A note from the Manager

Welcome to the first edition of our Prevent Fruit Fly newsletter for 2022!

The National Fruit Fly Council (NFFC) has recently been contracted for a further five years (Phase 4) providing a strong base to build on the momentum developed over the past few years.

Our 2022 program is already well underway with numerous initiatives on the go. We are currently reviewing our NFFC structure and governance, with the NFFC set to consider potential improvements at their March meeting. Our overarching vision is to ensure we have a strong and viable national fruit fly system with a clear strategy and prioritisation that is developed and owned by all key stakeholders.

NFFC priorities for 2022

In 2021 the National Fruit Fly Council (NFFC) undertook a prioritisation exercise to identify priorities to strengthen the national fruit fly system.

These priorities are the culmination of stakeholder interactions and input over the past two years and align with the National Fruit Fly Strategy. It is the NFFC’s intention to review these priorities annually.

The 2022 priorities can be summarised into three key fundamental areas:
1. Market access and biosecurity
2. On-farm management
3. Supporting the national system

The priorities are designed to increase awareness of the critical areas identified by NFFC as ongoing and vital priorities for strengthening the national fruit fly system.

More information is available on our website.

Upcoming Council meeting

The 29th meeting of the National Fruit Fly Council will be held virtually from
15 – 16 March 2022.

Watch out for more information about the meeting in the April edition.

Join us for interspecies competition webinar

The NFFC is hosting a webinar on interspecies competition in fruit flies, from 2pm-4pm (AEST), on Monday 4 April 2022, where we will hear about the research of Prof Anthony R. Clarke, Queensland University of Technology, and Francis De Lima, Aghort Solutions, Perth, WA.

2:00 – 2:05pm  Welcome and introductions
2:05 – 2:15pm  History of Qfly & Medfly interactions
2:15 – 2:45pm  Demography, dispersal, distribution, and management of Medfly in Australia and overseas
2:55 – 3:25pm  Off-shore experience of fruit fly competition and broader biosecurity implications

This event is open to all via registration.

NFFC will continue to provide a national voice on fruit fly in Australia

The National Fruit Fly Council (NFFC) has secured funding from Hort Innovation for phase 4 of the project that strategically coordinates fruit fly management in Australia over the next five years (2021 – 2026).

Fruit fly is one of the biggest trade barriers for horticulture products and many species of fruit fly pose a threat to Australia's horticultural industries, both endemic and exotic. In 2016 the cost of fruit fly in Australia was estimated to be $300 million due to control measures and international trade restrictions.

New off-farm fruit fly management resources

While many horticultural growers are adept at managing fruit fly on-farm, pest pressure is often experienced off-farm such as in home gardens, unmanaged orchards, and in public amenities.

The NFFC has developed useful resources for local governments, fruit fly management groups, local community groups and the home gardener. The suite of resources includes infographics with information on how to control fruit fly at home, as well as species specific fact sheets.

Fruit fly highlights around Australia

Queensland

Queensland currently has four major research and market access projects underway. All four projects are on track and reaching milestones. Despite COVID-19 disruptions in sourcing equipment and resources, all projects are due to be completed in 2022.

Queensland is continuing to implement the National Exotic Fruit Fly in Torres Strait Eradication Program, which is a response plan managed under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD), and targets three exotic fruit flies: melon fly; Oriental fruit fly; and New Guinea fruit fly.

Victoria

To support the implementation of Victoria’s Fruit Fly Strategy 2021-2025, $3M in grants for the area-wide management of Queensland fruit fly in three horticulture regions (Greater Sunraysia, Goulburn-Murray Valley and Yarra Valley regions) has been announced.

In research, the state has successfully released various species of fruit fly parasitoids in both metro and regional areas of Victoria to assess the local dispersal and establishment.

New South Wales

Routine trapping for exotic fruit fly is continuing across NSW, with data being captured live and allowing a seamless integration of data into AUSPestCheck™.

Tasmania

Tasmania’s Securing Our Borders initiative to better better protect its borders from pests and diseases,.is now underway in its third year. Inpections increase from October to march to help manage the increased risk the warmer weather poses for pests such as fruit fly, tomato-potato psyllid, blueberry rust and grape phylloxera.

The agency has changed their name to Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.

Table grape growers survey

Agriculture Victoria is collecting data on the experiences table grape growers have with Queensland fruit fly (Qfly), as part of a Hort Innovation project evaluating mass trapping as a potential control strategy for this pest.

The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.

Tasmania’s securing our borders

Tasmania’s Securing our Borders (SOB) initiative that was announced in May 2019, has significantly strengthened the state’s biosecurity system to keep pests out and protect vital primary industries, the environment and tourism sectors.

The initiative has boosted frontline resources, helping to keep Tasmania relatively free from economically significant pests and diseases. A key benefit of the pest free area status is the maintenance of grower access to premium export markets.

Fruit fly ID: Cucumber fruit fly

The cucumber fruit fly (Zeaugodacus Cucumis) is a medium-sized species and a major pest of cucurbits (cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, squash, luffas, watermelon, rock melon etc.). Native to Australia, they prefer the warm humid conditions of the east coast of Queensland. They are mostly active when plants produce fruit in mid-spring to early autumn.