120,000 Fewer Grubs

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 1

120,000 Fewer Grubs

Canterbury may soon be the better off for having 120,000 fewer grass grubs.

The Research Division of the Department of Agriculture and the sub-station of the Entomology Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at Lincoln are organising the collection for Professor J. N. Smith, head of the biochemistry department at Victoria University. Professor Smith has a research contract with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to study the biochemical mechanisms by which the insects get rid of the toxic part of insecticides. A good deal of his work has been directed to trying to

overcome the development of resistance to D.D.T. in grubs, but he is also studying the mechanisms involved so that ultimately it may be possible to develop insecticides that do not break down. He wants the large numbers of gfubs to extract from them possible enzymes that cause the breakdown of insecticides. They will be grubs that have shown resistance to D.D.T. and are likely to come from a paddock on a Southbridge farm. Eight secondary schoolboys are being employed on the ; task and another six, who are ; working on other grubcollect- i ing assignments, may join them to expedite the work, i The boys, who come mainly 'i from Lincoln High School, i may spend much of their holi- i days on their knees or crouch- i

ing down picking up grubs. It is hoped that each will pick about 1500 grubs in a five-hour day. With technicians there may be up to 20 persons on the job at the one time. It is likely that the surface of the ground will be skimmed off with a plough or spades and the grubs then collected with plastic spoons. Care will be taken with the grubs to see that they arrive in Wellington in good condition. They are to be placed in ice-cube trays, of which about 2000 will be used. One grub, in soil, will go in each compartment. The grubs have to be kept apart, as they have cannibalistic tendencies. The 'trays will go into plastic bags and then into containers before being flown to Wellington.