Publication Date
1997
Description
Grazing annual subterranean pastures in Western Australia to targeted levels of pasture mass, instead of at a set stocking rate, affected numbers of invertebrates at the commencement of the following season. Treatments were controlled grazing to 1.4 t ha-1 or 2.8 t ha -1 dry weight of green pasture and set stocking at the average for the district. Grazing reduced numbers of redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor, but increased numbers of lucerne flea, Sminthurus viridis. The most likely reason for the reverse effect on lucerne flea was the presence of an effective predator, the pasture snout mite, Bdellodes lapidaria, which was itself adversely affected by grazing. Despite this, controlled grazing is advantageous for pest management as it is effective in reducing numbers of the redlegged earth mite, which is the more serious pest, and will not allow very large populations of lucerne flea to develop because of the direct effect on that pest.
Citation
Michael, P J.; Grimm, M; Hyder, M; and Doyle, P T., "Grazing Affects Pest and Beneficial Invertebrates in Australian Pastures" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 10.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session29/10
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Grazing Affects Pest and Beneficial Invertebrates in Australian Pastures
Grazing annual subterranean pastures in Western Australia to targeted levels of pasture mass, instead of at a set stocking rate, affected numbers of invertebrates at the commencement of the following season. Treatments were controlled grazing to 1.4 t ha-1 or 2.8 t ha -1 dry weight of green pasture and set stocking at the average for the district. Grazing reduced numbers of redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor, but increased numbers of lucerne flea, Sminthurus viridis. The most likely reason for the reverse effect on lucerne flea was the presence of an effective predator, the pasture snout mite, Bdellodes lapidaria, which was itself adversely affected by grazing. Despite this, controlled grazing is advantageous for pest management as it is effective in reducing numbers of the redlegged earth mite, which is the more serious pest, and will not allow very large populations of lucerne flea to develop because of the direct effect on that pest.
