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Aphids add to Qld growers' woes
20 Jul 2004
A plague of aphids is wreaking havoc on Winter cereal crops throughout south-west Queensland's Maranoa region and Central Queensland. The Department of Primary Industries says the sap-sucking insects have made heavy inroads into barley and wheat.
DPI entomologist David Murray said the infestation will be particularly hard on growers in drought-affected areas where the lack of moisture has already undermined the effectiveness of insecticide spraying and weakened crops. Severe aphid infestations can cause plants to turn yellow, become stunted and sickly, and eventually die. Mr Murray said the insecticide usually recommended travels through the plant's sap routes but this doesn't happen when the plants are distressed. The best thing to happen would be rainfall, he said, but this can't be predicted.
The Courier-Mail, 20/7/04.
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