A TOOL used by grain growers and advisers has been updated to better guide the use of insecticides which inadvertently harm pollinators.
The Beneficials Chemical Toxicity Table, now in its fourth version, is a resource detailing the toxicity ratings which pests and pollinators can withstand, according to laboratory testing.
The project was led by the University of Melbourne and is the result of the $24.79 million Australian Grains and Horticulture Pest Innovation program from the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Hort Innovation and Cesar Australia were also development contributors and GRDC manager Leigh Nelson said the table will help growers better decide what pesticides to use.
“Growers and advisers are already using the table to sharpen spray decisions, and that uptake is setting a new benchmark for best practice across the grains industry,” Dr Nelson said.
“They should continue to use the updated table to compare chemical options, selecting products that effectively target pests while minimising harm to beneficials, supporting natural pest control and protecting pollinator health.”
Part of the update was the addition of toxicity data of European honeybees, which now sits alongside existing data of beneficial insects.
Cesar Australia director Associate Professor Paul Umina said the tool should only be used to compare products.
“Honeybee ratings are based on Economic Co-operation and Development testing data. These use LD 50 values—a measure of how toxic a product is to bees,” he said.
“This information should be treated as a guide. It’s useful for comparing products but needs to be considered alongside local bee activity and how and when chemicals are applied.”
The tool is now available through the Cesar Australia website.
