Agriculture Victoria research scientists have developed a new, pesticide-free way to help almond growers manage a major pest in their orchards.
Agriculture Victoria Senior Research Scientist Dr Samantha Edlley said the almond carpophilus beetle (Carpophilus truncatus) is a serious challenge for almond growers, but a world-first lure developed at AgriBio and trialled at the Mildura SmartFarm offers a targeted approach to tackling it.
'The lure mimics natural odours that attract the beetle and draws it into a purpose-built trap, making it easier to detect and manage outbreaks early.
'It uses a precise mix of synthetic pheromones and yeast odours that are highly attractive to the beetle.
'The lure is designed to be very specific to this pest, which means it doesn't attract or affect beneficial insects.'
'It's a new and sustainable tool for growers that could reduce the need for broad chemical sprays.'
'The lure has been extensively trialled in almond orchards across the Sunraysia region, and it has shown impressive results.
'When used as part of a mass trapping strategy – known as attract and kill – it can reduce damage by around 60%,' she said.
The almond carpophilus beetle emerged as a serious pest in Australia in 2013 and is now present across all almond-growing regions.
'It attacks at hull split and can severely damage crops if not detected early, costing the industry millions of dollars in lost value from kernel damage and impacts to crop quality.
'This breakthrough will help reduce pest-related losses, improving the long-term quality and profitability of Australia almond production'.
'Almond growers across the country are trialling the trap as a monitoring device, which will help them be more informed about the pests in their orchards,' Dr Edley said.
The lure is now being prepared for commercial release through Agriculture Victoria Services, with the potential to support more productive and sustainable almond production across the country.
The release will be staged, with the lure becoming available for monitoring in late 2026, with expectations for late 2027 as an attract and kill tool, pending further trials and approval from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).This research is part of the Almond Integrated Pest Management project, delivered in partnership with Agriculture Victoria, Hort Innovation, the Almond Board of Australia and Agriculture Victoria Services.
