Western
Australia
November 9, 2004
Australian growers should rotate new, alternative and
traditional crops to improve their farming systems, according to
Yantai Gan of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
“In Canada, there has been a rise in alternative crop plantings,
such as legumes, to maximise profits from rotations, with field
peas and lentils particularly increasing.
“In a rotation, I like lentils, but love chickpeas and therefore
encourage Western Australian growers to give peas a chance,” Dr
Gan said.
At a recent Centre for
Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) seminar, he
discussed agronomic management options to optimise pulse crop
benefits in the farming system, such as improved rotations
incorporating chickpeas.
“Canada’s chickpea industry was devastated by ascochyta blight
in 2002 and breeding programs have not yet developed a robust
variety.
“Australia too has suffered badly from ascochyta, with epidemics
since 1997 damaging the industry and shattering grower
confidence,” Dr Gan said.
Based on potential national chickpea plantings of 400,000
hectares at $400/ha, ascochyta resistant chickpeas could sustain
a $160 million Australian industry.
In WA, chickpeas are an excellent option for the 70 per cent of
growers who use rotational cropping systems.
Dr Gan is visiting CLIMA on behalf of the Canadian government to
investigate opportunities for improving pulse-based cropping
systems for western Canada, particularly CLIMA’s world leading
chickpea research and breeding program.
“Chickpeas are an important part of a profitable rotation,
however, like in Australia, ascochyta is currently making the
crop too risky for Canadian growers.
“CLIMA’s chickpea breeding programs are producing varieties with
useful ascochyta resistance, which are further advanced than
Canada’s programs.
“While in Australia, we’re investigating ways to minimise
ascochyta in Canada and looking for opportunities for
Australia-Canada collaborations,” Dr Gan said.
Dr Gan, CLIMA Director Professor Kadambot Siddique and Bill
McLeod of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia are
compiling a definitive review of integrated ascochyta
management. |