ENTOMOLOGY SECTION

Phone: +61 8 9368 3753
Email: pmangano@agric.wa.gov.au

Mangano, G.P. (Dip. Agriculture) - Peter was employed by the Department of Agriculture in 1973, bringing with him experience acquired from the stock firm Elders G.M. His first three and a half years were spent at the Jerramungup and Narrogin District Offices.

From 1979-1987 Peter worked on projects with the sheep blowfly. This led to the development of a forecasting system for the prediction of body strike in sheep and the implementation of new methods for the application of chemicals to prevent flystrike.

Commencing 1987, Peter worked for three years on the control of the pea weevil on field peas. This work led to the development of chemical strategies to enable growers to produce high quality field peas suitable for food grade export markets.

From 1991 to 1995 Peter worked on a research project to examine the effects of pasture pest damage (redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea) and grazing management on efficiency of animal production. The work has produced important information enabling increased productivity and pasture management in high rainfall areas for animal production industries.

From 1996 To 1998 Peter conducted research into control measures against the native budworm on pulse and canola crops. The work lead to the establishment of economic threshold levels for the control of native budworm in Western Australia. The work also involved the establishment of a State network of pheromone traps to monitor budworm moth flights into agricultural areas. This monitoring service alerts growers to potential threats to their crops and is available via the PestFax service.

Peter’s involvement in other projects include:

• Project Manager of Emergency Response to European Wasp Incursion (2004)
• Compiling the Insect Ute Guide publication for WA Broadacre Pests (2004)
• Conduct and report on a 3 day mock surveillance exercise involving 102 public participants and 25 Departmental staff. (2003)
• Communication officer for the Protection/Biosecurity Program. (2001-2002)
• Project Manager, Regional Surveillance Co-ordination, Biosecurity (1999- 2001).
• Conducted research trials for control of diamondback moth Plutella xylostella on canola (2001)
• Support for cereal aphid, Rhopalosiphum spp. research projects (1998-2003).
• Technical support codling moth Cydia pomonella eradication program (1998-2000)

In 1996 Peter initiated the successful and ongoing PestFax information and interactive service on pests and diseases threatening crops and pastures throughout the grain belt of WA. Weekly news updates during the growing season provide farmers with advice on what plant diseases and insect pests are currently posing a risk to their crops and pastures. This service has been so successful that it has now been adopted (2006) in the form of the “PestFacts” services in both South Australia and Victoria/New South Wales. This adoption process developed as a result of the collaborative meetings between Peter Mangano and his extension counterparts in the other States as part of the GRDC funded National Invertebrate Pest Initiative (NIPI) Project. Further recognition the PestFax service has been demonstrated by two awards having been presented to Peter for his part in developing and advancing the service: The 2005 Statewest Achievement Award and the GRDC 2007 Agribusiness Crop Updates “Seed of Light” award.

Currently (2007-08) Peter is working with on a GRDC funded project to investigate the roll of the wheat curl mite in the spread of wheat streak mosaic virus in the WA grain belt.

Entomology Section Index