A fresh warning has been issued that bluetongue disease could arrive in Ireland before the summer is out, according to scientists at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Northern Ireland.
AFBI scientists discussed the issue during a briefing to the the Guild of Agricultural Journalists of Ireland.
Dr. Archie Murchie, AFBI entomologist, said that midges containing the Bluetongue virus have already been identified in western areas of England and Wales with high cattle and sheep populations.
He added: “Movement of midges across the Irish Sea tend to take place in the late summer, there is nothing we can do to avoid this.
“AFBI is closely monitoring the midge population in Northern Ireland. But it is almost certain that confirmation of Bluetongue will by way of symptom reported by farmers.”
Bluetongue
Dr. Murchie’s comments in the wake of an updated bluetongue disease control framework published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
It presents the latest surveillance in response to heightened disease risk of Bluetongue with respect to strain types without an approved vaccine or those with vaccines which have been authorised by the EU in exceptional circumstances.
The framework also covers DAERA’s initial disease control response and measures that will be taken in the event of a suspect case of Bluetongue case in Northern Ireland.
Crops
Meanwhile, AFBI continues to monitor changes in aphid populations that can have an impact on crops production systems.
This work is facilitated by a suction tower located at the organisation’s research farm at Hillsborough in Co. Down.
Aphid activity can impact significantly on potato and cereal crops.
Dr. Murchie acknowledged that there are now limited options to deal with pests using chemical herbicides and insecticides.
“Integrated pest management is the future.
“This principle is based on the reality that every pest has a natural predator. Crop management systems can also be altered to take more effective account of thr htreat posed by pest and diseases.”
The entomologist cited leather jacket control as a case in point.
He said: “Cutting grass swards to almost ground levels at certain times of the year has been shown to have a curtailing impact on leather jacket populations at certain times of the year.
“We also know that a specific member of wasp family will lay its eggs in those produced by leather jackets.
“This is a very specific case of a biological control mechanism.”
