Dr Martina Bernard

Funded by the Australian Grape and Wine Development Corporation.

This research and extension project is an active collaboration with a key Australian mite taxonomist Dr Jenny Beard (Queensland Museum/AQIS), a beneficial insect rearing specialist James Altman (Biological Services, Loxton, SA) and senior insect ecologist advisors  Dr Alan Yen (DPI-Primary Industries Research Victoria, Knoxfield Centre) and Prof Steve Wratten (National Centre for Advanced Bio-Protection Technologies, Lincoln University, New Zealand), and has active participation from grape grower and vignerons’ associations from four wine regions in Australia (McLaren Vale, Riverland, Limestone Coast, King Valley). It represents a new trend in combining research and extension for effective delivery of scientific research into innovative sustainable pest management practice. Following initial surveys of Anystidae and Bdellidae predatory mites in the King Valley, and Phytoseiidae surveys and releases in the three south Australian regions in 2006, the project has concentrated on releasing a phytoseiid species in nine sites in South Australia in 2007, and on population dynamics studies of Anystidae and Bdellidae in the King Valley. Effects of the most commonly used fungicide (wettable sulphur) on predatory mites are also investigated. Extension seminars on latest advances in IPM/conservation biological control relevant to grapes were delivered at the 13^th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference (Workshop W36) and across four wine regions in South Australia, four in Victoria, and two in NSW in collaborative linkage with GWRDC RITA RT06/05-1 and Prof Rick Roush and the Faculty of Land and Food Resources (University of Melbourne). W36 was rated among the 10 most subscribed workshops at the conference by the Australian Wine Industry Journal in 2007. Assessment of field samples and preparation of refereed papers are underway. DPI Knoxfield has been providing facilities for field sample assessments.