Pest Management Science (2012) 68, 889-896

Paul A. Umina, Andrew R. Weeks, John Roberts, Sommer Jenkins, G. Peter Mangano, Alan Lord and Svetlana Micic (2012)
The current status of pesticide resistance in Australian populations of the redlegged earth mite (Halotydeus destructor)
Pest Management Science 68 (6), 889-896
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor Tucker, is an important pest of broad-acre farming systems in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 2006, high levels of resistance to synthetic pyrethroids were discovered in this species in Western Australia.
RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2010, the authors monitored resistance in field populations and found it had spread considerably within the state of Western Australia. Twenty-six paddocks from 15 individual properties were identified with resistance, and these paddocks ranged over 480 km. To date, resistance has not been detected in any other Australian state. Resistance in H. destructor appears to be found across the entire pyrethroid group, but not to other chemical classes such as organophosphates and carbamates, or other chemistries with novel modes of action.
CONCLUSION: The high levels of resistance occurring in Western Australia have caused considerable economic losses due to ineffective chemical applications and mortality of crop plants at seedling establishment. These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive resistance surveillance programme to be developed for H. destructor within Australia. Growers need to consider non-chemical approaches for pest control and should be encouraged to implement pesticide resistance management programmes for H. destructor.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Paul A. Umina, Svetlana Micic

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pesticide resistance of pest

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Halotydeus destructor		Australia (Western)