Researching beneficial insect canola pest management
At a glance
- Beneficial insects such as lady beetles, carabid beetles, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps have the potential to control canola pests.
- A 5 year CSIRO-led project is exploring beneficial insects for canola pest management, and one aim is to determine the impact of early pesticide applications on beneficial insect populations.
Managing pests in moisture stressed canola is particularly challenging because the crop is vulnerable to over 30 different invertebrate pest species. Growers predominantly depend on non-selective pesticides to manage this risk, but this practice has led to increased levels of pesticide resistance among pest species. As a result, growers now face even greater challenges in protecting their crops.
DPIRD is participating in a 5 year project led by CSIRO and supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). This project, in collaboration with the South Australian Research and Development Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Murdoch University, is researching the use of predatory insects that target canola pests to manage those pests.
Lady beetles, carabid beetles, hoverflies and parasitic wasps are examples of beneficial insects that consume canola pests.
In the first year of this project, DPIRD will determine whether early season pesticide applications impact the arrival time of beneficial insects that help control late season pests, and whether the early arrival of late season beneficials can help reduce late season pest populations.
Monitoring is an important tool for growers to determine threshold levels of insect pests. This project aims to encourage growers and consultants to also monitor for beneficial insects. Doing so could lead growers to delay spraying, keep tracking insect pest populations changes, or use more selective pesticides that protect beneficial insects.
To learn more about beneficial insects refer to the GRDC Back Pocket Guide Beneficial Insects.
Project findings will be disseminated through the PestFacts WA newsletter, so stay tuned. To subscribe for this newsletter click here.