Area wide integrated pest management support for Qfly in table grapes (TG18002)

What was it all about?

This investment ran from late 2018 to early 2020 to deliver information on area wide management of Queensland fruit fly to table grape growers, through education events in key Australian growing regions. With the populations of the pest increasing in table grape growing regions and adjacent areas, these information sessions provided growers with the knowledge needed to help mitigate the presence of Queensland fruit fly on-farm.

It ran as a support project for Hort Innovation Table Grape Fund project Building capacity in area wide integrated pest management for Qfly in table grapes (TG18001).

Specifically, seven workshops and six field days were held over the course of the project:

• 246 table grape growers, pest scouts and other supply chain stakeholders attended workshops held in Mildura and Robinvale in December 2018 and January 2019. The workshops focused on the biology of the Queensland fruit fly plus hands-on demonstrations of how identify, bait and trap the pest.
  
  
• 44 table grape growers were among 118 attendees at six field days held in Swan Hill, Robinvale and Mildura in May 2019. The field days focused on baiting equipment, and some of the practical questions that had been raised during the earlier workshops were addressed. The field days were held in collaboration with the Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area and were open to all fruit growers. Citrus and summerfruit growers brought experience to the field days that was beneficial to the attending table grape growers.

Attendees at both the workshops and field days were provided with an package that included information about Qfly biology and area wide management. Each attendee also received a yellow plastic trap and an FT mallet (male pheromone lure) to prompt them to start trapping and baiting on their properties. The field day attendees also received a magnifying lens that clips to a mobile phone, to help with Qfly identification.