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Biosecurity iMapPESTS
iMapPESTS
SENTINEL AT SUNITAFE SUCKS SPORES FOR A CAUSE
A new technology that could significantly improve the speed and accuracy at which high priority pests are detected is currently being tested at Sunraysia’s SuniTAFE SMART Farm.
It’s called a sentinel and it aims to simply the monitoring of airborne pests and disease through the automated collection of insects and fungal spores.
Developed by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the sentinels are part of a large multistakeholder project called iMapPESTS. Still in its development phase, iMapPESTS will eventually be able to generate reports providing actionable information to growers, agronomists, and governments for any region in which it operates. This information could assist in coordinating cross-industry responses to exotic pest and disease incursions.
Sentinel 4, currently installed at SuniTAFE, automatically collects and labels samples of insects and spores from the surrounding environment and stores them for analysis. These samples are then sent to SARDI and Agriculture Victoria Research (AVR) to be screened for high priority pests. Once analysed, the data can be used by industry to guide the direction or intensity of scouting efforts and pest management activities. The sentinels could be of particular benefit to viticulture as they monitor levels of botrytis bunch rot and powdery mildew spores. Over time, these results could potentially be combined with weather data and used to predict the level of disease pressure faced in a vineyard.
However, the project does not solely monitor for pests and diseases, but also beneficial insects and biodiversity. AVR has developed a high throughput diagnostic process, based on a technology called metabarcoding, that can identify an enormous range of insects. These include valuable predators, such as lacewings and ladybugs, and parasitoid wasps. This information could be used to assist in
the development of integrated pest management plans.
iMapPESTS is trialling the sentinels in a broad variety of environments and cropping systems. Sentinel 4 will soon finish its time in Sunraysia and be moved to Coonawarra, where it will be installed in a vineyard for its next trial. v
For more information or to register your interest, visit imappests.com.au or contact project coordinator, Shakira Johnson at: shakira.johnson@ausveg.com.au
Left: Project coordinator Shakira Johnson demonstrates the benefits of the sentinel.
Right: The sentinel aims to simplify the monitoring process of airborne pests and disease through automated collection. Led by Hort Innovation, the project has been made possible thanks to a grant under the Australian Government’s Rural R&D for Profit program, which enables nationally coordinated, strategic research that delivers real outcomes for Australian producers.
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