Efforts are being ramped up to fight one of the nation's newest and most prolific pests, which has now appeared in every state except South Australia. Australia’s top scientists and biosecurity experts have joined forces with growers around the country to fight one of the nation’s newest and most prolific pests.
The nation’s horticulture research and development corporation, Hort Innovation, is delivering a suite of targeted defense measures against the pest. Research to identify natural predators, deliver rapid diagnostic tools, and education measures are just some of the projects in the RDC’s armory.
Hort Innovation R&D general manager Alison Anderson said the pest has caused significant damage in parts of the country where some sweetcorn growers have lost entire crops. "We're working with growers and the nation's leading researchers to give the horticulture industry the tools it needs to help manage this prolific pest."
Funded through Hort Innovation, the projects are being led by Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Agriculture Victoria and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
Source: goodfruitandvegetables.com.au