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Managing pest problems on farms
Insect pests represent a significant challenge to grain production in the Wimmera Mallee. To help farmers control pests BCG in collaboration with CESAR Consultants will be running an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) workshop on Wednesday 18 August at BCG.
Researcher Dr Paul Umina from CESAR Consultants, commented on the workshop: “Integrated Pest Management is about using a range of techniques to manage pests. These include encouraging beneficial insects, using selective pesticides and applying economic thresholds. The workshop will step participants through these practices and will give growers another tool to manage pests on their farm.
“Integrated Pest Management can also reduce the risk of resistance. Currently there is a reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides to control insect pests in the grains industry. This reliance in industries such as cotton and horticulture has lead to severe widespread resistance. Continually applying these chemicals can also lead to problems in pest resurgence and secondary pests. We hope that by encouraging growers to be proactive in their use of Integrated Pest Management we can minimise the costs and risks associated with resistance in the future,” said Paul.
Accurate identification and monitoring are perhaps the most critical skills required to effectively manage pests in a sustainable manner and move towards an IPM approach. BCG Extension Officer Janine McIntyre commented: “The workshops will be hands-on with farmers seeing first hand which insects are beneficial, which aren’t, and how to tell the difference between species. It will also cover how we can encourage the build-up of beneficial populations and what this means in the long term.”
BCG and CESAR Consultants are conducting a two year IPM trial near Charlton. The workshop will cover the trial results to date and will involve an open discussion on current pest issues in the region and how the trial can best address these.
The workshop, to be held at BCG, will run from 9.00am - 2.00pm. For more information or to RSVP (by Monday 16 August) contact Janine McIntyre at the BCG office on (03) 5492 2787. Cost: BCG Members FREE, Non members: $20. This event is supported by GRDC.