I am originally from Vanuatu, married to a Fijian, a mother to three beautiful children and a current PhD candidate of the University of the South Pacific under the ACIAR -PASS-CR Program. I am passionate about sustainable crop protection that is safe for our environment and biodiversity and improves productivity.

My research focuses on broad mite, a serious pest of capsicum under protected structure. To date there is limited information on the pest in Fiji. Identifying and confirming the local species will enable researchers to develop control measures specifically for the pest while determining its seasonal abundance will let us know when the pest population is high so that timely, sustainable and cost-effective management can be implemented. Most chemicals listed locally for the control of broad mite are insecticides, thus this study will investigate the efficacy of these compounds as acaricides and the ability of vermicompost tea to supply plant nutrients and strengthening the plants’ ability to withstand stress caused by broad mite feeding.

• Plant Protection
• Sustainability
• Biodiversity
• Pests - Broad mites
• Crop Protection - Capsicum

PhD of Agriculture
Project Title: Broad mites as pests of capsicum in Fiji: Species Identification, seasonal abundance and management under protected structures.

ACIAR Project - HORT/2016/185
Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific lslands

Supervisor: Dr Leslie Ubaub, University of the South Pacific
Co-Supervisor: Prof Mike Furlong, University of Queensland

Click here for more information (available on the ACIAR website).

Twitter: @LeikitahN
LinkedIn: Leikitah Katah Naituku
ORCiD: 0000-0002-0137-4392