Trials on variants of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) for suppression of populations of the Queensland fruit fly in small towns neighbouring a quarantine (exclusion) zone

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. W. Meats ◽  
R. Duthie ◽  
A. D. Clift ◽  
B. C. Dominiak

Seven small unquarantined towns in the central western district of New South Wales were used to compare variants of the sterile insect technique with respect to their suitability for suppression of populations of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt). Two towns were treated with weekly releases of immature sterile flies at rates varying from 48 000 to 115 000 sterile males per km2. Evidence for suppression was poor (from comparison with 2� untreated towns) and the ratio of sterile to wild flies caught in monitoring traps never exceeded 80 : 1 in the last 4�weeks of any season or 40 : 1 during other parts of any season. However, the recapture rates of the sterile flies and estimates of their survival rates were often as good as the best that have been reported previously. Two other towns were treated with weekly releases of mature flies at rates of 5000–12 000 sterile males per km2. The recapture rates and estimates of survival rates of flies released when mature were unexpectedly low and the ratios of sterile to wild flies were often less than 1 : 1 and never exceeded 12 : 1. The results are discussed in terms of the relatively harsh climate of these towns (located in a region of average annual rainfall of 450–600 mm) and lack of quarantine.

2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (6) ◽  
pp. 2800-2807
Author(s):  
Humayra Akter ◽  
Phillip W Taylor ◽  
Peter Crisp

Abstract Tephritid flies released in sterile insect technique pest management programs are usually marked with fluorescent dyes so that they can be distinguished from wild flies in monitoring traps. Dyes can have adverse effects on emergence, quality, and survival, which can impact sterile insect technique (SIT) success, and so it is important to identify dyes and doses that maximize marking efficacy while minimizing deleterious effects on fly quality. This study examines the effects of five fluorescent dye products, Fluoro Pink, Fluoro Orange, Stella Green, Arc Chrome, and Astral Pink applied at four dose levels (1, 2, 3, and 4 g/liter) on Queensland fruit fly. All dye products caused a similar dose-dependent reduction in percentage of adult emergence. Incidence of morphological deformity of emerged adults increased with dose, and this trend was similar for all dye products. No effects of dye product or dose were found on survival rates over the first 35 d of adulthood, although females tended to have higher survival than males. Visibility varied with dose and dye product; 1 g/liter dye was less visible than 2, 3, or 4 g/liter, and Stella green had lower visibility than other dyes. All of the tested dyes except for Stella green were similar in all assessed metrics of fly performance and are recommended for use in SIT programs.


Author(s):  

Abstract A new distribution map is provided for Dacus tryoni[Bactrocera tryoni] (Frogg.) (Dipt., Trypetidae) (Queensland Fruit-fly) Hosts: Many deciduous and subtropical fruits. Information is given on the geographical distribution in AUSTRALIA, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria.


1965 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 981 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Lax ◽  
Turner H Newton

The influence of sex, strain, location, and age of ewe on survival rate to weaning of single-born Merino lambs has been examined in two sets of data: the strain trial, involving five strains run without selection at each of three locations (Cunnamulla, Qld.; Armidale, on the northern tablelands of New South Wales; Deniliquin, in the Riverina area of New South Wales), with six age groups of ewes; and the same five strains later included in selection groups at Armidale with seven age groups of ewes. The strain trial at Armidale ran mainly on native, and the selection groups mainly on improved pastures. Female lambs had a higher survival rate than either castrated or entire males, the differences in lambs weaned per lamb born being 0.03 and 0.04 respectively. No strain differences could be regarded as statistically significant, and neither could the strain x location interaction in the strain trial. Mean survival rates for the strains ranged from 0.673 to 0.786 on the Armidale native and from 0.802 to 0.850 on the Armidale improved pasture, from 0.746 to 0.859 at Cunnamulla, and from 0.838 to 0.894 at Deniliquin. The strains did not rank consistently in the same order. Location had a marked effect on survival rate, the means being 0.744 for the native and 0.824 for the improved pasture at Armidale, 0.810 at Cunnamulla, and 0.868 at Deniliquin. Age of ewe had a marked influence in the poorest environment (Armidale native pasture), survival rate rising with age and later falling sharply. The effect was less marked in the intermediate environments (Armidale improved pasture and Cunnamulla) and negligible at Deniliquin. The patterns at Cunnamulla and Deniliquin are confirmed by data from other experiments on these stations. Survival rate is one component of number of lambs weaned. The other component, number of lambs born, has a higher mean value at Deniliquin than Cunnamulla, but shows a strong association with age of ewe in both environments. Number of lambs born responds rapidly to selection, but no information is yet available concerning the likely response in survival rate. If improvement in environment can raise the survival rate, particularly in the youngest and oldest ewes, then selection for number of lambs born, combined with improved environment, should lead to a marked rise in the number of lambs weaned.


1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
RD FitzGerald ◽  
ML Curll ◽  
EW Heap

Thirty varieties of wheat originating from Australia, UK, USA, Ukraine, and France were evaluated over 3 years as dual-purpose wheats for the high rainfall environment of the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales (mean annual rainfall 851 mm). Mean grain yields (1.9-4.3 t/ha) compared favourably with record yields in the traditional Australian wheatbelt, but were much poorer than average yields of 6.5 t/ha reported for UK crops. A 6-week delay in sowing time halved grain yield in 1983; cutting in spring reduced yield by 40% in 1986. Grazing during winter did not significantly reduce yields. Results indicate that the development of wheat varieties adapted to the higher rainfall tablelands and suited to Australian marketing requirements might help to provide a useful alternative enterprise for tableland livestock producers.


1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (109) ◽  
pp. 179 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJ Gray ◽  
JP Kennedy

Internal parasitism and its effects on survival, wool growth and liveweight gain of weaner sheep were studied over 3 years from 1977 to 1979 at Fowlers Gap Research Station, Broken Hill, New South Wales. During this period, annual rainfall was 33, 152 and 141 % respectively, of the annual mean of 195 mm. Worm burdens and production of sheep given anthelmintic treatment at approximately monthly intervals were compared with those in untreated sheep. Total worm counts in untreated sheep were low, ranging from 1 5 to 3750. Nematodirus spp. were the most common nematode parasites recovered. lnfections with Trichostrongylus spp, were recorded in 2 of the 3 years; T. rugatus was the only species represented when species identification was made in 1979. Infections of Haemonchus contortus were only detected in the last year. Tapeworms (Moniezia spp.) were occasionally recovered. Anthelmintic treatment reduced worm burdens to a very low level but had no significant effect on survival rate, liveweight gain, or wool production. We concluded that in the arid areas of western New South Wales, worm infection would not limit production or cause mortality in young sheep, except in unusually wet years.


2015 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 1176-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. C. Dominiak ◽  
A. J. Campbell ◽  
E. B. Jang ◽  
A. Ramsey ◽  
B. G. Fanson

1962 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 443 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Snowball ◽  
F Wilson ◽  
TG Campbell ◽  
RG Lukins

In 1950, a programme was initiated to utilize against the Queensland fruit fly (Strumeta tryoni) parasites which were introduced during 1948–1950 into Hawaii, where they produced a considerable reduction in the incidence of oriental fruit fly (Dacus dorsalis). The present paper describes the work carried out under this programme up to October 1959. During 1951–1957 the emphasis was on rearing, at Sydney, on Queensland fruit fly, stocks of Opius longicaudatus and O. oophilus from small stocks imported from Hawaii. It was found that O. oophilus, O. vandenboschi, and O. longicaudatus could parasitize Queensland fruit fly in the laboratory, and that O. longicaudatus could parasitize the Solanum fruit fly, Strumeta cacuminata, which occurs widely in the distribution area of the Queensland fruit fly and hence might act as a valuable alternative host for the parasites. Liberations were made at Coffs Harbour and Sydney in New South Wales in 1956–1957 of 21 000 O. longicaudatus and 1 700 O. oophilus, but establishment was apparently not achieved. The programme was changed in 1957 to provide for larger releases over n much wider area. In view of production difficulties at Sydney, a field station was set up in Hawaii to rear parasites, which were shipped to Australia by air, checked in quarantine at Sydney, and despatched to various parts of Australia for liberation. Between March 1958 and October 1959 the following numbers of foreign parasites were liberated: O. oophilus, 229 200; O. vandenboschi, 28 100; O. longicaudatus and closely related species, 198 700; O. incisi, 27 100; Dirhinus giffardii, 2 500; Tetrastichus giffardianus, 2 500; and Syntomosphyrum indicum, 3 200. The liberations in 1958–1959 were made at 25 locations in New South Wales, 59 in Queensland, 12 in Western Australia, and 6 on Lord Howe Island. The liberations were made in the presence of populations of Queensland fruit fly in New South Wales, Queensland, and on Lord Howe Island, and of Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) in Western Australia. Data from a total of 185 fruit samples taken between January and August 1959 in New South Wales and Queensland indicate that O. oophilus was possibly established in five localities in New South Wales and two in Queensland, and that some field breeding had occurred of O. vandenboschi and O. longicaudatus in New South Wales. There were no recoveries indicating field breeding of the three species in central or north Queensland. The indications of establishment of O. oophilus are tentative because the relevant samples were taken before the parasite populations had been subjected to winter conditions. There were no recoveries of O. incisi, S. indicum, or T. giffardianus.


2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Lilley ◽  
J. A. Kirkegaard

Water stored deep in the soil profile is valuable to crop yield but its availability and conversion to grain vary with preceding management and seasonal rainfall distribution. We investigated the value of subsoil water to wheat on the Red Kandosol soils in southern New South Wales, Australia, using the APSIM Wheat model, carefully validated for the study area. Simulation treatments over 106 years of historic climate data involved a factorial combination of (1) a preceding crop of either lucerne (Dry treatment) or a low-yielding wheat crop (Wet treatment) and (2) restriction of wheat root depth to either 1.2 or 1.8 m. Root access to the subsoil (1.2–1.8 m) increased wheat yield by an average of 0.6 and 0.3 t/ha for the Wet and Dry treatments, respectively, at Cootamundra (mean annual rainfall 624 mm) and by 0.5 and 0.1 t/ha at Ardlethan (mean annual rainfall 484 mm). The differences were principally related to the frequency with which the subsoil failed to wet up, which occurred in 8% and 39% of years at Cootamundra in Wet and Dry treatments, respectively, but in 21% and 79% of years at Ardlethan. In seasons where water from the subsoil was used, the mean value of the water for grain yield, expressed as marginal water-use efficiency (MWUE), was 30–36 kg/ha.mm at both sites. High MWUE (>60 kg/ha.mm) generally occurred in seasons of above-average rainfall when subsoil water facilitated extra post-anthesis water extraction, including that from upper soil layers, to realise the high yield potential. Low MWUE (<10 kg/ha.mm) occurred when re-translocation of pre-anthesis assimilate to grain in the 1.2 m treatment compensated for reduced subsoil water extraction and no yield difference between 1.2 and 1.8 m treatments was observed. Counter-intuitively, the results suggest that subsoil water will be of more value in higher rainfall environments due to its more frequent occurrence, and in above-average seasons due to more efficient conversion to grain.


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