Fortifying Feed With

Biodiesel Co-Products

Science (Oct. 9, 2007) — Biofuel research isn’t just a matter of finding the right type of biomass—corn grain, soybean oil, animal fat, wood or other material—and converting it into fuel. Scientists must also find environmentally and economically sound uses for the by-products of biofuel production. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists Brian Kerr and William Dozier have done just that.

Current biodiesel supplies are often made from the triglycerides, or fat, found in soybean oil. But processing biodiesel from soybean oil also yields crude glycerin, also known as glycerol, which has a purity level of about 85 percent. It also contains small amounts of salt, methanol and free fatty acids. If glycerol is refined to 99 percent purity, it can be used in many products, including pharmaceuticals, foods, drinks, cosmetics and toiletries.

Kerr, Dozier and Iowa State University colleague Kristjan Bregendahl studied whether crude glycerin could be used to supplement the feed of laying hens, broilers and swine. They found that crude glycerin provided a supply of caloric energy that equaled or exceeded the caloric energy available in corn grain. Feeds containing up to 10 percent glycerin had little to no adverse effect on laying hen egg production or broiler body weight gain. Pig body weight gain, carcass composition and meat quality also showed little to no adverse change after equivalent levels of crude glycerin were added to their feed.

Safe levels for salt, methanol and free fatty acids in crude glycerin consumed by nonruminant livestock still need to be determined. But as corn grain ethanol production and conversion soar, corn grain supplies for livestock feed are decreasing. Using crude glycerin to supplement feed supplies could provide livestock producers with a readily available, inexpensive and energy- packed alternative to corn grain.

MORE ARTICLES ON ENERGY HERE

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

3rd Infocado Summit 2010 -

Melbourne – 26/10/2010

So you want to negotiate a better deal with a bank

GO HERE AND VIEW EACH BANK WITH WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER

Australian Bankers Association Group

Starting an aquaculture farm

If you are thinking of starting an aquaculture business you need to consider:

• Establishment costs
• Volatility
• Lifestyles
• Environmental issues and approvals

Establishment costs

To finance an aquaculture operation a formal assessment of the profitability should be conducted before further research and development. Conducting such an assessment could also form the first stage in a more formal approach to a financial institution.

AquaProfit is a decision-making tool that will assist in further analysis on the economics of culturing marine prawns, barramundi, silver perch/jade perch and redclaw. This program will help construct models and evaluate factors that will impact on the economic outcome of the operation. A link to the software is below, under Further information.

Cost to establish an aquaculture farm

Capital costs to fully develop a prawn farm in Queensland, with all appropriate equipment, ponds, buildings and processing facilities, is estimated to be between $100,000 and $150,000 per hectare of pond, not including land costs. The large range in capital costs is driven by costs varying with site selection and depending on proximity to local infrastructure, site topography, vegetation and seawater access.

The capital cost for an intensive pond culture system to grow out 50 tonne of barramundi is $780,000. This 15 ha farm has five hectares dedicated for grow out ponds. Estimated cost includes land purchase, necessary infrastructure and equipment such as buildings, pond construction, vehicles, machinery, tanks, pumps and aerators.

For freshwater fin fish species the establishment costs are relative to the intensity of operation. For example a semi-intensive pond culture operation for the grow out of silver perch, including land purchases, is between $300,000 (15 tonne p.a.) and $700,000 (50 tonne p.a.). An intensive pond culture operation for the grow out of silver perch, including the purchase of land, equipment and the construction of ponds, would be $1 million for 10 ha of ponds with a production output of 50 to 80 tonnes.

For a semi intensive ‘model’ redclaw farm, comprised of 40 grow out ponds and seven juvenile production ponds, the estimated establishment cost is $347,000. This includes the cost of land, hired labour, machinery and all farm infrastructure.

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Volatility

Returns to aquaculture farming enterprises are influenced by the risks and uncertainty, which are inherent to aquaculture production. Establishing and managing an aquaculture farm, biological requirements of the species, physical environment in which the farm operates as well as current and future markets are all examples of risk that an aquaculturalist faces.

It is important to understand the nature of risks facing each of the aquaculture species and to understand that there are different levels of uncertainty and variability. For example price, output, feed conversion ratios and feed prices are parameters of risk that can vary on a regular basis.

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Lifestyles

It is critical that any aquaculture enterprise is central to your plans for you and your family. Your current work situation as well as family finances and commitments need to be determined and arranged when entering into aquaculture. Often people maintain off-farm income to assist in the establishment phase.

Lifestyles of aquaculturalist are dependent on the species and the type of aquaculture systems implemented on their farm – generally, managing a viable aquaculture farm is quite arduous with long hours seven days a week. For example, to grow barramundi, prawns or fin fish intensively in a pond-based system requires regular monitoring and a considerable amount of labour input to meet the optimal growth requirements of individual species.

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Environmental issues and approvals

The technical and licensing aspects of the proposed aquaculture venture should be discussed with staff from Fisheries Queensland and the Department of Environment and Resource Management before proceeding with site selection, design and, where applicable, land purchase. It is extremely important to consider site characteristics such as soil type, its permeability and chemical composition, previous land use, the sensitivity of the environment around the site, water supply and quality, flooding, pond water management, stock security measures and water storage, intake and discharge facilities.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Helopeltis in rare fruit

David Astridge and Harry Fay

Helopeltis sp. are also known as Tea mosquito or Mirid bugs.

Adult (left) and nymph of Helopeltis, also known as Tea Mosquito or Mirid Bug.

Description

Adult

Adults are 6.5-8.5 mm long, dark brown to reddish brown but with an orange thorax. A dark pin-like process protrudes from the centre of the thorax. The legs are long and fragile, resembling those of a mosquito.

Immature stages

The eggs are white and elongated and about one millimetre long. Later instar nymphs are similar in appearance to the adults, although wingless and orange-brown in colour. Legs are spindly and black.

Life history

The eggs are laid in plant tissue singly or in small groups. The stems and petioles of young leaves are the main oviposition sites. Eggs take about a week to hatch. Nymphs feed on young leaves and shoots, or other developing plant parts. There are five nymphal instars, with a total development period of 10-16 days. Adults can live for several weeks, and females may lay 30-50 eggs during this time.

Distribution

Northern Queensland, but the distribution is poorly known.

Host range

Cocoa, tea, cashew, avocado, mango, guava, passionfruit and sweet potato.

Management

Importance

Tea mosquito bugs are a serious and spasmodic pest of cashews.

Damage

The sucking activities of tea mosquito bugs result in young leaves of cashews becoming distorted with lesions along the main veins. Bunched terminal growth develops after severe attack. Developing apples and nuts can show brown sunken spots. Damage is easily confused with that caused by fruitspotting bugs.

Action level

Examine five trees at six widely spaced locations throughout the crop. Spray when damage is first noticed on developing fruit.

Control methods

Biological

Green tree ants, once established in an orchard and correctly managed, can suppress tea mosquito damage. NOTE; Care should be observed with green tree ants as they can also become a pest, especially in wet environments. The ants have symbiotic relationships with sap sucking honeydew producing insects such as mealy bug and scale Green tree ants may also cause problems due to aggressive behaviour to beneficial insects and fruit pickers at harvest.

Chemical

Prompt spray application is required to prevent serious damage.

Recommended chemicals

No registered chemicals are available. Note: This information was correct at the time of publication. However, it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that registered agricultural chemicals are used in accordance with legal requirements. (See Further information). Always read the label.

Coffee Processing in the Home

James Drinnan, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

Although there are several coffee species, most coffee is made from the seed or bean of either Coffea arabica (Arabica coffee) or Coffea canephora (Robusta coffee). Arabica trees normally produce berries 8 to 15 mm in diameter, and Robusta produces berries approximately 10 mm in diameter. Commercially, Robusta is regarded as inferior to Arabica coffee and is used mainly as a filler in instant coffee blends.

Coffee berries are picked when they ripen to a bright deep red colour although there are a few cultivars which ripen to a deep yellow colour. The coffee or ‘green bean’ lies within the fruit and is surrounded by the parchment membrane, pulp or mucilage and outer skin.

Coffee processing in the home is very time consuming. Small scale processing equipment is now available in Australia. Equipment is also available from the United Kingdom, at considerable expense. Processing involves six main steps:

1. Pulping

This step involves removing the skin and pulp, and should be carried out as soon as possible after harvesting, certainly within 24 hours. It is necessary to remove all green unripe, and black overripe dry berries, before pulping as these will reduce the quality of the coffee.

Two home methods can be used for pulping. One is to squeeze each individual berry by hand, and the other is to use a piece of wood to tamp the berries in a bucket until all seeds have been forced out from the skin. After this operation fill the bucket with water and stir the skins and seeds. Pour away the skins before they settle. Repeat this process to remove all the skins and pulp and any coffee beans that float. Good coffee beans will not float in water. Remove by hand any remaining skins or un-pulped coffee berries.

2. Fermentation

Fermentation by natural enzymes breaks down the insoluble mucilage around the parchment layer, that is, the slippery layer you can feel with your fingers.

Place the coffee beans in a plastic bucket to avoid the effects iron has on quality and add water to the beans. Fermentation may be complete in 18 to 48 hours, depending on the surrounding temperature.

To check whether the fermentation phase is complete, gently wash a handful of the beans. If they come clean and feel gritty (not slippery), then adequate fermentation has been achieved and the beans can be washed. Wash in agitated water and drain. Repeat this process until the water becomes clear. This normally takes approximately three washes.

To strain off the water, use a colander or some fine, net-like material such as an onion bag, as this will prevent the loss of beans. During the washing process any floating beans should be discarded.

3. Drying

Coffee beans must be dried before the parchment can be removed and beans roasted.

The simplest method of drying is sun drying. Avoid very intense sunlight when the coffee is wet as the beans may split.

Physical aids such as wire drying racks or other fine mesh supports allow for the flow of air and enhance drying. The beans should be spread out in a thin layer no more than 3 cm thick, stirred three times a day, and be protected from rainy weather. Drying in this way can take from 5 to 30 days, depending on the seasonal weather pattern.

Alternatively, a home food dehydrator can be used. This equipment uses electric heating elements to control drying. Only dehydrators with variable temperature controls are suitable as drying temperature must be kept at 40^oc for the entire drying period.

As with sun drying, beans must be stirred three times a day. Drying in this manner can be completed in several days and there is no risk of the beans being harmed by the weather.

Whichever method of drying is used, the parchment on the coffee bean will dry to a pale straw colour, and be brittle to touch. At this stage, test the dryness of the beans by removing the parchment by hand off several coffee beans; if dry the bean inside should be greyish blue in colour, hard, likely to break when bitten between the teeth, and not soft and chewy. If soft, continue the drying process.

Inadequate drying, that is, greater than 12% moisture, will cause mouldiness and stale aroma during storage. After correct drying, store for at least a fortnight in cans, jars or heavy gauze bags. This is to allow moisture to distribute evenly throughout the coffee beans. For longer term storage before parchment removal, air tight containers are recommended.

4. Parchment removal (Hulling)

Before roasting, the thin tough parchment layer must be removed from the beans. Place the beans, a small quantity at a time, in a food processor or similar type of blender. Plastic blades should be used to avoid breaking the coffee beans.

Blend at low speed for approximately 30 seconds to remove the parchment from the beans.

Then use a hair dryer or similar piece of equipment to blow away the unwanted lighter parchment from the beans.

The very thin membrane which may remain on the green bean is the silver skin. It is not considered necessary to remove this before, or after, roasting. However, it may detract from the visual appearance of the roasted beans and can be removed by gently rubbing the beans following roasting. At this stage the coffee can be stored in sealed jars for roasting as required.

5. Roasting

The green coffee beans must be roasted to develop the typical coffee aroma and flavour. During roasting, several changes occur to the beans. These include loss of moisture, caramelisation of sugars, change in colour and increase in size.

Roast the beans in large baking dishes in the oven. Spread the beans thinly and stir frequently to prevent burning and to give an even roast. As a rough guide, a single layer of beans will roast in 12 minutes at 230-250^oC, while beans at a depth of 25 mm may take 30 minutes at this temperature.

After the coffee has been roasting for a short time, the colour of the beans changes to a yellowish brown which gradually deepens in colour as they cook. As the beans are heated they shrivel until half cooked, then swell, and begin to open out as they increase in size. The colour and flavour of the beans will be influenced by the length of roasting, for example, light brown beans (a light roast) will have a weaker flavour than brown/black beans (a dark roast).

The extent to which you will roast the beans depends upon individual flavour preferences. Over-roasting gives a burnt flavour. Adequately roasted beans should crack easily between the fingers. Once roasted, remove the beans from the oven, spread thinly and cool as quickly as possible with a fan, or the beans will continue to cook from their own heat. Roasting can also be carried out in a fry pan or using a popcorn machine.

6. Grinding, storage and brewing

The cooled coffee beans may then be ground in a blender to the desired extent. This is determined by the type of brewing extraction to be used. The finer the grind the greater the extraction of the flavour when the coffee is brewed.

For example:
Expresso – very fine
Percolator – fine
Filter coffee (dripolator) – fine to medium
Pot infusion (plunger) – medium to coarse

Ground coffee goes stale rapidly and loses flavour probably due to oxidation of certain oils. Packaging ground coffee in air tight containers and holding in the refrigerator will help to reduce flavour loss. However, the best quality brew is obtained when using freshly ground beans. It is recommended to store roasted beans in an air tight container in the refrigerator and grind the required amount just before use.

The most important aspect of brewing is not to let coffee stand once brewing is complete. Over brewing destroys the flavour. The water need not be boiling, but just off the boil.

When using plunger coffee makers (pot infusion), brew coffee for 3 to 5 minutes before drinking. Coffee made by filtration using dripolators should be served once the cycle is complete. Residual coffee should not be left sitting on the hot plate as over brewing will result and destroy the best flavour. Percolators by design tend to over brew coffee.

Individual taste preferences may influence your selection of brewing method as well as roasting criteria.

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Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.

Avocado leafroller in coffee

Bruno Pinese, Harry Fay & Rod Elder, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

Two avocado leafroller (Homona spargotis ) larvae feeding on a leaf

Description

Adult

Marked differences between the sexes occurs in the moth stage. The male is smaller (18 to 20 mm wingspan) than the female (25 to 30 mm wingspan). The forewings in the male are light brown with dark brown banding; in the female the forewings are dark tan to light brown with a darker oblique band and darker wing tip. The female has prominent wingtips and at rest the folded wings give the adult moths a bell shape.

Female moth of avocado leafroller

Immature stages

The pale, flattened, yellow/orange eggs are laid in masses (sometimes exceeding 400) and overlap like fish scales. They are laid on the upper surface of mature leaves.

The young larvae drop on silken threads to be dispersed by the wind or they crawl a short distance to new shoots. They feed within shelters that they construct by rolling and webbing young foliage.

Life history

Little is known of the life history other than the eggs hatch after six to eight days, and that several generations occur each year.

Distribution

North Queensland

Host range

Hosts include avocado, custard apple, carambola, coffee, tea and other horticultural crops but on these it is a relatively minor pest.

Management

Importance

Major and frequent. Avocado leafroller is a serious pest in coffee and avocado in north Queensland. It is also a frequent minor pest of, custard apple, carambola and tea.

Damage

The caterpillars of this moth roll and web leaves together and also web leaves to berries. Inside these shelters the larvae live and feed on the leaf and berry tissue. Although severe leaf damage may be caused, the damage inflicted on the berries is more important. Large areas of the skin of berries may be eaten, sometimes to a depth of four millimetres. Damaged berries may be infected with anthracnose and drop or the injury may heal, forming scar tissue. Trees in flush are most susceptible since larvae prefer to feed on young growth and cause proportionately more damage on small, unexpanded leaves.

Action level

Examine five trees at each of six widely spaced locations throughout the crop. Spray if more than 300 larvae are found. Check trees weekly. This action level requires further study and should be taken as a suggestion only.

Control methods

Biological

Several natural enemies have been recorded attacking leafrollers. These include a predatory of a syrphid fly larva, several wasp parasitoids, a tachinid fly parasitoid and egg parasitoids.

The extent to which these biocontrols operate depends on the level of disruption caused by pesticides applied to control other pests.

Chemical

Use chlorpyrifos to suppress populations.

Sprays during flowering must be avoided to prevent death of bees and other pollinators.

Recommended chemicals

Chlorpyrifos Note: This information was correct at the time of publication. However, it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that registered agricultural chemicals are used in accordance with legal requirements. (See Further information).

Always read the label.

Cicadas in Coffee

Bruno Pinese, Harry Fay & Rod Elder*, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries * Formerly Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

The adult of the cicada (Macrotristria dorsalis) that damages coffee

Unidentified cicada nymph in soil, sucking sap from a root. Photo by M.S. Moulds.

Description

Adult

Adult M. dorsalis are large insects up to 50mm in length from the head to the end of the wings. The body is orange -brown in colour and they have long sucking mouthparts (proboscis) held flush up under the body when at rest. They are known for their very noisy sound production when they gather in large numbers. They should not be confused with locusts that are grasshoppers that swarm and have chewing moth parts.

Immature stages

The eggs are laid in slits in the bark of small twigs and branches. After the eggs hatch the young nymphs emerge and fall to the ground. They burrow into the soil and attach themselves to plant roots from which they suck sap and extract nutrients. The nymphs are similar in shape to adults except for the lack of wings. They may be confused with a beetle. They can be recognised by their sucking mouthparts. Beetles have chewing mouthparts. Their cast ‘skins’ are common on the lower trunks of trees.

Life history

The egg stage lasts for several months. The nymphs stay in the soil feeding on sap sucked from roots for one up to 17 years depending on the species of cicada. They emerge from the soil in early summer usually after 25 mm or more of rain and climb a meter or so up some object. The nymphal skin splits down the back and the adult emerges. Adults mate and lay eggs and live for only a few weeks.

Distribution

Cicadas are found thoughout Queensland.

Host range

The smaller branches of many trees including coffee and eucalyptus are used for oviposition. Macrotristria prefer to lay eggs on dead dry twigs and even dead weed stalks.

Management

Importance

A minor and sporadic pest. Symptoms can be greatly overcome by good agronomic management.

Damage

The major damage goes unseen in the roots below the soil surface where sap removal can stress trees. Oviposition has only been observed on dead twigs

Action level

Sprays should not be required

Control methods

Cultural

Remove dead branches.

Biological

In some instances, high incidence of cicadas in coffee has been linked to overuse of pesticides indicating that biological control may be important. Ants have been known to eat eggs and young nymphs before they enter the soil.

Chemical

Control of adults may not be effective as reinfestation after spraying can be a problem where large numbers of adult cicadas occur in a district. The use of pesticides can also be counterproductive due to destruction of natural predators.

Recommended chemicals

None.

Note: This information was correct at the time of publication. However, it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that registered agricultural chemicals are used in accordance with legal requirements. (See Further information).

Always read the label.

Giant grasshopper in coffee

Bruno Pinese, Harry Fay, & Rod Elder, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

Giant grasshopper (Valanga irregularis ) nymphs. NB the two dark marks on the hind femura

Description

Adult

The giant grasshopper is the largest of the short horned (antennae) grasshoppers in Australia, with adults growing up to 90 mm long. Adults are creamy brown to grey. Their colouration and markings are extremely variable, hence the species name (variabilis). Giant grasshoppers have enlarged hind legs used for jumping and short antennae. They have a spur or peg on the throat between the forelegs. Adults can be distinguished from the spur-throated locust (Austracris guttulosa) by their larger size, the absence of a white stripe along the top of the body, the blacked-tipped orange to red spines on the hind leg tibia (instead of black tipped white spines) and 2 dark marks on the top of the hind femura in both adults and nymphs.

Immature stages

Eggs are 5 to 6 mm in length and are laid in pods up to 90 mm deep in moist soil. The pods consist of up to 150 eggs at the bottom of the tubular hole with a frothy plug from the top of the eggs up to the soil surface. The frothy plug has a less dense area up the centre and, at hatching, hoppers escape by moving up this centre. Nymphs (hoppers) are pale green and wingless on hatching.. They later develop a black stripe down the middle of their back and the green colour may change to light brown as they approach the adult (winged) stage.

Life history

Eggs are deposited in October-November. There are seven nymphal stages before adulthood is reached.

Nymphs are present from September to March and adults from April to November. No breeding takes place during winter. There is one generation per year.

Distribution

This grasshopper is native to tropical and subtropical Australia and is found throughout Australia from about Sydney north.

Host range

The giant grasshopper feeds on a wide range of shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants including hibiscus, coffee and citrus.

Management

Importance

Minor and sporadic in coffee.

They are commonly found in home gardens, but are less common in commercial orchards. It is a pest of many garden plants in addition to citrus and coffee.

Damage

Giant grasshoppers feed mainly on foliage and sometimes on very young coffee berries. They are often very patchy with concentrations of nymphs close to where they emerged from the soil.

Deep feeding gouges on very young berries heal to disfiguring chalky-white scars.

Edges of leaves and tips of shoots are chewed.

Action level

When monitoring for other pests, check for damaged leaves, or for the presence of grasshopper adults and nymphs. Examine five plants at six locations widely spread throughout the crop.

Action is required when 25% or more of young shoots are damaged by giant grasshoppers.

Control methods

Cultural

In home gardens, grasshoppers can be removed from plants by hand and destroyed. They are most readily detected in the early morning when they tend to bask in the sun on the tops of foliage.

Biological

The small wasp Scelio flavicornis parasitises eggs. The adults and large nymphs are parasitised by flies from the genus Blaesoxipha. The adult flies are about the size of a house fly. Their larvae (maggots ) eat out the insides of their host and kill it as they leave to pupate through a hole in one of the inter segmental membranes often between the head and thorax.

Chemical

It might be possible to spot spray heavily infested areas. This will require fairly intensive monitoring throughout the crop.

Recommended chemicals

None

Note: This information was correct at the time of publication. However, it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that registered agricultural chemicals are used in accordance with legal requirements. (See Further information).

Always read the label.

Green Coffee Scale in coffee

Bruno Pinese, Harry Fay & Rod Elder, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

Green coffee scale (Coccus viridis) on the back of a leaf. Note the black sooty mould

Description

Adult

The adult female of green coffee scale is oval to elongate in shape, with a flattened profile. It is pale yellow-green in colour, and 3-4 mm long. The roughly U-shaped gut is visible through the partially transparent top of the scale as a line of black spots. At the anterior (head) end, there are distinctive black eye spots. The scales have antennae and well-developed legs and, unlike most scales, can move slowly around the host plant. These features can be used to distinguish the scale from other soft scales such as soft brown scale.

Immature stages

Eggs are not seen as they hatch within the female or immediately after laying. Immature scales are similar to the adult female although smaller.

Life history

The females reproduce without mating. The life cycle takes 6-9 weeks and there may be 3-4 generations per year.

Distribution

Green coffee scale occurs from just south of Brisbane to north of Mareeba.

Host range

Longans, coffee, citrus and a wide range of other hosts including the ornamentals such as gardenia and ixora.

Management

Importance

Major and sporadic; potentially serious in coastal areas and occurrence is increasing in sub coastal areas.

Damage

This insect damages coffee by infesting leaves, twigs and fruit, sucking sap and secreting sugary excreta on which sooty moulds thrive.

Action level

Monitor for green coffee scale together with other soft scales once or twice from mid-October to mid-November. Sample 25 leaves from each of 20 randomly selected trees per 1 to 5 ha block. Apply spray if 10 or more leaves are infested with 1 or more scales. Use oil where Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is practised and direct the spray at young scales during early November.

Control methods

Biological

There are one or two small parasitic wasps, eg. Coccophagus rusti and Encarsia sp. that periodically cause significant mortality of the scale. The Kenyan wasp Diversinervus stramineus has been released on coffee in North Queensland. Its effectiveness is yet to be determined. Ants attend the scale for their honeydew and in so doing disturb potential scale parasitoids. When the ants are controlled, scale numbers drop dramatically.

The mealy bug predator (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) preys on green coffee scale.

The fungus Verticillium lecanii can cause up to 90% mortality of the scale during wet weather in late summer to autumn, particularly when populations of the scale are large.

Chemical

Good coverage is important when applying oil to control scales as they are sedentary.

Recommended chemical

Petroleum oil (narrow range), methidathion (in non-bearing plants only). Good coverage using high volume sprays is important when applying oil to control scales.

Chlorpyrifos on the soil around the base of the trunk for ants.

Ants are attracted to and feed on the honey-dew produced by the scales. They disrupt natural enemies of the scale and should be controlled by spraying the soil round the trunk with chlorpyrifos or banding with tanglefoot. Some ants are predatory on cicada nymphs and their control may lead to cicada problems.

Note: This information was correct at the time of publication. However, it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that registered agricultural chemicals are used in accordance with legal requirements. (See Further information).

Always read the label.