- PROJECT NAME
- Integrated pest management of redberry mite, Acalitus essigi, on blackberries
- PROJECT CODE
- RB17000
- DELIVERY PARTNER
- University of Tasmania
- PROJECT LEAD
- Stephen Quarrell
stephen.quarrell@utas.edu.au
03 6226 6221
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Beginning in late 2017, this investment developed integrated pest management tools and strategies for the industry, with a focus on tackling redberry mite (Acalitus essigi) in blackberries.
The mite’s feeding leads to damaged fruit with incomplete, delayed and/or uneven ripening, with affected drupelets being hard and coloured bright red or green.
The work trialed and refined different IPM programs to tackle the mite.
PROJECT TIMELINE
USEFUL LINKS
This project is led by Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) entomologist, Dr Stephen Quarrell, and involves close collaboration with producers to find out how integrated pest management strategies can be implemented on commercial blackberry farms.
“We can provide interested blackberry growers with sample kits containing all the information required to take part in this project, and it is as simple as collecting 40 red berries from a block of blackberries,” Dr Quarrell said.
The project is funded by Hort Innovation using the research and development Rubus industry levy and funds from the Australian Government, supported with in-kind contributions from TIA.
Here are some of the project updates:
Beverly Gerdeman