22 November 2018

Fruit fly control remains critical

22 November 2018

Fruit fly control remains integral to maintaining Australian export markets and growers must ensure they play their part.
Dan Papacek, Bugs for Bugs, warned growers at the Queensland Post-Season Regional Forum in October not to become complacent.
Mr Papacek said some growers had dropped their guard on fruit fly, and he had spoken to one who had not baited for two years.
Chairman of the Murray Valley Regional Advisory Committee, David Stevens, said controlling fruit fly was important because of the importance of exports.
“It’s very important to us that we don’t get a detection of fruit fly overseas,” he said.
“We want to give growers a clear message that they must do something, because fruit fly could cost the industry so much.”
Some basic information on fruit fly management compiled collaboratively by Citrus Australia and NSW DPI is available from the Citrus Australia website.
These include:
• A quick management guide that briefly outlines the practices to manage QFF and photos to distinguish QFF from other species of fruit fly occasionally caught in the southern growing regions. Click here.
• An overview of current baits and chemical that can be used for citrus and their costs. Click here.
Further information on Queensland Fruit fly and fruit fly management is available on the NSW DPI citrus website and in the NSW DPI Citrus Plant Protection guide.
Keep watch for fruit fly control workshops in the new year. These will be held in Sunraysia but can be held in other regions on request.