The issue facing growers
Insect pests cost Australian grain growers $360 million each year.
In the right conditions, pest outbreaks can occur leading to the decimation of crops by direct damage and the disease they spread.
Outbreaks affect specific regions during growing season with weather and crop development contributing to insect populations thriving.
Preventative or reactive pest control measures can be hard for farmers with them often relying on guesswork.
Access to timely information on pest movements and relevant conditions is vital for efficient and effective management plans to protect crops, yields and profits.
Research
In 2006 the Grains Research & Development Corporation saw the need to supply growers with timely information to help them make informed pest control decisions.
An email in the form of PestFacts, a targeted e-newsletter was used to distribute up-to-date information to grain growers, both en masse and to targeted groups on pest populations, risks and management options relevant to various regions.
Still a valued resource a decade on, PestFacts is today a national scheme which includes: PestFacts south-eastern delivered by cesar for southern New South Wales and Victoria; PestFacts South Australia by the South Australian Research and Development Institute; Beatsheet by Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and PestFax from Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia.
All contribute to the PestNotes portal and each provide regular up-to-date advice during growing season on pest incidence and risk levels to subscribers to PestFacts services.
Service
Each PestFacts service producers about 12 newsletter issues per season. There are five or six articles per newsletter on specific pest species relevant at the time.
Agronomists make up most subscribers but there are increasing numbers of growers and chemical suppliers joining up.
Real world use
Agronomist Andrew McMahen has used PestFacts south-eastern for six years to aid his consultancy in the Victorian Mallee.
Making use of all PestFacts communication tools, newsletter, Twitter updates and hotline, allows Mr McMahen to receive advice on pests in his area and tap into a network of other agronomists.
Taking advantage of PestFacts knowledge base means if he comes across a new pest he takes a photo of the insect with his phone and sends it for identification. This leads to the quick, correct identification of pests which is very important as an incorrect one can be costly as a spray that works on one pest may not on another.
Recently PestFacts informed Mr McMahen of the resistance of Green Peach Aphids to organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids and carbamates, allowing him to control the pest for his clients before it was a problem.
Future
While they continue to adapt to meet the needs of agronomists and growers, PestFacts will enhance and encourage opportunities for real-time field reports so timely and relevant information of pest activity can be sent to subscribers.