Cultural control of redlegged earth mite, blue oat mite and lucerne flea in canola [Halotydeus destructor; Penthaleus major; Sminthurus viridis]. [Workshop paper]
1995
Merton, E. | Hoffman, A. (La Trobe Univ., Bundoora (Australia). School of Genetics and Human Variation) | McDonald, G. (Agriculture Victoria, Bundoora (Australia). Plant Sciences and Biotechnology)
Field trials were undertaken to assess the merit of various cultural techniques in the control of redlegged earth mite (Halotydeus destructor), a primary pest of many broad-leaf crops and pastures in Victoria. The effects of these techniques on other pests such as blue oat mite (Penthaleus major) and lucerne flea (Sminthurus viridis) were also assessed. An experiment using wheat borders on the edge of a canola crop did not prevent H. destructor from entering the crop and causing damage. Both S. viridis and P. major were only present in low numbers on canola even though these pests occurred in high numbers in adjacent pasture. In a tillage experiment, involving lupins in 1993, cultivation was associated with higher numbers of H. destructor compared to direct drilling, but this was probably an indirect consequence of clover, a favoured host, being more abundant in the cultivated plots. In 1994, when wheat was sown, cultivation caused a significant decline in H. destructor compared to direct drilling, and in this case broad-leaf weeds were controlled by spraying. Both lupins and wheat appear to be unsuitable hosts for H. destructor, probably preventing population growth over the full season, and may therefore be useful in crop rotations with canola.
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