Project partner

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA)

Duration

2021-2022

Summary

Pasture dieback is causing major feed losses in Australia. Because of this there is an urgent need to develop strategies to provide feed for stock while a solution for the disease is being developed. While longer term solutions are ultimately needed, short term management strategies that can reduce the impact of the disease need to be developed and communicated.

Southern central and northern Queensland are currently affected by the disease. Current estimates place 200,000 ha affected by the disease, with AgForce estimating a possible 4.4 million hectares could be impacted by dieback by the end of outbreak. Producers facing dieback now or in the future need management strategies that are easy and economical to reduce the impact of dieback until a longer-term solution can be developed.

The results of the research have been used to produce an agronomists’ guide to dieback and ongoing communication of results to producers. The materials produced from this project were intended to help producers reduce the impact of dieback on their properties.

Project Outputs

Article: ABC RURAL - Pasture dieback research offers hope as mealybugs spread and devastate grazing land By Jennifer Nichols, Abbey Halter and Meghan Hughes

Article: ABC RURAL - Mealybugs identified as cause of mysterious pasture dieback costing graziers billions in Qld, NSW By Abbey Halter

Article: Queensland Country Life - Farmers and scientists gather in Gaeta for pasture dieback trial results By Brad Marsellos

Video: Naomi Diplock, Applied Horticultural Research, and Caroline Hauxwell, Queensland University of Technology, with the mealybug update