Final Report Ecology and management of Sigastus weevil in macadamias Ruth Hewer NSW Department of Primary Industries Project Number: MC15010 MC15010 This project has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the macadamia industry levy and funds from the Australian Government. Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) makes no representations and expressly disclaims all warranties (to the extent permitted by law) about the accuracy, completeness, or currency of information in Ecology and management of Sigastus weevil in macadamias. Reliance on any information provided by Hort Innovation is entirely at your own risk. 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ISBN 0 7341 3827 X Published and distributed by: Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited Level 8, 1 Chifley Square Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 8295 2300 Fax: (02) 8295 2399 © Copyright 2016 Contents List of abbreviations ..................................................................................................................... iv Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Keywords ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 2 Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 3 Outputs ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Evaluation and Discussion ........................................................................................................... 16 Recommendations....................................................................................................................... 18 Scientific Refereed Publications .................................................................................................... 19 Intellectual Property/Commercialisation ........................................................................................ 19 References ................................................................................................................................. 19 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... 28 Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 28 1. Appendix 1: Detailed Methodology ........................................................................................ 29 1.1. Literature review .......................................................................................................... 29 1.2. Species identification, biology and life-cycle ................................................................... 29 1.2.1. Species identification ............................................................................................. 29 1.2.2. Biology and life-cycle ............................................................................................. 33 1.3. Current distribution ...................................................................................................... 33 1.4. Chemical control .......................................................................................................... 33 1.4.1. Screening of chemicals .......................................................................................... 33 1.4.2. Evaluation of entomopathogens ............................................................................. 34 1.4.2.1. Laboratory culturing of Beauveria and Metarhizium ................................................. 34 1.4.2.2. Screening of entomopathogens .............................................................................. 35 1.4.3 Field assessment ...................................................................................................... 39 2. Appendix 2: Detailed Results ................................................................................................. 42 2.1. Literature review .......................................................................................................... 42 2.1.1. Biology of Sigastus weevil ...................................................................................... 42 2.1.2. Ecology of Sigastus weevil ..................................................................................... 42 2.1.3. Pest Management ................................................................................................. 44 2.1.3.1. Chemical control ................................................................................................... 44 2.1.3.2. Biopesticide and nematodes .................................................................................. 49 2.1.3. Pheromone trap .................................................................................................... 52 2.1.4. Cultural control ..................................................................................................... 54 ii 2.1.5. IPM ...................................................................................................................... 54 2.2. Species identification, biology and life-cycle ................................................................... 58 2.2.1. Species identification ............................................................................................. 58 2.2.2. Biology and life-cycle ............................................................................................. 60 2.3. Current distribution ...................................................................................................... 69 2.4. Chemical control .......................................................................................................... 69 2.4.1. Screening of chemicals .......................................................................................... 69 2.4.2. Evaluation of entomopathogens ............................................................................. 70 2.4.2.1. Laboratory culturing of Beauveria and Metarhizium ................................................. 70 2.4.2.2. Screening of entomopathogens .............................................................................. 71 2.4.3. Field assessment ................................................................................................... 71 iii List of abbreviations Abbreviation Meaning µL microlitre AMS Australian Macadamia Society Anon. anonymous APVMA Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority BB Beauveria bassiana BB Sig Beauveria bassiana from Sigastus weevil BLK block (in orchard) BOLD Barcode of Life Data Systems BWB banana weevil borer Cont. continued cm centimetre cm2 centimetre square CTH Centre for Tropical Horticulture Alstonville cv. cultivar CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation DAFQ Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid EC Emulsifiable concentrate e.g. Example given ENP Entomopathonogenic nematodes et al. et alii = and others EW elephant weevil F1 first filial generation FNQ Far North Queensland FRW Fuller’s rose weevil FSB fruitspotting bug g gram GIS Geographic Information Systems ha hectare Hort Innovation Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited IP Intellectual property IPM Integrated Pest Management IRG Industry reference group Kg(s) Kilogram(s) L litre lb pounds (US) m metre mg milligram iv List of abbreviations (cont.) ml millilitre MNB macadamia nutborer n sample size NIH Nut in husk NSW New South Wales NSW DPI New South Wales Department of Primary Industries oz ounce (US) Pers. comm. Personal communication qts quarts (US) QLD Queensland RNA Ribonucleic acid RNAi Gene silencing or RNA interference SC suspension concentrate SCU Southern Cross University SL soluble concentrate sp. species spp. species (plural) UAE United Arab Emirates US United States of America WG water dispersible granule v Summary Sigastus weevil has emerged as an important pest for the Australian macadamia industry in recent years. Sigastus weevil was first found infesting macadamia nuts on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland in 1994/1995. Crop loss in unsprayed orchards could be up to 30% (Fay et al., 1998). Sigastus weevil is now known to be distributed across the NSW Northern Rivers and Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland. While there have been isolated incidences of Sigastus weevil in Gympie area, Bundaberg, Mid North Coast NSW and Glasshouse Mountains still remain free of Sigastus weevil distribution (Bright, 2015). As part of this study, background information was collated including