Classical Biocontrol

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Nematodes for turf pests

Scarab beetle larvae can severely damage turf such as home lawns and golf courses. Chemical pesticides are sometimes effective but can harm beneficial soil organisms and cause run-off contamination of waterways. The use of insect killing entomopathogenic nematodes (Ens) helps to overcome these problems.

ENs are microscopic transparent worms that seek out and kill their target pest but are harmless to other animals, plants and the environment.

The research involved identifying the nematodes that attacked lawn scarabs and the development of a system for large scale production and methods for medium to long term storage which enabled commercialisation of the nematodes.

Several strains of ENs targeted at turf pests such as black beetle and other scarab beetle grubs as well as bill bugs, cutworms and armyworms are currently being produced under licence by the Clean River subsidiary, Ecogrow Pty Ltd.