Ideas to fly thick and fast

Jarrahdale is one of the areas the Government has declared infested, and Department of Agriculture and Food senior research officer Sonya Broughton encouraged the public to get involved in medfly management.

Dr Broughton said it posed the biggest pest challenge for WA fruit growers and now pesticides traditionally used to prevent it were being phased out, commercial and backyard growers had to be more innovative.

Last season, the department trialled a new lure and kill device in commercial orchards near Jarrahdale and released sterile insects to help reduce fly populations.

This season, researchers will trial other traps in the old town and orchards, combined with foliage baiting, sterile insects and other treatments.

Dr Broughton said Jarrahdale was ideal to trial new methods because of its mix of orchard and urban land uses.

The Department and FruitWest will host the meeting at the Bruno Gianetti Hall in Munro Street from 4pm to 6pm.