Herbicide-resistant weeds have proliferated – over 35 weed species in Australia have evolved resistance to at least one mode of action – driving up control costs and reducing effectiveness of traditional chemicals. Growers now spend billions on weed control; in fact, weeds cost Australian grain producers around $4.3 billion every year in lost revenue and control measures. At the same time, insect pests and diseases continue to cause major crop losses and are growing harder to control. Invasive pests like mice can erupt in devastating plagues (a 2021 mouse outbreak in NSW caused an estimated >$1 billion in farm losses) and new pests like fall armyworm are establishing despite quarantine efforts. Crop diseases (rusts, mildews, viruses) persistently threaten yields, often requiring heavy fungicide use.
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