Griffith’s world-first fruit fly trap has been recognised by the Australian Financial Review in itsHigher Education Awards.
The “Holy Grail” of fruit fly traps, invented by Professor Dick Drew,won second prize in the Technology One Industry Engagement Awardsection.
The awardaims to recognise Higher Education institutions working with industry in a way that goes beyond standard commercial relationships and is genuinely reciprocal, mutually beneficial, and highly valued by both partners.
The 2nd annual AFR Higher Education Awards, held on November 16 and presented by UniSuper, highlight the tremendous contribution that the sector makes to Australian prosperity and quality of life.
The awards were judged by an independent panel of eminent higher education veterans.
Griffith University and agricultural product company Agnova Technologies collaborated to produce Fruition, the nation’s first non-toxic response to fruit flies.
The trap attracts and catches femalefruitflies before they lay eggs in fruit and offers the potential for a brighter future for Australia’s $4.8 billion horticulture industry.
Professor Drew, of Griffith’s International Centre for the Management of Pest Fruit Flies (ICMPFF),has dedicated his career to fruit fly research and developed the trap over 30 years of investigation.