Name: Strawberry tortrix moth, Acleris comariana

An exotic species, not found in Australia. It is mainly a pest of species from the family Rosaceae and is present in the USA, Canada, Europe and northern Asia, the Mediterranean Basin and South-East Asia. Hosts include strawberry, hawthorn, Malus spp., cinquefoil (Potentilla sp.), avens and comarum. It has also been reported feeding on azaleas and rhododendron (the only known host plants outside Rosaceae).

Since this species is a medium sized, brown moth with few distinctive features, it is similar in appearance to many native moths that are roughly the same size, shape and colour, particularly those from the same family (Tortricidae).

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Friday, 22 March 2019

Project Overview

Led by research provider, cesar, the RD&E program for the control, eradication and preparedness for vegetable leafminer (MIT16004) is constantly developing and innovating to come up with new ways to protect the biosecurity of our industry.

The vegetable leafminer (Liriomyza sativae) is a small polyphagous fly that lays eggs within the leaves and stems of plants; maggots then tunnel throughout to create mines or tracks that only increase in size as they grow.

First detected in 2015 at the tip of Cape York in Queensland, VLM represents a substantial threat to vegetable and nursery industries, and this project is vital in raising awareness and educating industry on the best way to resist and manage its entry and spread.

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Monday, 18 March 2019

Nursery is one of the largest industry sectors within Australian horticulture and is the starting point for all horticultural plant production across the country.

Production nurseries employ more than 20,000 people across Australia and in 2015-16 was valued at $2.29 billion. We are on the brink of a green era – and with approximately 1,700 production businesses nationwide, it is vital we support and promote initiatives that focus on human capital for the nursery industry workforce.

In partnership with Nursery & Garden Industry Australia (NGIA), the Review of Nursery Industry Career Pathways (NY17002) project is delivered by RM Consulting Group (RMCG), and works towards attracting, developing and retaining the right kind of people into our thriving and dynamic industry. More