PREDICTING GREYBACK CANEGRUB DAMAGE IN THE HERBERT REGION OF NORTH QUEENSLAND

USING POPULATION MONITORING data collected in 2011, prediction models were used to forecast greyback canegrub damage levels in the Herbert region for 2012. Heavy rainfall and flooding that followed from cyclone Yasi disrupted the work program and caused inaccurate predictions to be generated for 2012. GrubPlan workshops have been conducted across the Herbert to advise growers on the extent of damage and discuss prediction results. Challenges facing grub damage prediction in the Herbert are discussed, with emphasis on the use of aerial photography and other damage assessment methodologies. This paper also reports on the occurrence of greyback canegrub in newer areas of the Herbert region that have not historically experienced significant grub damage. This is attributed to lack of insecticide application in areas not traditionally experiencing grub infestations, which leads to a slow build-up of the pest where it has not been common. The use of damage distribution and prediction maps to document and forecast grub damage is also discussed.