Commercial fruit and vegetable growers, and the community at large, have the opportunity to share their thoughts on the management of Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) as part of a new survey – and help inform the future management of the pest in the process.
The phone-based survey is part of the ongoing ‘SITplus’ initiative, a collaborative and multi-faceted project to fight Qfly involving Horticulture Innovation Australia, key government agencies and the country’s leading research organisations.
Targeting the Riverland, Sunraysia and Murray/Goulburn Valley regions, the survey is being run by CSIRO and will delve into the acceptance of and attitudes towards area wide management (AWM) of Qfly.
AWM involves the coordination of pest-management approaches across all fly habitats within a set area – not just on commercial farms, but throughout the whole community.
The survey will also collect participants’ thoughts on the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT), which involves the release of sterile flies into the environment so that the wild population of flies cannot reproduce.
Growers who are interested in taking part in the research can register their telephone number at https://qandaresearch.com.au/QFly/login.html. They will be contacted during mid-September for the survey, which is expected to take approximately 25 minutes and can be scheduled for an appropriate time.
Hort Innovation Chief Executive John Lloyd encouraged all growers within the stipulated regions to take part, no matter what they grow and regardless of whether their produce is considered a Qfly host.
“This is an opportunity to share your thoughts and help inform future approaches to the management of Qlfy, which is a pest of huge economic significance for the horticulture industry. The insect is costing an estimated $300 million in lost produce and trade opportunities,” he said.
The phone surveys will be conducted by a telephone survey company working on behalf of CSIRO. All information gathered will be confidential and stored in aggregate form, which cannot be traced back to any individuals.
For more information:
www.horticulture.com.au/sitplus





Announcements
Job Offers
"Tweeting Growers"
Top 5 - yesterday
- US (NY): Upward Farms ceases all vertical farming operations
- Additional options for virus test ToBRFV help grower limit damage
- Stressed plants 'scream,' and it sounds like popping bubble wrap
- From floating to vertical farming: the evolution of plastic panels in hydroponic cultivation
- New high-tech mini cucumber offers uniformity and labor efficiency
Top 5 - last week
- 10% increase of tomato production in the new Looije greenhouses
- How growers boost crop yields with greenhouse film EVO AC®
- Stronger plants & higher production with autonomous growing in Mexico
- AU: Provenance Propagation construction close to completion
- Thanks to air-conditioned greenhouses, Emirati producers can grow tomatoes during 45 °C summer
Top 5 - last month
- 10% increase of tomato production in the new Looije greenhouses
- LED trial in cucumbers that even non-cucumber growers should 'see for themselves'
- Bumblebees become true Flying Doctors by protecting strawberries from thrips
- Malaysia: Hydroponic farm in Kuala Pilah offers fresh vegetables and farming lessons
- A greenhouse full of cherry blossoms in Hungary
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2023-03-31 Additional options for virus test ToBRFV help grower limit damage
- 2023-03-30 US (FL): Scientists warn of invasive plant pest; say early detection, reporting key
- 2023-03-30 Bumblebees become true Flying Doctors by protecting strawberries from thrips
- 2023-03-29 Bumblebees overcome pollination challenges of outdoor crops
- 2023-03-29 Is the end to the ToBRFV threat a possibility?
- 2023-03-28 US (PA): LaFarm greenhouse spawns spotted lanternfly mitigation research
- 2023-03-24 Mass media campaigns can be effective in promoting safer crop pest and disease control
- 2023-03-22 Stinkier than usual: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in North Carolina
- 2023-03-22 What role do weeds play in the transmission of ToBRFV?
- 2023-03-22 "Growing media with Bacillus Pumilus suppresses the growth of root disease pathogens"
- 2023-03-22 Eupeodes-System: early season aphid control
- 2023-03-20 A nose for trouble – sniffing out plant pests
- 2023-03-17 Thrip protection and prevention of excessive humidity
- 2023-03-16 Biological control meeting to take place in Brest
- 2023-03-15 Producer and developer of bumblebees and beneficial insects collaborate
- 2023-03-14 ToBRFV affects Southwestern Ontario tomato crops
- 2023-03-14 New protein-based biosensor detects potato and tomato crop disease
- 2023-03-13 A parasitoid against green stink bugs
- 2023-03-13 "We believe pesticides do not belong in the human body"
- 2023-03-13 Dr. Lara Ramaekers to lead Biobest’s biopesticides team