CRC for Plant Biosecurity - fruit fly

Web-based simulation of fruit fly to support biosecurity decision-making

CRICHTONA — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:30:22 +0000

Web-based simulation to support decision making in Bactrocera fruit fly biosecurity

Trapping to prove area freedom (Fruit fly trapping project) - Final Report

CRICHTONA — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:03:53 +0000

Trapping to prove area freedom (Fruit fly trapping project) - Final Report

Developing female lures for improved market access - Final Report

CRICHTONA — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 23:13:31 +0000

Developing female lures for improved market access - Final Report

CRC40088: Pre-harvest fruit fly

VANMEURSA — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:13:56 +0000

Program

Impact Management

Fruit Flies of Economic Importance

VANMEURSA — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:04:35 +0000

The International Symposiums on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance are the major global fruit fly meetings: held once every four years since 1982. These meetings bring together the international fruit fly research community to present and discuss the latest findings in the field.

Fruit flies cost the Australian economy an estimated $125 million a year. Australia’s capacity to trade in domestic and international horticulture markets – valued at $4.8 billion – is challenged by these pests. However, fruit fly is not only a problem in Australia, it is a global issue.

This year’s symposium was held in Valencia, Spain, encouraged delegates from all over the world to attend. The 8th International Symposium was held from 26 September – 1 October 2010 and had a biosecurity-focused research agenda which included diagnostics and developments of systems approaches to improve production.

A total of 372 participants representing 58 countries attended the conference. Dr Solomon Balagawi, A/Professor Tony Clarke, Dr Olivia Reynolds and Dr Mark Schutze represented the CRC and their home organisations, presenting results from CRC projects CRC:40088, CRC20115 and CRC60106, as well as other non-CRC funded activities. Through their attendance, the scientists were able to highlight the research being conducted by the CRC to an international audience. It was also an opportunity for them to ensure that Australia is up-to-date with international developments, and to encourage ongoing international collaborations with respect to current and future research projects.

A total of 75 oral presentations and 172 posters was presented in the conference. All presentations were divided into eight broad sections:

Biology, Ecology and Behaviour
Morphology and Taxonomy
Genetics and Evolution
Risk Assessment, Quarantine and Post-harvest treatment
Sterile Insect Technology (SIT) Principles and Applications
Area Wide Management
Natural Enemies and Biocontrol, and
Chemical Ecology, Attractants and Other Control Methods.

The papers presented showed that the general trend in the current fruit fly research is very much inline with the research Australian fruit fly experts are undertaking. However, in Australia some areas of fruit fly research need strengthening and these could be most suitably done using a consolidative research approach between researchers.

A research paper, Spatial and diurnal pattern of protein foraging by Bactrocera tryoni on a host plant, from a study conducted as part of a current CRCNPB project CRC:40088 was presented by Dr Balagawi. The paper demonstrated when and where B. tryoni forage for protein within a tree, thus providing basic scientific knowledge for improved application techniques of protein bait sprays to manage B. tryoni. This paper informed and reiterated the importance of developing robust fruit fly management strategies that are based upon basic scientific knowledge.

Altogether, researchers associated with the CRCNPB presented seven oral papers and posters at the meeting, hence informing international colleagues and institutions of the CRCNPB's strong commitment to fruit fly research.

Photo caption: Queensland Fruit Fly
Photo acknowledgement: PaDIL

Smart Trap Scoping Study - Final report

VANMEURSA — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 02:34:53 +0000

Smart Trap Scoping Study - Final report

Researching fruit fly in Europe

VANMEURSA — Mon, 03 May 2010 00:42:34 +0000

In July 2009, CRC project leader, Associate Professor Tony Clarke, QUT based CRC post-doctoral fellow Dr Mark Schutze and Lincoln University’s Dr Karen Armstrong were three of only 11 people worldwide invited to participate in an international fruit fly consultants meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN/FAO).

Following this meeting, Dr Mark Schutze was invited back to Vienna to conduct cross-mating and developmental trials on four different fruit fly species. Mark left Australia in early April to begin his six months research and will be based in the Entomology Section of the UN/FAO IAEA Seibersdorf laboratories, located about 45 minutes from Vienna, Austria.

Travelling to Europe is not entirely unfamiliar territory for Mark as he has a German family background, and is pleased to note that this provides an added advantage of having relatives in Europe! To prepare for his trip, Mark brushed up on his German language skills by crashing through a six month course at the University of Queensland last semester. Despite these modest advantages, Mark says the prospect of six months in Austria remains as daunting as it is exciting.

Mark’s not the only one who has had to make the long journey to Vienna. To assist with his research, fruit fly species from south-east Asia and Suriname in South America are being shipped to the research laboratories. The experiments on these flies are an important component of resolving species boundaries between closely related and taxonomically challenging pest fruit flies of the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex.

The work Mark is undertaking in Vienna forms a key component of the research he is conducting as part of the CRC project he is employed on; in that the problem is being addressed in a holistic way. The live-insect trials on the Asian and South American species will be directly linked with genetic work being undertaken by Deb Hailstones at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (NSW) and Karen Armstrong in New Zealand, together with morphological and morphometric data Mark has been compiling in Brisbane. Once together, this project will provide us with our best chance at resolving boundaries for the target species.

While Mark’s visit to Austria is to specifically work towards the CRC project, the work is intimately tied to an international effort to understand fruit fly cryptic species complexes. The international project, initiated by the IAEA, similarly focuses on resolving cryptic fruit fly species complexes but from a Sterile Insect Technique perspective. Coupled with the work in Austria and in Australia, there is now a worldwide effort to cooperate in understanding these systems. Researchers from regions such as Asia, South America, Europe, New Zealand, and North America are now involved in the broader IAEA cooperative research project (of which Associate Professor Tony Clarke of QUT and Karen Armstrong of Lincoln University are also involved with).

Mark says that besides getting the laboratory work knocked over, being placed in the IAEA laboratories in the centre of Europe presents enormous opportunities not available at home.

“The labs themselves are a tremendous mix of international researchers from all over the globe, so it will be a great opportunity to exchange ideas and to develop intellectually. Additionally, there are European conferences, seminars, and universities that I hope to attend and present at which ordinarily I would not be able to given the expenses involved in travelling to and from Europe and Australia”, he said.

We congratulate Mark on this outstanding opportunity and wish him all the best with his research. We look forward to catching up with Mark on his return and keeping our readers up-to-date with his trip.

Photo caption: Dr Mark Schutze with one of his fruit fly traps

NATIVE PARASITIC WASPS (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE): A NEW TOOL FOR FRUIT FLY (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) INCURSION MANAGEMENT IN AUSTRALIA

VANMEURSA — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:51:02 +0000

Bactrocera dorsalis preference for and performance on two mango varieties at three stages of ripeness

K.Scott — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:38:05 +0000

Synergizing biological control: Scope for sterile insect technique, induced plant defences and cultural techniques to enhance natural enemy impact

K.Scott — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:24:25 +0000