Resources – Podcasts

Breeding ground for disease resistance

This episode explores the rise in fungicide resistance in Australian crops like wheat and barley by discussing work being done at Horsham Smart Farm in the Wimmera region of Victoria. Scientists from the Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN) including plant pathology research leader Dr Joshua Fanning and research scientist Melissa Cook are intentionally creating conditions to attract diseases to help decipher which varieties are more susceptible to disease.

Look out for barley scald in Western Australia

Growers in Western Australia need to be on the lookout for barley scald as it is increasing in prevalence and severity, including virulence onto varieties that have previously been rated as resistant.

In this podcast we talk to senior research scientists at WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Andrea Hills and Dr Kithsiri Jayasena about what growers can do to combat barley scald in the season ahead.

Behind the scenes of fungicide resistance testing

It’s an ever-present challenge for Australian grain growers, but understanding how fungicide resistance develops, and what can be done to manage it, is key to protecting crops, and keeping disease pressure low.

In this episode at the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) at Curtin University, Dr Nola D’Souza explains how her team detects and tracks fungicide resistance in the lab, the role of AFREN, and the practical steps growers can take to slow its spread.

Tools for tackling blackleg of canola

Blackleg is the most serious disease in Australian canola, and while fungicides are commonly used to help manage this disease, there are concerns that an overreliance on fungicides could encourage fungicide resistance. In order to explore this further, GRDC is making a significant investment into fungicide resistant management strategies in blackleg in canola. Extensive research is taking place at the Grains Innovation Park in Horsham in Victoria’s Wimmera region. We catch up with Dr Angela van de Wouw who is one of Australia’s leading researchers into blackleg in canola and PhD student Alec McCallum, whose research is examining the emergence and management of fungicide resistance to blackleg.

What to do – about wheat powdery mildew

Rusts and managing rusts with fungicides

In this AFREN 2 podcast, Professor Robert Park, University of Sydney, talks about rusts and managing rusts with fungicides. Until now, there have been very few cases of resistance to fungicide in rusts. However, recent research has shown insensitivity in the barley and wheat leaf rust pathogens to Group 3 DMI fungicides. At this stage, there have been no known in-field failures of fungicides for rust but this does represent a shift.

Mung bean powdery mildew; fungicide sensitivities and management for Qld growers

In this AFREN 2 podcast, University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Crop Health Director Professor Levente Kiss talks about the challenges of managing powdery mildew in mung bean crops. Recent research trials have further validated the Powdery Mildew MBM management app and shown there is often no economic benefit in spraying the crop.

Fungicide resistance in canola crops

Generous rain and high prices have increased the economic risk from Sclerotinia and blackleg in canola crops this season. Dr Steve Marcroft, Marcroft Grains Pathology, outlines the very real risk of fungicide resistance developing in blackleg of canola in Australia – and how growers can achieve sustainable disease control.

Fungicide risk factors

While farmers typically spray fungicide to manage one disease, Dr Steven Simpfendorfer explains how spraying one pathogen can inadvertently encourage resistance in other pathogens that may be present. Some typical examples include rusts and powdery mildew in wheat; blackleg and sclerotinia in canola; and net blotches and powdery mildew in barley.

Fungicide resistance in the north

Growers in the north could consider fungicide resistance less of a threat than growers in the south and west, however there is no room for complacency.

As Professor Levente Kiss from the University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Crop Health points out in this podcast, as long as there are fungal crop diseases, there is a risk of fungal resistance. Barley, wheat and pulses can all be affected.

Northern growers need to appreciate the importance of rotating and mixing fungicides, and Mode of Action Groups, including as seed treatments, in order not to encourage fungicide resistance in important diseases such as barley net blotches, mung bean powdery mildew, wheat powdery mildew and septoria tritici blotch.

Fungicide resistance in the south

South Australian grain growers have been alerted to several cases of fungicide resistance in recent growing seasons, including in net form net blotch of barley, and wheat powdery mildew.

In this podcast, Dr Hugh Wallwork, from the South Australian Research and Development Institute, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions’ research division, talks about factors that contribute to resistance and how fungicide management needs to begin with variety and seed treatment selection before sowing. He explains growers should be using all available agronomic practices to reduce disease pressure and should avoid repeat applications of a single fungicide active or chemical Mode of Action. This will help protect the effectiveness and availability of essential fungicide controls.

General fungicide resistance management

Dr Kylie Ireland, first Extension Coordinator of Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN), discusses how fungicide resistance occurs, its potential impact on crop production, and how the Fungicide Resistance Five can help growers mitigate their risk.

Avoiding susceptible crop varieties

How does variety selection help slow fungicide resistance? Dr Grant Hollaway points out how planting crop varieties with genetic resistance to frequently occurring diseases can reduce disease pressure and an unhealthy reliance on fungicides.

Non chemical strategies to reduce disease pressure

South Australian plant pathologist Dr Tara Garrard covers the range of agronomic practices growers have at their disposal to reduce disease pressure, limit fungicide applications and lower the risk of promoting fungicide resistance in their crops.

Strategic fungicide applications

Fungicides remain a valuable and powerful tool for managing crop disease and FAR Australia Managing Director Nick Poole explains how to identify the right times to apply fungicide for maximum effect and economic benefit.