NEW intelligence on how to improve integrated pest control strategies for some of the State's most significant grains and pasture pests has been revealed.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation's (GRDC) Research Update in Albany this week gave a debrief on the findings from several pest research projects by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).
DPIRD research scientist Svetlana Micic spoke about how intensively grazing pastures in spring could effectively control red legged earth mite (RLEM) as effectively as insecticides.
"Onfarm trials at Boyup Brook, Cranbrook and Kalgan found grazing the food on offer (FOO) down to at least two tonnes of dry matter per hectare for four weeks around the Timerite date reduced pest numbers to below damaging levels," Ms Micic said.
"This strategy is recommended when the RLEM population in pastures is above 5000 per square metre and the FOO is more than three tonnes of dry matter per hectare."
Another project will be profiled that surveyed the pests and natural enemies associated with harvest weed seed control systems, which had co-investment from the GRDC.
The survey across five port zones showed more pests, such as European earwigs and slaters, were found under the chaff before sowing than after crop germination.
"The results suggest that after sowing these pests move out from chaff into the paddock," Ms Micic said.
"It also highlighted that paddocks located in the Esperance and Albany Port Zone had a higher abundance and diversity of invertebrates.
"In these port zones, paddocks with chaff dumps also had higher pest and natural enemy numbers than paddocks with lines.
"This information will assist growers to know what is likely to be in the paddock before sowing to prevent crop damage during the growing season."
