In response to a suspected fungicide resistance problem in the spring of 2013 23 isolates of Zymoseptoria tritici (also known as Mycosphaerella graminicola) were collected from wheat fields showing symptoms of speckled leaf blotch around the lower North Island EC50 values for the collected isolates and three sensitive isolates against rates of azoxystrobin epoxiconazole and isopyrazam were determined by growth in microplates as measured by light absorbance Furthermore greenhouse inoculations on fungicidesprayed plants were conducted with selected isolates Resistance to azoxystrobin appears widespread as does reduced sensitivity to epoxiconazole Most growers supplying the samples were using epoxiconazole as their standard cereal fungicide but at lower than label rates A combination of conducive weather low fungicide rates resistance to azoxystrobin and reduced sensitivity to epoxiconazole is likely to have contributed to the disease epidemic

Field collected wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) intended for laboratory studies often die during storage from Metarhizium Sorokin (Clavicipitaceae) infection and other causes. To determine optimal storage conditions for Agriotes obscurus (Linnaeus), freshly collected larvae were stored in regular and sterilised soil, with and without access to food (potato slices), at 12 °C and 16 °C, for six months to determine which conditions resulted in the lowest wireworm mortality. Survival was highest when wireworms were stored in sterilised soil, at 12 °C, in the absence of food. Food availability increased wireworm mortality from Metarhizium infection and other causes, but decreased the number of missing wireworms. Wireworm weight change during the study was highest in treatments where wireworms had access to food. The expected effect of food deprivation on wireworm energetic state and immune response are discussed in context with these findings.