Department of Primary Industries research indicates fungal biopesticides could provide an environmentally friendly management option for the sucking insect pest mirids.
The sucking insect can cause significant yield loss in mungbeans by attacking buds, flowers and small pods.
Kristen Knight, DPI Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences researcher, said fungal biopesticides offered the best potential as an alternative management tool for mirids.
“Traditional management methods using chemicals such as organophosphates including the registered product dimethoate can exacerbate the effects of other pests, especially heliothis,” she said.
“Fungal based biopesticides could offer a viable alternative because they do not have to be ingested to be effective.
“Biopesticides based on viruses and fungi had the added advantage of being able to remain active in the environment, spreading much like the flu.”
Ms Knight said the results of two trials this season indicated that fungal biopesticides had good potential as a mirid management tool.
“One fungal isolate halved mirid numbers compared with the control, and was effective against mirid nymphs rather than adults, indicating that fungal biopesticides may be able to be used to break the breeding cycle in crop,” she said.
Ms Knight said the research is at an early stage and further trials will be conducted over the next two years to test two other fungi isolates and to establish the optimal formulation and dose.
“These trials will also indicate whether there is any negative impact on beneficial insects.
“Once we have identified the most effective fungi and the formulation, further trials will identify the best application time.”
The research is being carried out with funding support from the Grains Research Development Corporation.