Strengthening cultural and biological management of pests and diseases in apple and pear orchards (AP19002)
What’s it all about?
This investment is providing growers and advisors within the apple and pear industry with high quality information on integrated pest and disease management (IPDM), to support increased confidence in IPDM decision making within the sector.
This project is demonstrating the success of biological control methods and is aligned with new research into improving the orchard habitat to support a greater diversity of beneficial biological control agents to assist management of pests, and a greater diversity of organisms known to improve soil health. They are also set to identify and demonstrate tools available to growers for measuring impacts of orchard cultural management practices on plant health, yield and quality.
The project is also responsible for developing and executing robust methods for monitoring establishment and performance of Mastrus ridens, a parasitoid wasp released through previous levy-funded project Integrated pest and disease management – phase 2 (AP15001).
This project is part of the PIPS3 program for the apple and pear industry (the third iteration of the Productivity, Irrigation, Pests and Soils program). The other investments that make up this scope of work are:
- Advancing sustainable and technology driven apple orchard production systems (AP19003)
- Developing smarter and sustainable pear orchards to maximise fruit quality, yield and labour efficiency (AP19005)
- Improved Australian apple and pear orchard soil health and plant nutrition (AP19006)
- Independent program coordination for apple and pear productivity, irrigation, pests and soils program (PIPS3) (AP19007)
The work done through this project, and the PIPS3 program, will be communicated to industry extensively through the levy-funded National apple and pear industry communications program (AP18000) and Future Orchards program Delivery of apple and pear Future Orchards extension program (AP15005). You can sign up to receive industry communications at www.apal.org.au.
In the past six months, the team have progressed with a range of coordination, planning and extension activities, plus the implementation of on-ground and laboratory experiments.
Orchard activities related to conservation biocontrol experiments, IPDM and soil health assessments, and lab, glasshouse and orchard experiments with Mastrus and Trichogramma commenced.
Filming to support extension activities and a small conservation biocontrol field day at the Tatura SmartFarm were possible using COVID-safe procedures.
ACT NOW
Watch these videos prepared by the project team in conjunction with the PIPS3 Program and shared via the APAL website:
- PIPS3: Strengthening Cultural and Biological Management of Pests and Diseases in Apple and Pear Orchards, 15 December 2020 (4 mins)
- Conservation biocontrol: Attracting beneficial insects to orchards, 29 March 2021 (4 mins)
Read these articles related to the project, published in Australian Fruit Grower magazine, Winter 2021 edition:
- Conservation biocontrol of pests in pome fruit orchards – is it achievable with native ground cover species? (pages 55-58)
- Optimising establishment and impact of the codling moth parasitoid Mastrus ridens (page 59)
- IPDM Community of Practice provides platform for cooperative learning and upskilling (page 60).
This project is a strategic levy investment in the Hort Innovation Apple and Pear Fund