Know your pest pressure: Monitoring is the foundation for managing lucerne seed wasp

August 29, 2026 · 9:00 pm 2 sources

Image: Phys.org

Coverage

More coverage

• Strategic irrigation stress can lift lucerne seed yield and returns
  Phys.org · August 29, 2026 21:00
  More water does not necessarily produce more alfalfa seed. A five-year trial near Keith, South Australia, found that strategically delaying irrigation until plants showed early signs of leaf drop generally increased seed yield and consistently delivered the highest gross margin.
• Know your pest pressure: Monitoring is the foundation for managing lucerne seed wasp
  Phys.org · August 30, 2026 14:30
  Lucerne seed wasp (LSW) is a serious pest in alfalfa crops, causing damage that is difficult to see in the field. Its larvae feed inside developing seeds, meaning losses may not become apparent until harvest, cleaning or seed delivery, when it is too late to intervene. Each wasp represents a lost…