Monitoring termites and wood borers in the home

Termites and wood borer infestations can be difficult to manage. CSIRO has compiled this information to assist Australians in detecting and treating these pests.

Plants primed to destroy devastating wheat virus

Wheat plants with total immunity to the devastating Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV) could be a step closer due to the successful breeding of resistant species.

Bitou bush biological control

Bitou bush is an introduced weed and rated as the worst pest plant in the Australian coastal environment, restricting access to beaches and destroying native bushland. This project focused on biological control using several different insect species.

Biological control of Onopordum thistles in South-East Australia

CSIRO researchers have successfully released biological agents to attack Onopordum thistles that thrive in high fertility soils in south-east Australia.

Biological control of the Old World climbing fern in the USA

The USDA’s Australian Biological Control Laboratory is conducting biological control studies on Old World climbing fern, a native of the moist old world tropics and subtropics, which is a weed in the USA.

The Bushfire CRC: understanding bushfires through collaboration

The bushfire research program at CSIRO is part of a large-scale collaborative effort.

Paterson's curse

Paterson’s curse is an introduced plant and considered both a valuable pasture species and a toxic weed, out competing other plants and poisoning livestock. Several biological control agents have been released in Australia since the late 1980s to help control this weed.

Biological control of alligator weed

Scientists at CSIRO are researching several new biological control agents for the control of alligator weed in cooler climates and terrestrial habitats of Australia.

The deadly nature of animal-to-human disease (Podcast 28 Jan 2011)

Scientists have identified 75 per cent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic – meaning they can spread from animals to people. This is likely to increase under environmental intrusion, climate change and progressive urbanisation of the planet. (7:26)

The secret world of Australia's native rats and mice (Podcast 14 Apr 2008)

Why do some mice build huge mounds of pebbles in the desert? And how did stick nest mice become instant barbecues? In this podcast, CSIRO researcher Dr Fred Ford opens up the wonderful world of Australia’s native mice and rats. (4.43)

SiroFire – helping fire authorities predict wildfire spread

Understanding probably wildfire spread is vital to the efficient use of firefighting resources. CSIRO scientists developed SiroFire, a computer-based real-time bushfire spread simulator, to give fire control authorities a fast operational tool to predict wildfire spread.

Preparing Australia for a Russian wheat aphid invasion

CSIRO scientists are studying how Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia successfully overcomes resistance in wheat in order to protect Australian farmers from this devastating invasive pest.

Termites get the vibe on what tastes good

Researchers from CSIRO and UNSW@ADFA  [external link] have shown that termites can tell what sort of material their food is made of, without having to actually touch it. The findings may lead to improvements in the control of feeding termites.

Dr Susie Sprague: caring for canola

Dr Susie Sprague is studying effective farm management in relation to Blackleg - a plant disease that targets canola crops.

Animal health laboratory internationally recognised

Australian scientists will be better prepared to tackle exotic animal diseases, such as avian influenza (AI), following international recognition of CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) in Geelong as a ‘OIE Collaborating Centre for Capacity Building for Veterinary Laboratories’.

Disease diagnostics expert wins ‘Tall Poppy’ (Podcast 28 Sep 2007)

CSIRO's Dr Kim Halpin describes the work that won her a Young Tall Poppy Science Award. (3:42)

Alien invaders are on the march (Podcast 22 May 2009)

While the implications of climate change for biodiversity have been widely recognised, the insidious effect of invasive alien species (IAS) on global biodiversity stays under the radar. (4:50)

63Sealevels CMAR MedRelTsr

Sea-level rise and changes to cyclone intensity under enhanced greenhouse conditions would pose a considerable increase in risk to coastal property and infrastructure, according to a recent CSIRO study.

Reward for fight against ant invaders

African Big Headed, Yellow Crazy, Tropical Fire and Singapore ants are only small foot soldiers, but vast colonies of these invasive insects are wreaking havoc throughout northern Australia - causing major environmental, economical and social damage.

Emergency detection and response

CSIRO technologies are helping Australians prepare for, detect, respond to and recover from natural disasters and emergency situations.

Dr Shuang Liu: investigating the interface between ecological and economic systems

Dr Shuang Liu is developing ecological-economic models to investigate the full impact of invasive species to assist in delivering effective environmental decision making.

CSIRO keeps our grain the market leader

For an expectant return of A$20 for every dollar invested in CSIRO’s Stored Grain Research Laboratory, it has to be one of the best R&D success stories around. The Stored Grain Research Laboratory has kept Australian grain in the forefront of the world export market.

Modelling natural systems

CSIRO Entomology have developed Dymex, a population modelling program providing researchers with a means of building complex population models for biological organisms.

Biological control of Emex: the weed and potential agents

The introduced weed, Emex, which costs A$40 million a year in crop losses and production costs in Western Australia alone, has been the target of a biolgical control program.

Aerial fire suppression

CSIRO scientists, as part of the Australian Bushfire CRC, are investigating the effectiveness of aerial suppression of bushfires. The project will provide information needed to shape national aerial firefighting strategies.