Development of decision support tools for investigating and implementing resistance management for transgenic cotton crops for insect control

Supervisors: Dr Michael Bange (02 6799 1540) and Dr Lewis Wilson (02 6799 1550)
Location: Narrabri, NSW
Financial support: To be determined

We propose that the postgraduate would develop and use the new and existing Helicoverpa ecology simulation models to investigate the value and outcomes of resistance management strategies for Bollgard II and for conventional insecticides. Pest management in the cotton industry has made extraordinary advances over the past few years with increasing adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) and of Bollgard II. The long term viability of both insecticides and transgenics, and ultimately IPM, is critically dependent upon effective resistance management. The current resistance management model for Bollgard II was derived from a mixture of field research and modelling. Once the science and the models are developed, the student would explore resistance management issues to develop long term strategies. Additional spin-offs from this process would be smaller specific tools that could help cotton growers manage trap and refuge crops for resistance management.