Western Australia
June 29, 2015

Resources are available to help Western Australian growers manage aphid infestations on grain crops.

Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) entomologist Svetlana Micic said a variety of aphid species were present on crops that had been moisture stressed early in the growing season.

“Most recent reports in canola crops are for green peach aphid (GPA), which are resistant to many insecticides and can be difficult to control, while oat aphids are the main issue in cereal crops,” she said.

Ms Micic said the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Crop Aphids Back Pocket Guide, available at www.grdc.com.au/CropAphidsBackPocketGuide, could help growers and agronomists identify aphid species, which was essential for making control decisions.

With resistance to three key insecticide groups already established and resistance potentially developing to a fourth group, growers need to understand how to minimise the further development of resistance.

A strategy to manage insecticide resistance in GPA populations is available for growers and their advisers at www.grdc.com.au/GPAResistanceStrategy.

A GRDC Reducing aphid and virus risk – tips and tactics publication can assist growers with their GPA management strategies and is available at www.grdc.com.au/GRDC-TT-ReducingAphidVirus.

Management information for cereal aphids is available on the DAFWA website www.agric.wa.gov.au/barley/aphid-feeding-damage-cereal-crops.

Updates about findings of aphids and other pests in WA grain crops can be found in the DAFWA newsletter PestFax, supported by the GRDC. For a free subscription, email your request to pestfax@agric.wa.gov.au.

Website: http://www.grdc.com.au

Published: June 29, 2015