A national contingent has converged on Shepparton for the Australian Biology of Tephritid Fruit Flies Conference, bringing together researchers, scholars and industry leads.
The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Project hosted the national conference, which ran Tuesday and Wednesday last week, at Riverlinks Eastbank Shepparton and attracted approximately 150 delegates from across Australia.
The conference theme of ‘Blue Sky Applied’ highlighted blue sky research that can be ‘applied’ to provide practical solutions for Australian horticulture.
Aptly held in Shepparton, the pome fruit capital of Australia, the event brought together key research, findings and emerging opportunities in the management and control of pests.
Key sessions and talking points over the two days included biosecurity and market access, fruit fly ecology and microbial interactions, molecular biology and genetics along with chemical ecology.
Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly project coordinator, Ross Abberfield described the conference as an invaluable opportunity to bring the sharpest minds in the field together.
“This is a national event and brings together researchers from each end of the professional spectrum. It enables them to look, listen, learn and connect with their peers and recognise fruit fly research scholars,” Ross said.
The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Project is funded by the Victorian Government’s Managing Fruit Fly Regional Grants Program and brings together grower groups, industry, the community and government to strengthen fruit fly management.
