The lucerne seed wasp has influenced the Australian lucerne seed industry for several decades but no quantified understanding of its impact has been determined. The industry lacks a management plan, which has resulted in indiscriminate use of insecticides that have not controlled the pest. There has been a failure to understand the wasp’s biology in the context of seed production.
The research aims to quantify peak presence of the wasp in lucerne seed crops and its cost to lucerne seed producers and the industry. It will determine the influence of sanitation and closing date of lucerne seed crops on wasp population development. The research will provide the information for the development of a management plan.