Integrated pest management plans for Central Australian date palms

Above: AZRI staff, Glen Oliver, Bryan Gill and men from the Sentenced to a Job program erect insect nets around young Gurra Downs date palms. Scale on date palm leaflet (far right).

Following interest from local growers, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (DITT) is currently investigating options for integrated pest management plans (IPM) for date palm scale (Parlatoria blanchardi, Diaspididae).

Date palm scale is a common insect pest in Central Australia, affecting the leaves and fruit of the palms. Controlling scale in mature date palm canopies is complicated as the palms can grow to 20 to 25 metres tall – well above the reach of workers on the ground. Current practice involves using cherry pickers to apply pest oil to the palms.

IPM uses a combination of chemical and biological control methods to reduce pests and diseases. The biological control part often involves releasing predatory insects, like ladybirds, to eat mealybugs and scale insects. Understanding which predatory insects are effective is an important step in developing an IPM plan for date palm scale. Preliminary trials of the Australian ladybird beetle (Chilocorus circumdatus) in the entomology laboratory have shown promise, leading to a small trial at the department’s Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) to assess the ladybirds in the field.

These small field trials would not have been possible without support from industry and the local community. With the help of workers from the ‘Sentenced to a Job’ program, farm staff erected nets around juvenile palms from Gurra Downs to assist with the release and monitoring of the ladybirds.

More information

Entomology branch
08 8999 2258

Visit the DITT website