Viruses to aid biological control of major root-feeding pests of sugarcane

Australia's $1.7 billion sugar industry faces a significant threat from severe root-feeding pests, such as canegrubs and soldier flies. The absence of effective control strategies for soldier flies, and the industry's heavy dependence on insecticides for canegrub control has led to detrimental impacts on both the industry and the broader environment, and it is not sustainable. The primary objective of this industry-funded project is to discover and characterize novel entomopathogenic viruses, with the ultimate aim of developing innovative tools for the efficient, and sustainable long-term biological management of these two primary pests.