Testing Pesticides for effects on Beneficial Insects

Jessica Page from IPM Technologies is currently leading a project that is funded by the Australian Vegetable industry and Hort Innovation to define the relative impact of pesticides on relevant species of beneficial insects and mites.  The project team consists of three organisations – IPM Technologies, SARDI (South Australian Research and Development Institute) and QDAF (Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries). The three organisations involved in the testing have each been allocated different tests (bioassays) based on the different skills and equipment and location of each.

The aim of the project is to provide information that will support growers and advisors in making pesticide decisions that are IPM compatible. The information will be presented to the vegetable industry as a series of guides designed for each crop type and will clearly show how safe or not safe each product is to the beneficial insects and mites of importance in that crop.

The project is due to finish in 2020 at which time the crop-specific guides will be available.