Field pea growers facing blackspot now have a decision support tool to help select low risk paddocks and optimise time of sowing.

The computer simulation model, presented at the Grains Research and Development Corporation supported 2004 Crop Updates, uses proximity to the previous seasons’ stubble, rainfall and wind direction to estimate the probability of a blackspot infection occurring.

The ‘Blackspot Manager’ model was validated with growers from the Pulse Association of the South East (PASE) at Scadden in 2002 and 2003. In 2003, the model was also validated at Lake King and Northam.

Running the program with local growing history and weather data allows the probable risk of infection to be assessed on a farm or catchment basis.

It can also gauge how infection probability changes with different sowing times.