Ms Kudzaishe Precious Mavende1, Ms Erinn Fagan-jeffries2, Mr Thomas Charles Heddle1, Mr Maarten Van Helden1,3

1The School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, 5064, Australia, 2The University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, North Tce, Adelaide, 5005, Australia, 3South Australian Research and Development Institute, Crop Sciences Entomology, Main Waite Building, Urrbrae, 5064, Australia

Biography:

Kudzaishe Precious is a PhD candidate at The University of Adelaide who is currently living her ambition to combine her interests and curiosity in ecology and the agricultural sector. Kudzaishe was recently awarded the University of Adelaide Research Scholarship and a SAGIT research fund to investigate beneficial insects, particularly in canola using multi-scale monitoring. Her roots are deeply embedded in Zimbabwe, where she was surrounded by agricultural and preserved lands. This environment sparked her interest in the outdoors and inspired her to explore how the world can offer insights to improve sustainable food production. A quote Kudzaishe lives by is: Your attitude determines your daily success.

Abstract:

The Aphidiinae subfamily of hymenopteran parasitoid wasps are important biological control agents for managing aphid pests within canola fields. Despite this, there is limited knowledge on the oversummering associations of parasitoids, host colonisation and their impact on different aphid species over time. To improve biological control efficacy, we will investigate the primary parasitoids of the main canola aphid species, cabbage, turnip, and green peach aphid, through active seasonal sampling. Traditionally, pest surveillance methods involve integrating multiple sampling techniques, such as visual observations, sticky traps, sweep nets, and suction traps, to determine the migratory patterns, presence, and impact of natural enemies on aphid pests during the canola growing season. This information can influence early-season management practices and seasonal predictions of pest populations. Therefore, our study aims to 1) develop and explore monitoring techniques for parasitoid wasps and their host aphids, investigating pre-seasonal migration to in-season abundance using non-selective sampling methods and 2) use the best-fit sampling tools from aim 1 to predict the likelihood of early establishment of beneficials within canola to suppress the aphid pest population. This will enhance our understanding of the over-summering patterns of Australian parasitoid wasps and their hosts, including their movement into canola fields, and quantify the impact of natural enemies on different aphid pest populations. Growers can then utilise this knowledge to evaluate the pre-seasonal population and predict the effectiveness and sufficient control of aphid pest numbers using biological control for on-farm decision-making.