The Cape connection
Following a request from the Hopevale Aboriginal Community after their zucchini crop was devastated by fruit flies, the International Centre for Management of Pest Fruit Flies at Griffith University is now looking at a research project to control fruit flies in Indigenous communities.
Subject to funding, Professor Drew hopes to test the same fruit fly control system which has been so successful in Vietnam in a number of communities in Queensland’s Cape York.
“We would involve Indigenous graduate students from the horticulture course at Cairns TAFE and train them in pest management practices,” Professor Drew said. “The production of market gardens and orchards in Indigenous communities across Cape York would receive a tremendous boost with the introduction of biologically-based pest control.
“When you spray with broad spectrum pesticides, you end up killing
not only your target insect but beneficial insects as well, such as bees needed
to pollinate and ladybird beetles which eat aphids.”