Pest and disease management (AP22001)

The research

This project aims to increase the profitable use of integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) strategies in Australian apple and pear orchards by:

Trialling and evaluating the use of innovative orchard pest and disease monitoring and identification technologies and methods.
Building upon previous research and developing new approaches into the use of classical, augmentative and conservation biological control practices.
Preparing decision support resources that prioritise efficient pest and disease monitoring, thresholds and crop and soil health.

The activities

Biological control agent development is conducted at Agriculture Victoria’s Tatura SmartFarm and AgriBio Centre, with orchard experiments and releases on commercial properties throughout growing regions, encompassing:

Remote sensing technology tested for effective and efficient monitoring of Black Spot as a proof of concept for other major pests, diseases and beneficials.
Evidence-based economic injury levels, and pest tolerance and action thresholds assessed to better inform IPDM decisions.
Evaluation of orchard management practices that are designed to support habitat and food source availability, balanced parasitoid/predator populations and soil health, in partnership with the Building Sustainable Soils project (AP22003).
Efficacy demonstration of the biological control of codling moth, light brown apple moth, apple scab and root rot.
A key pest risk matrix developed in each growing region showing the efficacy of available IPDM control options.

Further information contact details:

Ruby Rhodes
Apple and Pear IPDM Project Officer, Agriculture Victoria
[email protected]

Pest and Disease Management (AP22001) resources are also located on the extensionAus Australian Apple and Pear IPDM website.

Project Leader

Dr Greg Lefoe
Email

[email protected]
Lead Agency

Agriculture Victoria
Project Research Partners

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Pomewest