Pest, disease and weed management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13843

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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A monitoring-based system to enhance canegrub control best management practice for Isis sugarcane growers : final report GGP056
(BSES, 2013) Stanley, W; Chandler, K
The aim of GGP-056 was for growers to experience the effectiveness and practical value of monitoring canegrub risk as the basis for more cost-effective and efficient canegrub management: - taking the most appropriate option, including the most suitable insecticide treatment if and when and where needed, as opposed to current routines that are in the main effective but not as efficient as possible.
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.
Increasing productivity and profitablity in soldierfly-affected crops in the Pioneer Valley : SRDC Grower Group innovation project
(BSES, 2008) Argent, P
The aim of our project is to find a way to reduce the effect soldier fly has on a sugar cane crop and to reduce soldier fly numbers. On farm trials are being conducted after consulting entomologists that have experience with soldier fly as well as researching past research conducted on soldier fly. The group then decided on what would have the best chance of reducing soldier fly numbers and reduce there effect on sugarcane crops. Of the chemicals trialed in ratoon crops by the group Clothianidin was the only chemical that showed any real promise. In 2006 Clothianidin was trialed in old ratoons at a rate of 10Lt/ Ha and 5 Lt/ Ha . Only the 10 Lt/Ha rate produced a reduction of soldier fly numbers. It was then decided to engage Peter Samson (BSES) to conduct more detailed trials with the chemical Clothianidin, to see if the results could be replicated from the initial trial. Four different rates, and 2 different application methods were trialed. Results from these trials so far do not demonstrate any efficacy of Clothianidin against soldier fly, except perhaps at 10Lt/Ha rate. This was not statistically significant. Further sampling of these trials is required. Another trial conducted was maize and soyabean seed treated with different chemicals. Results of these trials show there was a highly significant difference in the number of live soldier fly among treatments. In the absence of insecticidal seed treatment, there was no significant difference in the number of soldier fly among plots with sprayed-out sugarcane, maize or soyabean. Among the crop/insecticide combinations, the lowest number of live soldier fly was in plots planted with maize or soybean treated with clothianidin, imidacloprid, or with thiamethoxam (Cruiser). However, results of seed treatment with imidacloprid were inconsistent. Although soldier fly numbers were reduced it did not eradicate all soldier fly. Variety trials were established, no results from these trials yet. Ecolock Plus (Growth enhancer) trials did not show any increase in crop yields. The group now knows how to take core samples from trials, have learnt how to establish trials that produce creditable results, and has learnt more about the habits of soldier fly. Additionally, the group has learnt what will not control soldier fly.
Control of soldier fly with controlled-release insecticides : final report CO95011
(BSES, 1995) Samson, PR; Harris, WJ
The activity of controlled-release granules against soldier fly larvae was evaluated in laboratory bioassays. Five different active ingredients were tested in a range of granule sizes. The product selected as the most effective varied depending on the time which had elapsed after mixing with the soil. For most compounds, smaller granules were more active in the short term but lost activity more rapidly than the larger granules. Rates of loss of activity during incubation varied between active ingredients. Granules containing carbofuran and carbosulfan showed increased activity during the first year. The most active products in soil after 0, 1 and 2 years were phorate 2 mm granules, carbofuran 1 mm granules, carbofuran 1.5 mm granules and tefluthrin 1 mm granules, respectively.
Preparedness for borer incursion : SRDC final report BSS249
(BSES, 2003) Sallam, M; Allsopp, P
Moth borers are the most devastating pests of graminaceous plants, including sugarcane, in the world. Australia is so far free of all the major borer species, but several species occur in countries close to Australia, with some reaching as close as the Torres Strait islands. This project was carried out to increase Australia's preparedness for an incursion of an exotic cane borer.The project started by developing Pest Incursion Management Plans (PIMPs) specific to each group of borers. PIMPs were developed for the borer genera Chilo, Diatraea, Eldana, Sesamia and Scirpophaga. The plans detail the steps to be taken in case of a borer incursion, and include extensive dossiers on each species with information on their distribution, host plants, symptoms, economic impact, morphology, detection methods, biology and ecology, natural enemies, management options and phytosanitary risk.
Strategies to control greyback canegrub in early harvested ratoon crops : SRDC final report IPB001
(BSES, 2002) Chandler, KJ
Greyback canegrubs consistently cause losses of $5-10 million per year to sugarcane producers, with periodic disastrous outbreaks where losses are about $20-40 million. This indicates that the current strategy is inadequate to manage this pest in the modern production environment. This project targets one important constraint to developing a better management package - the inability to treat ratoon crops, the crop category contributing most to outbreaks. The specific aim was to largely overcome this constraint through, simultaneously, demonstrating to and encouraging growers to adopt more advanced and efficient control systems, whilst exploring the potential of a new insecticide within the system framework. This project saw a joint involvement between SRDC, BSES, the industry-funded Inkerman Cane Protection and Productivity Board (CPPB), and Bayer CropScience, to facilitate more rapid and relevant registration of a compound for use in sugarcane production.Long-term BSES and SRDC program goals are to develop combinations of new and existing cultural, biological and chemical tactics into newer, flexible, integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to modulate the severity and frequency of losses and to provide more affordable and sustainable controls. In evaluating a new insecticide for use in ratoon crops, grower participants and supporting staff were introduced to the concept of developing more modern IPM practice for managing greyback canegrub. The new system may also be applicable to other control agents. The aim is for integrated strategy with flexibility - new risk-assessment-based systems for selecting fields suitable for this treatment, or for alternative tactics, and ?trap-cropping? concepts for attaining maximum benefit from a specific treatment through cross-protection of neighbouring fields.
Farming systems that optimise the control of greyback canegrubs by BioCane� : SRDC final report BSS226
(BSES, 2002) Samson, P; Logan, D; Milner, J; Kettle, C
The carry-over of BioCane from one crop to the next is likely to be affected by soil cultivation during seedbed preparation. Metarhizium spores were concentrated in the rows in ratoon crops, either as spores surviving from the original BioCane application or as new spores produced by cadavers that are likely to be aggregated beneath stools. Soil disturbance was analysed using plastic beads as a marker. There was surprisingly little lateral displacement of the beads after cultivation. However, the rows themselves are likely to be displaced when crops are replanted unless minimum tillage planting into the old rows is practiced. In one field site prepared conventionally, spore concentrations were much lower in the new crop than they had been in the old crop.There was no effect of a trash blanket on grub response to BioCane in bins. Death of grubs following contact with BioCane may be slower at lower temperatures (<24?C), but the apparent difference was small. Spore concentrations in soil were not significantly affected by trash blanketing in most experiments. Overall, we were unable to conclude that trash blanketing will influence the efficacy of BioCane in commercial fields.There was no deleterious effect of the insecticides suSCon Plus, Confidor CR (controlled release) or Confidor SC (liquid), or of the fertilisers sulphur, gran-am or urea, on the survival of spores on BioCane granules in PVC rings. This is in agreement with field observations, where there have been no complaints from farmers who have applied BioCane close to some of these other products in commercial practice. However, abnormally low concentrations of spores in the rings indicate technical problems with the product that reduce confidence in the results.
Measuring the susceptibility of Canegrubs to chlorpyrifos insecticide : SRDC final report BS49S
(BSES, 1997) Chandler, KJ; Rose, HA
Keith Chandler developed a bioassay system more efficient than any used previously, and used it to measure the susceptibility of 10 canegrub species to chlorpyrifos. The data were reviewed for evidence of resistance. The effects of grub size and soil type on insecticide activity were assessed, in order to relate laboratory measurements to in-field product performance. In a parallel program, Dr Rose developed tissue preparation methods and a biochemical assay for a key enzyme involved in resistance to chlorpyrifos, and measured enzymes from canegrubs with a range of tolerance to chlorpyrifos.

Pest, disease and weed management

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