Soldier fly diagnostics, distribution, and development of an artificial diet

Summary

Soldier fly, a root-feeding pest of sugarcane, is comprised of a complex of multiple Inopus species causing productivity losses in some key cane-growing regions. Currently there are no effective chemical or biological control options available for soldier fly.

Acknowledgement
This project is funded by Sugar Research Australia and the Department of Primary Industries.

Objectives

This project will evaluate the relative importance of individual species for the Australian sugarcane industry. Species diversity and geographic distribution will be determined through targeted area-wide ground surveys, in major cane-growing regions.

Surveys will collect data not just on species present, but also on varietal preferences, soil type preferences, and degree of damage. Molecular and morphological diagnostics will be utilised for the development of rapid identification of soldier fly species. For the most significant species, host preferences will be used to develop an artificial diet that will enable lab-based rearing of soldier fly and screening of novel control agents in lab bioassays.

Expected Outputs

Outputs will include distribution maps and diagnostic tests for each species of soldier fly affecting sugarcane, and for the most economically significant species, an artificial diet that will allow screening of potential chemical and biological control agents.

Expected Outcomes

The artificial diet and improved species diagnostics will form the fundamental basis for future novel and targeted control options for selected sugarcane growing regions, to avoid major productivity losses arising from soldier fly infestations.

SRA PROJECT CONTACT: Dr Stephen Mudge

RESEARCH AGENCY: Sugar Research Australia

CHIEF INVESTIGATOR: Dr Kevin Powell

PROJECT NUMBER: 2022/004

END DATE: 01/06/2025