Queensland, Australia
April 27, 2007
An action plan has been developed
for Central Queensland chickpea growers who discover ascochyta
blight in their crops.
The Grains Research and
Development Corporation (GRDC) has joined forces with the
Queensland Department of
Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) and
Pulse Australia to
release the Protocol for managing an outbreak of chickpea
ascochyta blight in Central Queensland.
Col Douglas, DPI&F researcher said the protocol was developed in
response to a situation last season.
"An agronomist identified what he thought was ascochyta blight
in a crop near Emerald that had been grown with seed sourced
from southern Queensland," Mr Douglas said.
"Fortunately it wasn't ascochyta blight in this case but it
highlighted the need to remind growers of the importance of
using only seed sourced in central Queensland.
"This is the best tactic we have to keep the disease out of
central Queensland."
Ascochyta blight has caused serious losses to chickpea crops in
southern Australia but to date neither the pathogen nor the
disease has been found in central Queensland.
Central Queensland's warm winters are ideally suited to chickpea
production. Local grower confidence in the crop is growing
rapidly and has been supported by GRDC research into new
varieties and agronomic management practices.
In 2006 central Queensland accounted for almost half of the
Australian chickpea crop and a big chickpea planting is expected
again this year.
The protocol provides a step-by-step guide to dealing with
suspected and confirmed cases of the disease in central
Queensland.
It includes photos of plants displaying symptoms of ascochyta
blight infection in plants.
"The introduction of ascochyta blight would be devastating for
CQ," Mr Douglas said.
"Yields are reduced, management is increased and marketing
problems arise with ascochyta infected seed.
"Management requires crop rotation, growing tolerant varieties,
seed treatment, and prophylactic fungicide applications."
For copies of the protocol or more information, contact Anne
Shepherd, DPI&F Emerald on 07 4983 7420, or Col Douglas at
Biloela DPI&F on 07 4992 9112. |
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