Calculating the economics of control is critical to making a decision about if and when Helicoverpa populations in chickpeas require treatment. This season, for the first time, growers and agronomists have access to an on-line calculator to help them make these decisions. The calculator overcomes the need to try and remember the formulas in the field. Best of all,… Read more »
Solenopsis mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis) was first identified at Emerald and the Burdekin during the 2009-10 cotton growing season. This sucking pest causes leaf distortion, stunting and reduced boll size and number. Heavy infestations can lead to plant death. Solenopsis mealybugs also produce a honeydew which affects photosynthesis and leads to sooty mould development on lint. This pest has the potential… Read more »
Results for 2011-12 Monitoring for resistance in Silverleaf whitefly, collected in the 2011-12 cotton season, is now complete. Results show that resistance exists for Admiral® and bifenthrin (e.g. Talstar®) in horticulture but not in cotton while SLW remain susceptible to Pegasus® and Movento® In total 17 collections were made from Emerald, St George, Theodore, Moree and Narrabri for resistance monitoring…. Read more »
There are a number of canola crops in this season, and as the weather warms up the aphid numbers are building up in some of them. The aphids that colonise canola are most commonly the cabbage and the turnip aphid. There may also be a few green peach aphid present. The aphids colonise the terminal end of the flower spike… Read more »
As the weather warms up aphid populations are becoming more obvious in crops. With aphid populations more visible in the crop, the key questions are whether they will impact on the yield of the crop, and whether it is necessary to control the aphids to avoid yield loss. Aphid infestations are widespread this year in both barley and wheat. In some instances,… Read more »
DAFF, and partners the Cotton Catchments Communities CRC and CSIRO, launched NORpak on 10 July in the Burdekin, North Queensland. The book is focused on providing sound agronomic advice for anyone who would like to know more about growing cotton in this dynamic region. However, some of the tactics discussed provide food for thought for growers from other cotton production regions,… Read more »
Severe and sustained bean podborer (Maruca vitrata) outbreaks were widely reported in mungbeans over the past 2 summers.. Populations in excess of 100 larvae per square metre were observed in many crops. If left uncontrolled such populations not only impact on crop yield by reducing pod set, they also severely damage the pods that are set and delay harvest maturity…. Read more »
Over the past couple of weeks there have been numerous reports of sunflower crops being defoliated by caterpillars. The caterpillar has been identified as the soybean looper, and is the same species reported on a couple of weeks ago defoliating soybeans. There are two colour forms of the soybean looper (see pictures below). Although the colour differs, they are… Read more »
High soybean looper (Thysanoplusia orichalcea) populations (20-40/m2) have been reported in many regions in flowering and podding soybeans. While soybeans can tolerate 33% defoliation with no yield loss during the vegetative stages, their defoliation tolerance slips to 16% during podset/early podfill. Consequently, consider taking action if high looper populations are threatening your crop. Large soybean looper (38 mm). Note the tapered… Read more »
Damaging bean podborer (Maruca vitrata) populations of up to 100+ larvae/m2 have been observed in flowering and podding mungbeans in the South Burnett, Dawson Callide and Central Highlands. Although podborer is not an uncommon pest in these regions during wet summers, very high populations can inflict devastating damage with zero pod set observed in some crops where the pest is… Read more »
