WHITE BUTTERFLY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 254, 24 September 1935, Page 8

WHITE BUTTERFLY

EFFECTIVE CONTROL. WITHIN TWO YEARS. In the Agricultural Department’s report for the year ended March 31 last, presented to Parliament to-day, the .Director-General ol Agriculture (l>r. C. J. Iteakes) outlines the activities of the Plant lteseurch Station at Palmerston North. j As has been the case in former years ' some of tlie activities of the Plant Research Station were carried out in cooperation with the Department of ! Scientific and Industrial Research, lie says. Both at Palmerston North (in laboratories and in held trials) and at Marton (on tho experimental area) j much work relative to pastures which was previously in progress has been eonj tyiued. Tlie search through both breeding and selection tor improved types of pasture plants lias been con- | turned and initial steps have been i taken in tlie production of pedigree pas'cure seed, which it is hoped will lead eventually to strains of pasture plants 'superior to those available under certi- ! fication being produced on a I commercial scale and made available to farming through official certiUeation of the seed. Attention has also been given to research relative to pasture establishment and utilisation, tine important aspect of utilisation that is being probed relates to tlie possibility of correlation between pasture characteristics and reed flavours in dairy products. This work is being done in collaboration with the Dairy Research in- ; stitute. | investigations relative to a wide range of arable crops are in progress ■at Palmerston Nortn, Marton, and at j the Government Pure Seed Station at i Lincoln on land leased from Canterbury | Agricultural College. In trials relative I to certification of seeds 1179 plots were 'lsown, and in seed-testing 81U4 purityanalyses 13,306 germination tests, and 1361 ultra-violet-light examinations I were made. Work of particular potential value in view of the national importance of the crops is being done m regard to lucerne and the brassica crops (turnips, rape, etc.). . The extensive work in progress in tlie sphere of plant protection lias yielded some significant results. One of these relates to the control of tlie white butterfly by parasitisation. Field surveys indicate that the pupal parasite is spreading and multiplying very rapidly, as up to 90 per cent of the chrysalids I ■ were found to be parasitised. Di Hawke’s Bay, where the pupal parasite ; was first liberated, the menace ot the ' white butterfly lias been removed, though the butterfly persists m insignificant numbers. The latest observations ’ i point to ’ the effective control ot the ' white butterfly throughout New Zea- ■ land within two years. ■ i hi general, the work ot the 1 lant 'Research Station and associated activiI I ties continues, and extends that rej cent years. A considerable amount or i detailed information about the work is contained in tile appended statements I relative to the activities of the various sections.