AN ATTEMPT TO ANTICIPATE BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL OF DIURAPHIS-NOXIA (HOM, APHIDIDAE)

Responding to the threat posed to the Australian wheat industry by the worldwide spread of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvil ko), an attempt to anticipate its biological control was made by intro ducing its oligophagous hymenopteran parasite Aphelinus varipes (Foers ter) into the current Australian cereal aphid community. Details of th e source of the parasite material and its introduction, mass-rearing a nd release in Australia, together with follow-up studies in the field and laboratory are given. No evidence of establishment has been found so far and the possible reasons for this are explored and discussed.