers are increasing or decreasing before any spray decision is made. A monitoring guide has been developed for DBM that incorporates factors such as crop type, development stage, market destination and parasitism levels. Ideally, crops should be monitored using an insect sweep net at 7-10 day intervals from now through to windrowing.
Click here for further information on DBM management.
What is PestFacts?
PestFacts south-eastern keeps growers and advisers informed about invertebrate pests and beneficials in broadacre crops and pastures during the winter-cropping season in Victoria and southern New South Wales.
PestFacts south-eastern is run through IPMforGrains: Best Practice Insect Pest Management, a project delivered by the National Pest Information Network (cesar, DPIRD, QDAF, NSW DPI, and SARDI). This project aims to provide grain growers and advisors with information on invertebrate grain pest occurrence and equip industry with the knowledge needed to implement integrated pest management practices. This initiative is a GRDC investment and includes in-kind contributions from all project partner organisations.
We need your reports
PestFacts is produced on an ʻas-needsʼ basis and relies upon pest observations and field reports from our subscribers. If you have recently observed invertebrate pests (or beneficial species) in broadacre crops, please contact us to report your observations.
Agricultural invertebrate identification
If you are a grower or agronomist in Victoria or NSW working with broadacre crops or pastures, we can assist you with identifying invertebrates found on farms at no cost. Please contact us for identification help.
PestFacts map
PestFacts map is an interactive tool that allows users to search and view historical pest reports across Victoria and NSW. The map is updated with each issue of PestFacts to include new reports.
How to acknowledge PestFacts?
With appropriate acknowledgement, cesar grants permission to reproduce information taken directly from PestFacts. To cite PestFacts: “PestFacts south-eastern (<<enter date published>>). cesar pty ltd.”
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