Foreword to 'Invertebrate Pests of Grain Crops and Integrated Management: Current Practice and Prospects for the Future'

摘要

Invertebrate pest management is a significant cost to Australianngrain production, not only in terms of direct crop damage andncontrol costs, but also indirect costs as vectors for disease.nThe development of effective insecticide solutions to pestnmanagement has revolutionised crop production. However,nas a consequence of low cost and effectiveness, the usenof prophylactic insecticide applications has become commonnpractice in the grains industry. This practice has led to selectivenpressure for the development of insecticide resistance forna number of key species such as the redlegged earth miten(Halotydeus destructor) where several populations since 2006nhave been discovered with resistance to synthetic pyrethroidninsecticides. The consequences of insecticide resistance willnresult in significant increases in costs and reduced crop rotationnflexibility in Australian crop production.