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We have previously developed an attractant based on synthetic plant volatiles targeting the adults of the noctuid pests 'Helicoverpa' spp., and the product (Magnet®) has been registered for cotton, sweet com and green beans. With funding from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and AgBitech Pty Ltd, we investigated the feasibility of attract-and-kill as a novel approach to manage the diamondback moth, 'Plutella xylostella' (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in canola. A small-scale field trial conducted on forage rape at Victor Harbor, SA in 2013, demonstrated that the attract-and-kill using Magnet® and the insecticide spinetoram (Success Neo®) worked for this species. It also showed that pheromone traps can be used to monitor DBM numbers in treated and control plots. Following this, we conducted a large-scale field trial involving aerial application of more than 600 ha of pre-flowering canola at Cummins, SA which showed a major reduction in DBM adult numbers in treated fields in comparison with the untreated and distant control fields. |
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