Infopest News August 2021
In this edition of Infopest news, there’s a flurry of new products for use to combat the current mouse plague. Our hearts go out to the farmers who are being inundated by mice and trying to minimize the damage to crops and property.
Corteva is set to register a new nematicide in Australia intended for control of root-knot nematodes in cucurbits, fruiting vegetables and root and tuber vegetables.
Plant Health Australia (PHA) has released a timely new exotic pest identification and surveillance guide for tropical horticulture as Australia experiences a quick succession of exotic pest incursions, the latest of these being the American Serpentine Leafminer. Preparation and fore thought for chemical access has resulted in permits issued to assist affected crops combat the leafminer. Read on to find out more.
APVMA issues permits for mice plague but declines bromadiolone use.
The mouse plague that has been affecting parts of Australia has seen the APVMA issue six emergency use permits for several products containing zinc phosphide. PER91133, PER91205, PER91125, PER90799, PER90846 and PER90793 have been issued at various dates since April 2021. These can be viewed via the APVMA’s permit search site and also on Infopest.
An emergency use permit was requested by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) to use an unregistered bromadiolone-based product around the perimeter of crops. One application was subsequently withdrawn by NSW DPI on 9 June 2021.
On 23 June 2021, the APVMA issued NSW DPI with a proposed decision to refuse the emergency permit application for bromadiolone, as the APVMA could not be satisfied the use of the product met the statutory criteria, specifically in relation to:
- the environment, including the risks of secondary poisoning to non-target species including birds, fish and reptiles
- residues, including the toxicity of the chemical to people who may eat predatory freshwater fish (such as Murray cod) or reptiles (such as goannas or snakes) harvested from treated areas.
To read more click here.
New Fastrac products with bromethalin registered.
Further to the mouse plague issue, the APVMA has issued six rodenticide baits with new active bromethalin for use in damp or dry situations in and around industrial, commercial, agricultural and domestic buildings:
88457/121370 Label approved:02-Aug-2021 Fastrac G Meal Bait Rodenticide
88456/121368 Label approved:30-Jul-2021 Fastrac Pro Pellets Rodenticide
88454/121364 Label approved:30-Jul-2021 Fastrac G Pellets Rodenticide
88458/121373 Label approved:30-Jul-2021 Fastrac Pro Soft Bait Rodenticide
88451/121361 Label approved:30-Jul-2021 Fastrac G Place Pacs Rodenticide
88455/121366 Label approved:30-Jul-2021 Fastrac Pro Place Pacs Rodenticide
These can all be found via APVMA’s PubCRIS database and through Infopest although the registrant has indicated that the products are not currently commercially available.
To read more about Fastrac products click here.
APVMA assesses new active Fluazaindolizine and associated product Salibro Reklemel.
The APVMA has assessed the new active Fluazaindolizine which is a selective contact nematicide for the control of plant parasitic nematodes. It acts only on plant parasitic nematodes, and is not active against insect pests, plant pathogens or weeds. It exhibits the most potent toxic activity against the second-stage juveniles of root-knot nematode including Meloidogyne incognita and Tylenchulus semipenetrans in annual crops such as cucurbits, fruiting vegetables and root and tuber vegetables, and in certain perennial crops including vines, citrus, tree nuts and stone fruits. Fluazaindolizine can be applied by direct injection into drip, drench, in furrow spray with or without soil incorporation either before or at planting. There is also a new Corteva product Salibro Reklemel, registration for the active pending approval, seeking uses in cucurbits, fruiting vegetables, root and tuber vegetables.
To read more on fluazaindolizine click here.
To read more on Salibro Reklemel click here.
Review of ACDC Regulations and resultant minor changes.
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has competed a periodic Review of the Agricultural Chemicals Distribution Control Regulation 1998 (the ACDC Regulation). The ACDC Regulation, authorised under the Agricultural Chemicals Distribution Control Act 1966, provides the framework for the provision of licensing of fee for service agricultural chemical application (aerial and ground distribution). The four licence types are Commercial Operators licences, Ground distribution Contractor Licences, Pilot Chemical Rating Licences (manned and unmanned) and Aerial Distribution Contractor Licences.
On the 31 August 2021, the ACDC Regulation 2021 will replace the ACDC Regulation 1998. As a result of the introduction of the new regulation, the following minor changes will apply to licensing the ACDC Regulation:
- Removal of AHCPMG301 (Control Weeds) as a competency training unit required for chemical application licences. The removal of this competency unit aligns with a national agreement reached in agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemical control-of-use harmonisation between the Commonwealth and all state and territory jurisdictions, which have been endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).
- Amendment of the particulars required to be entered in the public register to reduce the level of information disclosed.
- Removal of Restrictions on opening containers of volatile chemicals, which was an unnecessary requirement on industry for constraints on opening certain chemical containers within 25m of a crop or of stock that is susceptible to damage. The risk associated with the volatility of currently registered agricultural chemicals to crops and stock is adequately managed through label instructions.
New surveillance guide for pests and diseases of tropical crops.
Plant Health Australia’s (PHA’s) latest resource for growers is the Exotic Pest Identification and Surveillance Guide for Tropical Horticulture, developed with funding from the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE). Inspecting crops for signs of new pests is one way you can protect Australia’s plant industries from exotic pests, as early detection and reporting improves the chances of successfully containing or eradicating new pests.
CropLife announce Herbicide MoA alignment
Herbicide Mode of Action (MoA) classifications have been updated internationally to capture new active constituents and ensure the MoA classification system is globally relevant.
The global MoA classification system is based on numerical codes which provides infinite capacity to accommodate new herbicide MoA coming to market, unlike the alphabetical codes currently used in Australia.
CropLife Australia is working with key herbicide resistance management experts, advisors and the APVMA to ensure farmers and agronomists are aware of the planned changes.
Growers can expect to start seeing herbicide labels with the new mode of action classification system from early 2022. There will be a transition period during which herbicide labels will exist in the supply chain, some bearing the legacy alphabetical MoA classifications, and others transitioned to the global numerical system.
To read more, click here.
Surveillance and vigilance with exotic pests are so vitally important with the recent spate of incursions Australia has experienced, American Serpentine Leafminer among the most recent. There have been multiple detections of American serpentine leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii) in Torres Strait, in Far North Queensland, and in Kununurra, Western Australia. Further detections of American serpentine leafminer have also occurred in the Northern Peninsula Area of Cape York Peninsula which are still undergoing confirmatory identification. To read more click here.
Forward planning by Hort Innovation has seen permits issued for managing the pest in various horticultural crops and other permits have been issued to PHA and the nursery and gardening related crops. Permits can be viewed via the APVMA’s permit search site and Infopest.