The application of commonly recommended management principles has eradicated a strain of grain-storage insects with strong phosphine resistance located on a Western Australian farm.

The achievement – involving more than three years of treatment and monitoring followed by a final check of the site – was made by Department of Agriculture and Food, WA (DAFWA) staff with support from the GRDC.

It is believed to be the first time that elimination of on-farm grain-storage insects with strong phosphine resistance has been scientifically documented and confirmed in Australia and possibly the world.

The strongly phosphine-resistant red-rust flour beetles (RFB) were detected on a farm near Wubin, in the Dalwallinu shire, through monitoring by DAFWA as part of a program funded by the GRDC and the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity.

DAFWA grain storage specialist Chris Newman says the resistant population was confirmed as eliminated last year after recommended management practices were applied and silos were sealed. “The achievement demonstrates that applying standard management principles works, and by applying them growers will control insects before they have a chance to develop resistance in the first place.”

Mr Newman says the case of strong resistance was one ... READ MORE

The competition opened on 1 January 2012, and will run for nine months until 30 September 2012, so there’s plenty of time to get your entries in.

Monthly winners in each state and territory in six distinct categories will be selected by a panel of photo journalists. An overall monthly winner will get a voucher for $500 worth of camera equipment. There’s also up to 48 $50 vouchers supplied by Cellarmaster Wines, WISH and others every month –a total of 432 prizes over the 9 months!

The categories are:

Fairfax judge Vernon Graham hoped the competition would inspire farmers around the nation to pick up their cameras and capture the magic they encountered in their daily lives whether it be at work or at play.

“I know from previous experience that many farmers are talented photographers and they certainly have plenty of rich subject matter to capture on camera ... READ MORE

Tis the season to be jolly; but why not try a more worthwhile distraction? Test your knowledge of on farm biosecurity practices for livestock properties with our tailor-made quiz.

And if in doubt – test your research skills. All the answers can be found on www.farmbiosecurity.com.au

You can take the quiz online or, if you are the traditional type, download the hard copy version for printing.

(Photo: Glen George) 

Before you head off on your holiday road trip this year, make sure that you are not carrying any unwanted hitchhikers.

Two species of fruit fly that are established in parts of Australia – the Queensland fruit fly and the Mediterranean fruit fly – spread most easily by hitching a ride with people taking road trips around Australia carrying fruit or vegetables. These fruit fly species are two of Australia’s worst pests, but due to good biosecurity, some important production areas remain fruit fly free. Growers in these areas are able grow quality produce and benefit from selling and distributing their produce to domestic and international markets. The fresh fruit and vegetable produce in Australia’s cities are free from pests in part because of the maintenance of these pest free areas.

To maintain the fruit fly free areas, state governments have put in place restrictions and it’s important that everyone obeys the law to protect growers and the regions, and ensure we all continue to benefit from the supply of fresh fruit and vegetable that are free from damage caused by fruit flies.

An extensive fruit ... READ MORE

Experts inspect plants for signs of myrtle rust

The hotline is a free-call telephone service to report suspect or unusual plant pests and diseases. It’s staffed during business hours of normal work days in each state or territory, so that action can be taken by knowledgeable local staff. There’s also an out-of-hours answering service to leave a message so you can be contacted.

Early detection is the key to mounting effective responses that have the best chance of eradicating or minimising the impact of plant pests and diseases. Public and grower awareness and a simple reporting method are central to the success of the system.

An Emergency Plant Pest can be:

There are about 80 pests that are considered Emergency Plant Pests in Australia, but ... READ MORE

John and his son Richard operate a mixed farming enterprise of cropping and livestock on about 1500 hectares in the western high-rainfall zone of the central wheatbelt of Western Australia – although, as John notes wryly, ‘high rainfall’ is not a particularly accurate description of late.

The livestock enterprise is a Merino flock for medium to fine wool. John and Richard also run a mob for the prime lamb market. The main crops are wheat, oats, barley and canola in rotation.

Biosecurity and GrainGuard go hand in hand. GrainGuard is an initiative to boost WA’s quarantine, surveillance and emergency response capabilities, with the primary task of coordinating the identification of threats from endemic and exotic sources and to assess the potential impact on the local grains industry. WA grains biosecurity officer ... READ MORE