LOCUST authorities are working together to try and head off a predicted shortage of an important biological control agent.
The Australian Plague Locust Commission and state agencies are trying to manage the distribution of existing supplies to high priority areas.
The APLC said the shortfall in GreenGuard was the result of supply issues and not due to government agency purchases.
A contamination problem in the production of GreenGuard, a locust control agent used in environmentally sensitive areas such as national parks, waterways, around schools and certified organic farms, has led to supply delays and possible shortages when needed in spring, it said.
APLC director Chris Adriaansen said the manufacturing company had identified a level of contamination in a recent production run of GreenGuard spores, requiring the decontamination of the production facility before spore production could resume.
"The company has advised that none of the contaminated batch has been distributed so no recall of stocks is required,” Mr Adriaansen said.
"However, it has meant a delay of up to eight weeks in filling orders placed by the APLC and the states."
The APLC and state government agencies are working together to manage existing stocks of GreenGuard to ensure that the product is available to be used in high-risk, priority areas.
"Our priority is the strategic management of the population as the locust hatchings progress through spring," Mr Adriaansen said.
"In some cases, this may mean that we have to give priority to using some of the current stock to control locusts in national parks and on other public lands, so that high density infestations in these areas do not become a subsequent problem for private landholders."
Mr Adriaansen said it was still important that landholders made every endeavour to control locusts on their property to prevent crop and pasture damage.
"Some spraying with GreenGuard would normally be undertaken by landholders and it is likely that the shortfall will impact availability,” Mr Adriaansen said.
"However, government agencies have not purchased all the supplies. The APLC has been informed that some of the product ordered by the state agencies is being formulated into packs suitable for landholder use."
In addition to the stocks currently held by government agencies, further supplies of GreenGuard were expected to be delivered in the middle of this month. However they may not be available in some areas until next month.
GreenGuard is a bio-insecticide containing a fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum, which is suspended in corn oil.
The fungus spores penetrate the body of individual locusts and attack the internal organs. The locusts usually die 8–21 days after treatment, although this can take longer in cool temperatures.
For more information on locusts: https://portal.newsltd.com.au/get/uri/http://www.daff.gov.au/aplc
