Mulgrave cane growers strategic grub management; implementing BSES decision-making tools : SRDC Grower Group innovation project

dc.contributor.authorDay, J
dc.date.accessioned2013-10-15T22:46:00Z
dc.date.available2013-10-15T22:46:00Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractThis project was a continuation of previous SRDC/BSES GrubPlan projects in which the importance of a thorough grub monitoring program was highlighted. Essentially, the need for more grower involvement led to the creation of the Mulgrave Cane Grub Management Group through this Grower Group project, and this concept has proven to be very successful due to the active involvement of interested growers in actual data gathering and result interpretation which facilitated adequate decision making. 20 Mulgrave growers participated in this monitoring project, of which 4 growers were heavily involved (Jeff Day, John Ferrando, Jim Dillon and Ron Downing). Christine Hancock from Mulgrave CANGROWERS was also involved, as well as staff from Mulgrave Productivity Service (Allan Hopkins, Richie Falla and David Wallis). The actual field work and data gathering were mainly conducted by BSES entomologist Dr Nader Sallam and the entomology research team at BSES Meringa. 42 sugarcane plots were used to monitor and predict greyback cane grub population dynamics and potential damage in Mulgrave over two consecutive seasons (2008-2009). Particular emphasis on “Whole Farm Planning” was given to the farms of the 4 previously mentioned growers, where prediction of future population dynamics and potential damage levels were conducted for the whole farm not only the plots monitored. This was also carried out with other keen growers who expressed high interest in this work, where a “Whole Farm Plan” could be drafted and recommendation for pesticide application and other activities were discussed with the grower on a ‘plot-by-plot’ basis. Predicting future grub dynamics and damage levels was made possible through prediction models that were developed by Dr. Frank Drummond, Maine University, USA. Dr. Drummond who used monitoring results generated through previous GrubPlan projects to build forecast models. During the 2 seasons, the selected farms were dug for grubs and all grubs collected were bred in the laboratory at Meringa and checked for diseases. Several factors were also monitored and recorded (these are mentioned in detail under the methodology section) and results were entered into the prediction models. Model-generated predictions and damage estimates for the following season were conveyed to growers through GrubPlan meetings and face-to-face discussions. Growers’ actions and whether they accepted BSES’s recommendations or not were all recorded.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11079/12658
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherBSES
dc.relation.ispartofseriesInternal Report; 2010 GGP029
dc.subjectCane grub management
dc.subjectPest management
dc.subjectGrower group
dc.subjectMulgrave
dc.subjectGrub plan
dc.subjectMulgrave Cane Grub Management Group
dc.subjectGrub monitoring
dc.subjectGreyback cane grub population dynamics
dc.subjectPotential grub damage
dc.subjectWhole farm planning
dc.subjectGrub dynamics
dc.subjectInsecticide treatment
dc.subjectRisk management
dc.subjectPest control
dc.subjectGrub damage assessment
dc.subjectPest control strategies
dc.subjectAerial surveying
dc.titleMulgrave cane growers strategic grub management; implementing BSES decision-making tools : SRDC Grower Group innovation project

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