Integrated pest management in canola

A 2016 study conducted by cesar and Advanta Seeds has found three popular neonicotinoid insecticide-based canola seed treatments offer the same protection from green peach aphids (Myzus persicae- GPA), and that the coatings offer superior protection compared to no treatment.

The research, headed by cesar director and entomologist Dr Paul Umina, showed no significant differences between Cruiser Opti, Poncho Plus and Gaucho seed treatments, and all conferred high levels of protection against GPA for up to eight weeks after seedling emergence.
Additionally, seedlings treated with Cruiser Opti, Poncho Plus and Gaucho showed lower plant damage than seedlings in the untreated controls.

Advanta Seeds canola business manager Justin Kudnig said the results were timely given recent outbreaks in southern Australia.

“Following GPA’s contribution to the costly outbreak of Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) in southern Australia in autumn-winter 2014, Advanta Seeds worked with cesar for the first time to clear up any confusion on seed treatments and their role in suppressing GPA,” he said.

Mr Kudnig said the research was one of six fields currently under investigation under its wider Innovative Crop Solutions (ICS) banner.

Dr Umina said though the trial results were convincing, it was important to note the trial was conducted on aphid ‘biotypes’ that have no insecticide resistance.

“The efficacy of some insecticide seed treatments could be considerably lower against field populations of aphids with resistance,” Dr Umina said.

He said the trial was also conducted under ‘semi-field’ conditions; therefore the length of protection observed may not necessarily correlate to all field situations and growing conditions.


“Monitoring of seedling canola crops is recommended even when using insecticide seed treatments on canola. This is particularly the case in seasons that follow considerable summer rainfall, which tends to provide a green bridge of weed hosts for aphid survival.”