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Project update: App developed to collect data on key pests

The 5-year levy-funded project ‘An integrated systems-based approach for pest management in Australia’ kicked off in June 2022 and is being delivered by Macquarie University. In this project update, we learn about an app that has been developed by project partner Cervantes Agritech to collect data on the occurrence of key pests and natural enemies in macadamia orchards.

Project name: An integrated systems-based approach for pest management in Australian macadamia MC21000

Project partner: Macquarie University

About the project: The aim of this 5-year project is to establish a decision-support system to facilitate timely and effective pest management decisions for macadamia growers and industry stakeholders. This includes studies on pest occurrence patterns, biology, population dynamics, environmental factors as well as interactions with natural enemies and macadamia phenology. It includes development of a macadamia agro-ecosystem model with economic analyses and efficacy of integrated pest management strategies and development of a risk matrix. The project will improve our understanding of biological controls of macadamia pests through field and lab studies that assess seasonal abundance and predatory activity of the natural enemies.

Project update: Project partner Cervantes Agritech have designed an app for consultants to collect data on the occurrence of key pests and natural enemies in macadamia orchards. Early in July, field scouts began collecting data using the app, in Bundaberg, Gympie and the Northern Rivers. All sampling will continue for at least two years.

Tania Yonow from Cervantes says the app enables data to be collected efficiently and removes errors that might arise from transcribing data from the traditional paper-and-pen collection method into an electronic format for data analysis.  If there is no phone reception, data collected via the app can be saved as a draft, and submitted when the scout regains coverage.

“The data is immediately uploaded to a cloud database, providing a high level of security. The app uses coded labels to track samples. So when Macquarie University receives a coded sample jar of insects that were collected from a drop sheet event, we can link the code on the sample jar to other codes recorded in the app, allowing us to identify when the drop sheet event occurred, what chemicals and rates of application were used, which tree was sampled and where, and the phenological state of the tree was in when it was sprayed for the sampling,” says Tania.

Cervantes are also collecting data on nutlet shedding, so they can quantify damage by key pest insects, fruit spotting bug, banana spotting bug, macadamia seed weevil, and Leptocoris spp., versus natural nut shedding.

Location specific contact details:

Bundaberg: Chris Themsen ([email protected])

Gympie: Chris Fuller ([email protected])

Northern Rivers: Jarrah Coates ([email protected])

More information:

For further details, please contact Dr Tania Yonow ([email protected]) or Dr Bishwo Mainali ([email protected]).