Green peach aphids are causing some damage to canola crops
- Kojonup
- Cunderdin
- Northam to Westdale
- Boxwood Hill
Alec Smith (Kojonup Agricultural Supplies) reports that green peach aphids (GPA) have caused feeding damage to a canola crop near Kojonup resulting in dead patches. He noted that beneficial insects and aphid-infecting fungi were evident, but not enough to control the GPA numbers.
Dan Taylor (DKT Rural Agencies) reports finding consistently low numbers of GPA in every canola crop inspected at Cunderdin and other central agricultural areas.
Entomologist Dusty Severtson (DPIRD) has also found consistently low numbers of GPA on the underside of leaves in canola crops from Northam down through to Westdale.
James Bee (Elders) has found very high numbers of green peach aphids on young pre-bolting canola near Boxwood Hill. Dead patches were evident.
Monitor crops closely this season
Insect pests such as aphids and caterpillars favour warm and dry days and growers are reminded to monitor crops, especially now given the late developing crops.
If you do identify GPA in your crop, monitor and only spray if young pre-flowering crops are moisture stressed and/or have high numbers of GPA on the plant so the plant is unable to outgrow GPA feeding damage. Aphid activity will slow down if cold and wet weather conditions are experienced.
To limit the spread and curb the further evolution of resistance, it is critical that sulfoxaflor (Transform®) is used judiciously and as part of a sound insecticide resistance management strategy. For more information refer to GRDC’s Resistance Management Strategy for the Green Peach Aphid in Australia Grains.
Growers are asked to keep a close eye on establishing canola crops this year and to contact cesar on +61 (0)3 9349 4723 if aphids survive a Transform™ application.
For a list of insecticides registered for use on aphids see the department’s 2019 winter/spring insecticide guide.
For more information on identifying and managing canola aphids refer to the DPIRD’s;
- Aphid management in canola crops page
- Diagnosing canola aphids page
- 2017 Protecting WA Crops Issue 3 newsletter Aphids – WA’s insect problem children
- Aphids in your crops YouTube video.
For more information on aphids contact Dustin Severtson, Development Officer, Northam on +61 (0)8 9690 2160 or Svetlana Micic, Research Officer, Albany on +61 (0)8 9892 8591 or Alan Lord, Technical Officer, South Perth on +61 (0)8 9368 3758.
Article author: Dustin Severtson (DPIRD Northam).