Research on potential alternatives to imidacloprid has well and truly left the laboratory with all 12 trial sites for the project now established in the field.
Chemical applications were completed in November on the sites on farms at the Atherton Tablelands, Gordonvale, Tully, Ingham, Burdekin, Mackay, Hervey Bay and Maryborough.
Up to 10 different chemical treatments were applied to plant cane and first ratoon cane.
All trial sites will be monitored over the next year and results analysed with the help of staff at SRA’s IRIS Laboratories in Brisbane and SRA’s Lead Entomologist, Dr Kevin Powell, thanked all staff across SRA who helped the Entomology Team set up the canegrub trials by:
- Finding suitable sites
- Providing site information
- Liaising with growers
- Getting Field Trial Agreements (FTAs) signed
- Collecting soil samples
- Marking out trial sites
- Repairing and modifying application equipment
- Moving application equipment from A to B
- Driving tractors and using the application equipment.
“We have committed to clear timelines in this project to deliver progress in this priority area for the industry. I am grateful to the Entomology Team – Dr Samuel Bawa and Dr Emtia Chandrima – who worked with SRA’s Industry Services team and others to set up trials in a very short period,” Dr Powell said.
“I also thank the growers who have volunteered to host trial sites to allow this important work to be carried out. We also thank the agrichemical companies involved. It has been a fantastic effort by all involved and shows how well the industry and SRA can pull together when there is a very tight deadline. Many thanks to everyone involved.”
Dr Powell said he remained confident that the field trials would validate encouraging laboratory findings: “Efficacy trials conducted in the laboratory by SRA have shown a number of alternatives to be highly promising. We now need to see how effective they are under field conditions. Preliminary data from the first field trials are expected to be available by the end of 2026.”
SRA will continue to keep growers and millers informed as the program advances. For information about trials in your district, SRA members and cane levy payers are encouraged to contact their district managers. Meetings will be held to inform the industry about progress and updates will be published across SRA’s channels.
More information on Project 2025-001 – Beyond imidacloprid – Ensuring effective and sustainable canegrub control for the future is funded by Sugar Research Australia. See the full project details.
