The redheaded cockchafer ('Adoryphorus couloni') (Burmeister) (RHC) is an important, native soil-borne pest of improved pastures in South Eastern Australia. The aim of this preliminary investigation was to determine whether commonly used Precision Agriculture (PA) sensors could identify landscape attributes that correlate with RHC population density. Soil apparent electrical conductivity (soil ECa) measurements were derived from EM38, relative photosynthentically-active biomass via the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from an Active Optical Sensor (AOS) and elevation measurements derived from dGPS (differential global positioning system) mapping. Eight paddocks across seven properties in the Gippsland region of Victoria were surveyed using a Geonics EM38, CropCircle™ AOS and a dGPS. Eighteen to twenty sample sites in each paddock were selected based on different zones of soil ECa, and the RHC (and other cockchafer species) populations were assessed at each of these sites. No RHC were found in East Gippsland confirming that the damage to pasture observed by farmers at this time was caused by a different cockchafer species. Few RHC were found across all sites, probably due to high rainfall, however correlations tended to suggest that RHC were more likely to establish or survive in areas of high elevation and low soil ECa. On one property RHC were associated with low NDVI values and at one other high NDVI suggesting more complex relationships may exist between AOS data and RHC densities. Threshold-level relationships were apparent between RHC density and elevation and ECa to suggest that a useful indicator of pest risk could be developed, at least for some areas of Gippsland, however the relationships are complex and need to be investigated further.

The redheaded cockchafer ('Adoryphorus couloni') (Burmeister) (RHC) is an important pest of semi-improved and improved pastures of south-eastern Australia. The third instar larvae of the RHC feed on the organic and root matter found in the soil causing reduced pasture growth and in severe cases death of plants. The control of the RHC is complicated by its lifecycle which involves the insect spending the majority of its life underground with only a brief time as an adult beetle flying. The RHC is particularly hard to control as there are no insecticides registered for use against the pest or any effective cultural control methods. ... This thesis aims to identify possible relationships between third instar RHC larvae with environmental variables which can be measured using precision agriculture sensors.

Grapevine phylloxera ('Daktulosphaira vitifoliae' Fitch) is a significant threat to the Australian viticulture industry, with over 80% of grapevines planted on highly susceptible, ungrafted 'Vitis Vinifera' L. Early detection of phylloxera is critical as it can spread unnoticed in the early years of infestation when vine foliar symptoms may not reflect subterranean root damage. Management strategies such as phylloxera exclusion zones (PEZ) and a number of quarantine protocols relating to movement of machinery and grape materials are already established within Australia in an attempt to contain proliferation throughout viticultural regions. Such measures are particularly important for regions like the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia and the Barossa Valley in South Australia, which are phylloxera-free and sustain a high volume of viticultural production. Currently, early detection protocols include labour-intensive, systematic sampling of vine roots to inspect for the presence of phylloxera and multispectral aerial imagery to identify potentially stressed vines. Airborne remote sensing identifies weak spots in the vineyard that are not necessarily due to phylloxera infestation, rather the expression of non-specific water or nutrient related symptoms. Healthy, vigorously growing canopies may also disguise the early expression of above-ground signs of phylloxera-induced root degradation. The delayed appearance of visible symptoms, coupled with the dynamics of phylloxera infestation means current detection methods could be significantly improved through development of a risk-based monitoring strategy to indicate the potential susceptibility of vineyards to phylloxera infestation. This paper presents the targeted use of several primary and secondary detection techniques already being utilised across the viticulture industry, including EM38, Greenseeker™ and a soil-based DNA assay specific for phylloxera.