Agriculture
Aussies draw on local research expertise to combat wheat aphid─── SABRINA DEAN 14:22 Mon, 29 Aug 2016
Bethlehem - Australian scientists have come knocking at the door of wheat researchers based at the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Small Grain Institute in Bethlehem for help in tackling a pest that didn’t previously occur there.
According to the ARC’s Dr Vickie Tolmay, South African researchers have been studying the Russian Wheat Aphid, or RWA, since the late 1970s when it first appeared here.
Her work specifically deals with attempts to breed wheat with a built-in resistance to the pest.
She says RWA appeared in South Australia and Victoria in June this year for the first time and was this month found to have spread to New South Wales.
She says it is a big concern for scientists and producers in Australia.
“The Australian’s are in quite a buzz. They haven’t managed to determine exactly where they got the aphid from, but it’s a big problem there because they’ve got a big wheat industry.
“We’ve already been contacted by quite a few people and have exchanged some data. We will definitely assist them where we can.”
OFM News
Aussies draw on local research expertise to combat wheat aphid:
