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With insecticide-resistant populations of RLEM detected for the first time in south-eastern Australia, reporting suspected spray failures is a must.
cesar is again testing redlegged earth mites (RLEM, Halotydeus destructor) for insecticide resistance across southern Australia. Throughout 2017, this service will be free for Australian grain growers, thanks to funding from GRDC.
RLEM has been showing high levels of resistance to insecticides for more than a decade in Western Australia. Now resistance has been confirmed in multiple RLEM populations from South Australia to both synthetic pyrethroids, including bifenthrin and alpha-cypermethrin, and organophosphates, including omethoate and chlorpyrifos. The important discovery was made by scientists at cesar and The University of Melbourne in 2017, after receiving reports of spray failures.
This resistance is likely to spread to other States, including Victoria and New South Wales. It is therefore important to put management plans in place for RLEM this season, including routine monitoring of emerging crops and pastures. Growers and advisers are encouraged to remain vigilant; spray paddocks only when mite numbers warrant it, inspect paddocks post-spraying and to report any suspected spray failures.
One of the major challenges facing the Australian grains industry is the heavy reliance on three registered chemical classes to control RLEM – neonicotinoids as a seed dressing, and pyrethroids and organophosphates as foliar sprays. Hence, growers are limited in their options to rotate different chemical classes, though it is imperative they do so. Growers and advisors are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the recently developed Resistance Management Strategies for RLEM.
The testing service is available across SA, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. Any grower or adviser experiencing a chemical control failure involving RLEM, or suspecting issues with insecticide resistance, are encouraged to contact us to access this free service.
For more information please contact:
Dr James Maino
cesar
Ph: 03 9349 4723
Email: jmaino@cesaraustralia.com
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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