Helen Degraaf

Canola crops grown across southern Australia are subject to attack by over forty invertebrate pests, existing as a complex species, with threats often changing between seasons. A comparison of pest outbreak reports in canola crops from previous literature to current reports from south-eastern Australia highlighted a decrease in the importance of red legged earth mite, while lucerne flea, balaustium and bryobia mites, and the “intangible” pests that include slugs, earwigs, and weevils are increasing in prominence. Pest reports for 2013 totaled 97 compared to 2014, 143 reports have been received up to July 25. Added to the usual establishment pests, outbreaks of green peach aphid and cutworms in 2014 highlight the difficulties growers had in establishing canola. Understanding intrinsic growth rates of pest populations’ is needed in order to better predict future pest outbreaks. A new integrated pest management approach is needed where the concept of rigid management strategies is aban...