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Tool identifies aphid reproducion

A new digital tool has been launched to help growers make decisions around aphid management and when to act to prevent damage to their crops. The free-to-grower Aphid Tool was developed through a partnership between FAR and Kiwi ag-tech company HortPlus, and helps identify periods of time that are most favourable to aphid reproduction. During these times monitoring should be undertaken to determine population levels and help guide management actions.

“This new tool provides valuable data that growers can use to make decisions about aphid control measures, such as when to spray, and when spray is not needed,” says FAR Senior Researcher for Cereals Jo Drummond.

In New Zealand, aphids can cause millions of dollars of damage to crops every year. Aphids are a common vector for plant diseases such as Yellow Dwarf Virus (YDV), which can signiÿ cantly reduce yield among wheat, barley and oat crops. The main YDV vectoring species in New Zealand cereals are the bird cherry oat aphid and the rose grain aphid. These species require temperatures above 5.8°C to reproduce. The data driving the Aphid Tool is sourced from a network of weather stations across New Zealand, which give insight into the environmental conditions for aphid population reproduction.

“If farmers apply an insecticide when risk periods are highest according to the data, rather than using a calendarbased approach, this can also reduce the number of spray applications required.” Drummond says.

FAR also has a regional network of monitor paddocks that track aphid and beneÿ cial insect populations. By using data from these monitor paddocks, combined with the new Aphid Tool, farmers and other growers can now manage their aphid control measures more strategically.

The Aphid Tool can be accessed via the Weather & Disease portal on the FAR website www.far.org.nz

Registering for the Weather & Disease Portal is free. Select ‘Aphid Model’ under ‘Pests’ once logged in.