Developing safer, selective insecticides to preserve honey bee health

Most currently used pesticides in agricultural applications contain broad-spectrum chemicals, which are harmful to a wide range of insects. However, the majority of insects are not pests, and with concerns about global insect declines and the impact this will have on ecosystem health, there is a need for more environmentally friendly insecticides that have selective action against major pests while preserving the health of beneficial insects.

Dùng chlorine để kiểm soát vi khuẩn sắt trong giếng khoan

Nhiều người trồng trọt gặp khó khăn do sự tích tụ cặn bẩn nâu trong hệ thống tưới do vi khuẩn sắt gây ra. Ben Funnekotter từ The Seedling Factory đã chỉ cho chúng tôi cách anh ấy kiểm soát vi khuẩn sắt trong các giếng khoan bị ô nhiễm trong một chuyến tham quan cơ sở của anh ấy. Hệ thống tự chế của anh ấy cung cấp khả năng xử lý bằng chlorine liên tục cho giếng khoan (giúp tiêu diệt vi khuẩn) bằng cách sử dụng thiết lập Venturi đơn giản bơm nước qua một bình chứa các viên nén chlorine.

EXP-Berries Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) App now available

A new mobile phone app designed to help growers manage chemical application and facilitate trade has been released by Berries Australia. The Berries Australia MRL App provides information on maximum residue limits (MRLs) and withholding periods (WHPs) for both domestic and export markets. The easy-to-use interface provides users with access to real-time pre- and post-harvest chemical application data based on domestic and export market, target pest or disease and/or active constituents.

BLUE-Rewarding pollinators with sweet-talking blueberry flowers

Research aims to better understand the attributes of nectar from blueberry flowers with a view to increasing the ‘attractiveness’ of this crop by developing new practices to manipulate nectar and ensure pollination success under protective covers including fertigation.

PEST-Red shouldered leaf beetle (Monolepta australis)

The Red shouldered leaf beetle Monolepta australis Jacoby (Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera) is an increasingly important insect pest with impacts on numerous horticultural industries throughout Queensland, northern NSW, and subcoastal parts of the Northern Territory.

Habitat hosts of Queensland fruit fly

Optimising chemical efficacy for spray application in berries

The application of agrichemicals to control pest and disease incursion is used as part of an integrated management approach which also includes cultural and biological control. This article discusses water quality, turbidity, hardness, pH, the types of chemical formulations, and tank mixing procedures.

Switching from eradication to management of Varroa destructor

Since Varroa destructor was detected in NSW in June 2022, 15 pollination dependent industries, the honey bee industry and the Commonwealth and state and territory governments have worked together to attempt to eradicate this pest from Australia. This article outlines the move to a ‘management’ strategy.

RUB-Berry Growers Field Day

The use of heat in horticulture for pest and disease control

You may be familiar with heat being used for virus elimination in plants (thermotherapy), but heat, as hot water, has been used for many years in horticulture to control or eliminate various pests and diseases, particularly in bulb crops for the elimination of nematodes.