Talking Avocados Autumn 2021

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Biosecurity News –

Fall armyworm may opportunistically target avocado Lisa Yorkston, Avocados Australia Communication Manager

While avocados aren’t the main target of the fall armyworm, it would seem the new pest might attack avocado trees if they happen to be near an area of high infestation, but researchers remain confident it will not be a significant issue for the Australian industry. Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF) researcher Dr Ian Newton said was one report of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in avocados on the Atherton Tablelands of North Queensland, in early 2021. “However, we are pretty sure this is what we refer to as a ‘spillover’ event,” Dr Newton said. “The fall armyworm’s main host crop is corn (and perhaps some grasses/weeds), where it will breed-up in huge densities over the course of the growing season.

“Under these densities other neighbouring crops will sometimes get attacked to some extent.” Dr Newton says the instance on the Atherton Tablelands involves an orchard “very close” to very heavily infested maize and Rhodes grass. “We still believe the avocado is not a true host of fall armyworm, and that these “spill-over” cases are probably somewhat rare,” he says. “On the Atherton Tablelands during this period, we saw huge numbers of fall armyworm in corn/maize in areas where there were a lot of avocados in the general area, yet this was the only case of fall armyworm in avocados that has been reported. “I think it’s unlikely to cause significant issues for avocado growers.”

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