Pest, disease and weed management

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Research outcomes: A comprehensive RD&E program that addresses existing and emerging pests, diseases and weeds, allowing sugarcane growers to manage their crops efficiently with minimal environmental impacts. An enhanced industry capacity to deal with incursions of exotic pests, diseases and weeds.

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1998 - 199912000 - 200211

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End date: 2022Subject: search.filters.subject.Crop management

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    Management strategies for rhyparida in southern Queensland : SRDC final report BSS236
    (BSES, 2002) Fischer, TWA; Allsopp, PG
    Larvae of rhyparida beetles bore into the bases of newly ratooning shoots, causing dead hearts. Very minor damage will kill 'surplus' shoots. More intense damage appears to set plant growth back and cause some yield loss. Prolonged attack will kill all shoots and kill the stool, leaving large gaps and necessitating replanting. No insecticide is registered for control of the pest and the efficacy of cultural controls is unknown.The project developed a better understanding of the phenology of Rhyparida nitida ? this species has a one-year life cycle with extended oviposition over summer, slow development of small larvae during autumn and winter, and more rapid development of larger larvae during spring. The extended oviposition means that each generation has individuals of widely varying ages.Extension of outcomes to stakeholders took place through grower discussion groups, on-farm participatory trials, and newsletters.
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    Chlorotic streak disease of sugarcane : SRDC final report BSS243
    (BSES, 2002) Magarey, RC
    Chlorotic streak is a disease recognised since 1929 and is widespread through the cane growing countries of the world. Despite considerable research, particularly in the 1940-1970 period, the causal agent of the disease is still unknown. The disease is systemic and affects germination and crop yield. It is widespread through Queensland being favoured by high rainfall and/or poor drainage. The worst affected areas are the high rainfall wet tropics and poorly drained areas in other districts. This three-year project was initiated to gain a better understanding of the effects of the disease on yield; to screen commercial varieties for resistance; to research the distribution in parts of the Burdekin River Irrigation Area (BRIA); and to attempt to identify the causal agent. Yield loss trials were planted in the Tully and Herbert districts in 2000. Varieties ranging from resistant to susceptible were included to determine the relationship between resistance and yield loss. Plant crop harvests in 2001 revealed losses of up to 60% when crops planted with stalks showing diseased symptoms were compared with crops established with stalks exhibiting no symptoms. Yield effects therefore can be dramatic with the disease. Even some resistant canes suffered significant losses, suggesting farmers should obtain the cleanest planting material they can to establish new crops. One resistant variety (Q162) suffered negligible losses. Germination was slowed, and reduced overall, by chlorotic streak disease (CSD) with the main effect being on tonnes cane/ha rather than ccs (sugar content was largely unaffected by CSD). There was a significant relationship between varietal resistance and yield (r-squared 0.56) in the Herbert trial suggesting there is a correlation between resistance and yield. Surveys of the Invicta, Pioneer, Kalamia and Inkerman mill areas revealed the presence of a greater level of CSD than known previously. The greatest level of disease was found in Q127 though other varieties were also diseased. There was a link between irrigation water source and the area affected by the disease. Where channel water was used, higher disease levels resulted compared to fields irrigated with bore water. This is not surprising because drainage water from infested fields is known to carry the causal agent and channel water contains some drainage water. Transmission studies using hydroponics were commenced to provide suitable root material for molecular assay research into the causal agent. However, no disease transmission occurred and it is postulated that a soil-borne vector may be needed to aid transmission. PhD studies at the University of Adelaide have focused on light and electron microscopy, and molecular methods of pathogen detection. This project finishes in 2003 but so far no agents have been associated with diseased material.
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    BSS249 : Preparedness for borer incursion : Summary of effectiveness of Tebufenozide for control of sugarcane stemborers
    (BSES, 2001) Allsopp, PG
    Following a search of the literature and discussions with entomologists in Papua New Guinea and Louisiana, tebufenozide (Mimic?, Confirm? or RH-5992) was identified as a potential highly useful candidate insecticide for emergency use in Australia following an incursion of a stemborer.Tebufenozide is an ecdysone agonist that acts by binding to the ecdysone receptor protein. The moulting process of treated insects is lethally accelerated. It is non-phytotoxic and shows little negative effect on populations of stemborer parasites and other beneficial insects. It is registered for use in USA against Diatraea saccharalis and is used successfully in Papua New Guinea against Sesamia grisescens.Data included in this report demonstrate the effectiveness of tebufenozide against these two stemborer species and its minimal effects on beneficials. Data are also included on the chemical composition of the compound, its physico-chemical properties, toxicology and environmental fate.
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    Chicory herbicide trial : final report 2212
    (BSES, 2002) Collins, J
    Chicory is currently a commercially cultivated root crop mainly grown in Belgium. Small areas of Chicory for Whitlof production are grown in Australia mainly in the state of Victoria. The objective of this project was to identify potential herbicides for controlling a broad range of weed species found in Bundaberg District. Currently in Australia Trifluralin is the only herbicide registered for use on Chicory in Victoria. This project was conducted with the cooperation of the Queensland Department of Primary Industry. The herbicide treatments were applied to an area of a irrigation trial conducted on the Department of Primary Industry's research farm, Ashfield Road, Bundaberg. Herbicides were selected according to the spectrum of weeds controlled and the probability of crop damage. All the herbicides used were currently registered in Australia for the control of certain weeds in other crops. Crop damager and weed control were assessed to identify suitable herbicides.
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    Determining the biology of rhopaea canegrub in the New South Wales sugar industry : SRDC final report BSS201
    (BSES, 2002) McLennan, AJ; McGuire, PJ; Allsopp, PG; Zalucki, MP
    Rhopaea canegrub (Rhopaea magnicornis Blackburn) is the major insect pest of the New South Wales sugar industry with about 25% of Condong farms affected. Rhopaea has also been reported as a pest in the Broadwater and Nambour canegrowing areas. At the time this project commenced little was known about the ecology and population dynamics of the pest and no commercially viable control measures existed.Contrary to previous beliefs, some female beetles were observed to fly prior to mating. However, female beetles were also observed that emerged and did not fly, but mated on the soil surface before burrowing back into the soil where they laid their eggs. It is not yet known which behaviour is the most common. The average egg batch was found to be 21.3 eggs.The distribution of the life stages of rhopaea canegrubs was determined using both naturally occurring populations at three sites and an introduced population at a fourth site. First and second instars are shallow feeders; they were found at an average depth of about 10 cm. The third-instar rhopaea larvae not only move deeper into the soil (average depth about 15 cm) but also become more focused around the sugarcane stool and row centre. Finally, as pupation approaches, rhopaea grubs again move up in the soil profile, where they were found to pupate at an average depth of only 6.5 cm below the soil surface. Rhopaea is a comparatively shallow-living grub in contrast to some other canegrub species.Green cane trash blanketing was tested on six farms and ?stool rolling? on five farms. Neither practice was shown to be effective but this may be due to the relatively low pest populations that prevailed during the three years of field work.Fallowing as a control measure was tested with both naturally occurring populations and in a replicated trial where plots were seeded with 20 second instar larvae. A grass fallow was found to increase pest numbers in subsequent crops compared to replanting. In the replicated experiment, all fallow treatments reduced grub numbers by similar amounts four months after the larvae were introduced.Field counts made after land preparation for replanting showed that cultivation can reduce pest numbers by close to 100%. However, such large decreases may also disrupt the disease cycle which is essential in suppressing pest numbers.Disease studies showed that rhopaea is infected by a different species of Metarhizium fungus (M. flavoviride) than other canegrub species which are infected by M. anisopliae. The fungus affects all stages (egg-adult) of the pest so that the ?window of control? is very wide. Some field observations showed over 50% of a female?s eggs could be killed by metarhizium infections. Beauveria bassiana was another prominent fungal disease identified in the population. This fungus has only been rarely observed in other more northern canegrub species. Both fungi have potential as biological control agents.Other diseases found include milky disease (Paenibacillus popilliae), three minor fungal diseases and one incidence of a rare microsporidian disease (Nosema sp.).
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    Enhanced adoption of integrated pest management in sugarcane : SRDC final report BSS225
    (BSES, 2002) Hunt, WD; Samson, PR
    The project focused on changing the way BSES engages clients in dealing with pest management issues, using the concept of participatory action-learning. Thirty-two small groups of canegrowers were formed around eight pest types. In addition, three major extension campaigns were delivered on the sugar industry?s two most damaging pests, greyback canegrubs and cane rats. A roadshow integrated pest management (IPM) program on rats that was run in central and northern areas in 1999 contacted 480 growers. The wider-reaching initiative Rat Attack trained 2,700 growers in a program to raise awareness and understanding of rodent IPM in late 2000. The greyback canegrub program GrubPlan trained 906 growers and rural industry staff through 70 IPM workshops in late 2001. Training was an interactive process based on developing understanding and skills, leading to a change in practices. Results have been rewarding. Following the rat programs, damage to cane was reduced by around 21% (98,000 t) in 2000 and 58% (273,000 t) in 2001, in comparison with 1999. The GrubPlan program is also reaping dividends with around 60% of growers implementing 80% or more of the management plans they developed in the series. Visible damage to cane from greyback has subsequently declined, which will be confirmed by estimates of crop losses at the end of 2002. The project has been able to mitigate pest impact through achieving learnings with clients. It has also assisted extension and research staff to operate more effectively using good meeting process and extension planning, and has served to standardise IPM programs in industry.
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    Development of DNA based diagnostic systems for sugarcane pathogens : SRDC final report UQ024
    (BSES, 2001) Maclean, D; Henderson, J; Croft, B
    This project developed diagnostic assays for sugarcane pathogens using novel DNA detection technologies associated with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The bacterium Clavibacter xyli subsp. xyli (Cxx) causing ratoon stunting disease (RSD) was used as major model to compare assay platforms based on PCR-ELISA (Boehringer) and TaqManTM real time PCR (Applied Biosystems). TaqMan was more sensitive, robust, and subject to less interference than PCR-ELISA. Laboratory tests and field trials using cultured Cxx cells and xylem fluids from RSD-infected cane demonstrated that TaqMan could detect fewer than 10 bacterial cells reliably, and was >100x as sensitive as previous ELISA and phase contrast microscopy methods. Quantitative TaqMan assays appeared to be congruent with these existing methods. TaqMan assays were also developed for Fiji disease fijivirus (FDV) and sugarcane mosaic potyvirus (SCMV). BSES can readily access this advanced technology via the Real Time PCR Facility at the University of Queensland. Compared to alternative methods the TaqMan assays are inherently time-efficient, robust, highly sensitive, quantitative, and are especially well suited for rigorous quality control. These tests are recommended for ongoing evaluation for quarantine and other purposes by the Australian sugar industry. TaqMan is a robust generic technology and assays can readily be developed for further pathogens if the need arises.
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    Plant resistance to canegrubs : SRDC final report BSS132
    (BSES, 2002) Allsopp, PG; Cox, MC; Nutt, KA
    The project sought to determine the range and types of resistances to feeding by canegrubs in sugarcane clones and their wild relatives. Resistance was tested in both pot trials and field trials and the importance of several biochemical factors in this resistance was investigated.Field and pot trials showed that a range of tolerance and antibiosis resistance mechanisms to canegrub feeding exists within the current sugarcane genome and close relatives. Tolerance effects were apparent in the growth of tops, roots and stubble. Antibiosis effects were apparent on grub survival and grub growth. Some of these tolerance effects are partially correlated with the general vigour of clones, but there are a number of clones that depart from the general relationships for tolerance and antibiosis. These clones would be especially important in any future program to increase the levels of resistance within the breeding gene pool.There was reasonable repeatability of pot-based tolerance levels between pot trials and with results derived from field trials. However, the type of canegrub and its underlying biology influenced the usefulness of field trials.Biochemical investigations showed no clear relationships between any factor and antibiosis phenotypes. However, there were indications that the type of cell-wall sugars may influence resistance to canegrubs. In addition, the data clearly indicated that the quantity and type of phenolic compounds in the roots change following feeding by canegrubs.
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    Canegrub resistant plants containing antimetabolic compounds : SRDC final report BSS163
    (BSES, 2000) Smith, GR; Nutt, KA; Allsopp, PG
    Transgenic sugarcane plants engineered to express either the potato proteinase inhibitor II or the snowdrop lectin gene show increased antibiosis to larvae of Antitrogus consanguineus in pot-based glasshouse trials.Canegrubs feeding on the transgenic line UP87, transformed with the potato gene, gained as little as 4.2% of the weight of canegrubs fed on untransformed control plants. Similarly, larvae feeding on the roots of transgenic line G87, transformed with the snowdrop gene, gained only 20.6% of the weight of grubs feeding on the non-transgenic control plants. Overall, 22% of the tested transgenic plant lines engineered with either the potato or the snowdrop constructs resulted in a statistically significant reduction in gain of weight by canegrubs feeding on roots. Weight gains of insects were compared to those of larvae feeding on the roots of either non-transgenic control plants, or non-transgenic plants regenerated after passage through the tissue culture system.Plants transformed with a proteinase inhibitor from an ornamental tobacco showed no statistical effect on the weight gain of the grubs. This result was unexpected, as the proteinase inhibitor from tobacco was predicted to be as effective as the PI from potato. Further analysis of the gene construct by sequencing established that the gene construct was faulty in contrast to the original restriction analysis that had indicated that the plasmid was correctly constructed. Protein could not be produced by the faulty construct, and this is reflected in the negligible effect on weight gain of the grubs. The plasmid was re-constructed and transformed into sugarcane. Plants containing this construct are being grown for testing.Having now established that canegrub resistance can be engineered into sugarcane, the next phase is to test the efficacy of these transgenes against other species of canegrub larvae and to further develop a commercial product.