The redheaded cockchafer ('Adoryphorus couloni') (Burmiester) (RHC) is a serious pest of improved pastures in south-eastern Australia and current detection relies on pasture damage becoming visible to the naked eye. Various precision agriculture sensors are able to delineate spatial variability in soil texture and moisture content as well as numerous contributing factors to the photosynthetic 'vigour' of pastures, namely biomass, canopy architecture and species composition. The aim of this paper is to seek to determine whether the same technologies can be used to identify paddock zones prone to RHC infestation. This study investigates the association between data generated by a CropCircle™ (an active optical plant canopy sensor (AOS)), an EM38, (an electromagnetic induction soil sensor), and third instar RHC larvae counts. Results indicate that the red wavelength reflected component of the AOS from the pasture canopies offered the most accurate model of third instar RHC larvae count (residual mean square error = 1.04).

Precision agriculture (PA) technologies and applications have largely been targeted at the cropping and horticultural industries. Little research has been undertaken exploring the potential for PA in grazing systems. This paper reports on the results of five studies examining PA technologies and techniques in grazing systems including: spatial variability in soil nutrients and fertiliser response across the grazing landscape; spatial landscape utilisation in relationship to individual animal productivity and health; spatial variability in pasture pests; and the development of a sensor network for monitoring spatial soil moisture, soil temperature and ambient temperature across a grazing landscape. The large variability exhibited in our trials suggests there is an enormous opportunity for precision agriculture in grazing systems. Sensing and responding to this variability will require careful application of modern PA technology and a substantial investment in research to better understand spatial variability in our grazing landscapes.