No abstract

Invasive pest species pose a major threat to agricultural production around the world. Until recently, the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia Kurdjumov, a major pest of wheat and barley crops worldwide, was considered a high‐priority exotic pest threat to the Australian grains industry. Here, we document the initial detection and establishment of D. noxia in Australia in 2016. These are the first records for this genus from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Morphological and molecular information is presented for confirmed diagnosis of the species based on voucher specimens. Known distribution data are provided, along with a list of Poaceae hosts on which D. noxia has been recorded, and a brief description of the typical damage symptoms caused by these aphids. The potential impact of this aphid on Australian cereal production is discussed, and we identify research areas required to underpin future management of this new threat to the Australian cereal industry.

Grain crops in southern Australia are subject to attack by countless pests, with greater than 40 invertebrate species threatening seedling establishment. Control tactics for crop establishment pests rely heavily on the application of pesticides, especially in canola, which is the most susceptible crop to invertebrate damage. There is genuine interest in integrated pest management (IPM) among growers, but relatively little adoption of classical IPM in broadacre farming in southern Australia. The driving forces behind the lack of adoption are unknown, although over-reliance on broad-spectrum pesticides – which are inexpensive and often applied prophylactically as a means of negating the need to monitor crops – is undoubtedly a key factor. Recent control failures against important pests due to pesticide resistance, increased restrictions on pesticide applications, environmental concerns about pesticide applications and strong support for grain quality assurance programs by exporters, highlight the need to consider IPM principles as a means of reducing chemical inputs. IPM guidelines for broadacre farming systems are limited in scope and there is a need to develop practical management tools that encompass a whole system approach. This paper provides an overview of the main invertebrate pests affecting crop establishment and identifies gaps hindering the wide-scale adoption of IPM.