Dr Linda Thomson - Research Fellow

Dr Dave Sharley , Dr Michael Nash , Clare D'Alberto (PhD Candidate), Chee Seng Chong , (PhD Candidate), Julia McKenzie (Honours Student) Alana Danne (Honours Student)

Interest in sustainable agriculture continues to grow due to factors both internal and external to the industry: chemical use, vegetation, water use and biodiversity are all under consideration. Reduced pesticide use is driven by the desire to reduce direct costs associated with chemical application, and increasingly in forward thinking companies, with awareness of the impact of carbon trading, the carbon cost of each chemical application.

Growers continue to be aware of and concerned with managing resistance to chemicals. At the same time, careful chemical use enhances public perception of agriculture, which is particularly important in industries like viticulture where the industry exists as part of a mosaic in a wider community. However, pest suppression is essential and sustaining or increasing natural enemy populations is an important element of continued control with reduced chemical input.

The potential of natural enemies in pest suppression can be compromised by chemical application. Even chemicals that are classified as environmentally and toxicologically reduced risk pesticides can be detrimental to certain groups which may be important in a particular system. Hence while movement towards lower risk chemicals is to be encouraged, optimally we should aim to reduce overall input. Enhanced natural enemy populations are provided not only by choice of chemical but also by landscape and within field provision of resources.

This project looks at enhancing natural enemies by reducing chemical pressure, by studying characteristics of adjacent and within crop vegetation which will support populations of natural enemies. Another benefit is contribution to environmental perception of industry at government and community level where increased biodiversity is seen as positive.

SEE ALSO - Collateral Management in Vineyards Database