EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST:
Developing controls for sugarcane soldier flies
Budget: $1.5m (maximum budget)
Closing date: 5pm, 5th August, 2026
Expected Time Frame
9 July 2026 – Expressions of interest sought by SRA
5 August 2026 – Closing date for submission of EOI
August 2026 – EOI Assessment Period
September 2026 – Successful applicants notified
October 2026 – Project agreement finalised & project commenced
Background
Soldier flies are native root-feeding insect pests which have traditionally been localised in distribution, but recent evidence suggests that they represent an emerging issue for the Australian sugarcane industry. In some sugarcane-growing regions, soldier fly infestations can cause substantial economic loss to affected cane growers. Larvae feed on the root system and affect shoot growth which can result in substantial yield losses due to poor ratooning, particularly after the third ratoon when larval populations have built up from year to year. Although soldier fly primarily impacts the Central and Southern regions, they can also cause damage to sugarcane locally in NSW, Innisfail, the Burdekin and the Atherton Tablelands.
Other than cultural control, which is not widely practiced by the industry, there is no current recommended control method. Earlier attempts at identifying chemical control agents have failed, partly because the presence and abundance of larvae in the soil is highly variable and difficult to predict and therefore selecting sites for field trials has proved to be difficult. Furthermore, damage peaks in 3rd and 4th ratoon crops, and effective chemical application at this stage is challenging. Given the difficulties of field testing, a preferred approach would be to first identify the most promising chemicals under lab conditions using an artificial diet, and then only take the most promising products through for evaluation under field conditions.
More Information & Submissions
View more information including full background and criteria requirements on the SRA funding opportunities page here.
Contact
Requests for further information or clarification in relation to this request should be directed to:
Stephen Mudge Program Manager, Sugar Research Australia
E: SRAResearchInvestments@sugarresearch.com.au
T: 0436 924 252
