Australia
September 1, 2008
Research into how to reduce the
impact of insect-attack on young crops will be a major focus of
a National Invertebrate Pest Initiative (NIPI) workshop to be
held in Melbourne from 2-4 September.
“Getting crops off to a good start is essential for a good yield
but, across southern Australia, grain growers face the challenge
of voracious insects and their friends attacking tender,
emerging seedlings,” says NIPI Coordinator and Deputy Chief of
CSIRO Entomology, Dr Gary
Fitt.
Around 45 participants from 14 organisations will discuss
progress on addressing the pest issues facing grain growers,
particularly the current season’s challenge from diamond back
moth in many canola crops.
“The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Crop
Protection sub program managers and panel representatives will
also be there,” Dr Fitt says.
“Participants will also consider some innovative techniques for
considering how to accommodate different perceptions of risk in
the way integrated pest management systems is viewed by farmers,
advisors and researchers.”
The workshop will review the suite of communication tools NIPI
uses to get information to growers and look at ways of refining
them. These tools include the highly successful PestFAX and
PestFACTS newsletters and the roll-out of improved integrated
pest management (IPM) training modules for advisors and grower
groups.
Invertebrate pests cause annual losses in production to
Australian agriculture of around A$500 million.
NIPI was established to provide the Australian grains industry
with sustainable options for integrated pest management (IPM)
and clear and consistent messages to help with IPM adoption.
This nationally coordinated, collaborative approach brings
together scientists from state government departments,
universities, farmer groups and CSIRO.
NIPI is supported by growers and the Australian Federal
Government through the GRDC. |
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