Development of novel pest management tools for major insect pests. The project will provide new options for environmentally sustainable control of some of the world's worst pests. Cost effective systems will be developed that prevent crop damage, using chemicals identical to naturally occurring plant compounds, combined with tiny quantities of insecticides, to lure and kill adult moths before they lay eggs.
Assessing animal exposure to urticating caterpillar hairs and developing management strategies to reduce the consequence of foetal abortion in mares. Equine Amnionitis and Foetal Loss (EAFL) accounts for about a third of mares aborting in thoroughbred horse studs in southern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Previous studies have shown that processionary caterpillars and their irritating setae (hairs) can cause EAFL. This project aims to determine the likelihood that other caterpillar sp ....Assessing animal exposure to urticating caterpillar hairs and developing management strategies to reduce the consequence of foetal abortion in mares. Equine Amnionitis and Foetal Loss (EAFL) accounts for about a third of mares aborting in thoroughbred horse studs in southern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Previous studies have shown that processionary caterpillars and their irritating setae (hairs) can cause EAFL. This project aims to determine the likelihood that other caterpillar species are involved based on hair morphology and a surrogate model system. A full risk assessment of the exposure of mares to these hairs in situ will be undertaken, based on the ecology and biology of the species. Outcomes include a management strategy for EAFL-causing insects and a reduction of EAFL within the industry.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100479
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,582.00
Summary
Delivering defences: using fungi to enhance plant resistance to herbivory. This project will identify how the diversity of beneficial fungi in the soil is affected by agricultural management, and will reveal how these fungi govern the ability of plants to defend themselves from insect herbivores. Through innovative field surveys and experimentation, this project will generate new knowledge in the key areas of soil ecology and plant defence. This will allow us to exploit these soil fungi to enhan ....Delivering defences: using fungi to enhance plant resistance to herbivory. This project will identify how the diversity of beneficial fungi in the soil is affected by agricultural management, and will reveal how these fungi govern the ability of plants to defend themselves from insect herbivores. Through innovative field surveys and experimentation, this project will generate new knowledge in the key areas of soil ecology and plant defence. This will allow us to exploit these soil fungi to enhance crop protection while simultaneously conserving soil ecosystems. Effectively boosting plant defence in this way will reduce reliance on ecologically damaging pesticides, promote soil biodiversity, and ensure the sustainability of crop production into the future. Read moreRead less