Western Australia
October 10, 2007
The Department of
Agriculture and Food, Western Australia expects the onset of
warmer weather will ease concerns with stripe rust this season.
Department plant pathologist Geoff Thomas said reports over the
last month had indicated a rapid progression of stripe rust away
from initial sighting earlier in the season.
“During September, stripe rust was regularly reported in crops
through the central-western areas of the Wheatbelt, moving into
more southern areas later in the month,” Mr Thomas said.
“However, stripe rust is favoured by cool temperatures (7-15°C)
and associated periods of moisture. As temperatures rise into
the mid twenties, sporulation and infection of the fungus should
be drastically reduced.”
Mr Thomas said conditions in September in many areas,
particularly in the south-west and central western Wheatbelt,
were favourable for rust development with mild temperatures and
frequent rainfall.
“Stripe rust development typically slows in mid-spring,
particularly with adult plant resistance in some varieties, and
also the onset of warmer and drier weather,” he said.
“Warm conditions in the first week of October, with temperatures
in the high 20s to 30°C, will help the end of season decline in
stripe rust in many areas, and should remove the requirement for
fungicide management in most areas.”
Mr Thomas expects a slow down in stripe rust development to
happen faster in central and northern agricultural areas,
compared to southern areas.
He said farmers looking to protect crops from stripe rust in the
future should consider a range of management options.
“Application of foliar fungicide is an effective tool against
rust infection, but growers concerned with regular requirement
for foliar fungicide application can reduce disease risk and
reduce reliance on foliar fungicide by selecting more resistant
varieties,” Mr Thomas said.
“Resistant varieties offer a number of advantages, reducing risk
of losses during the growing season and reducing opportunities
for disease carryover on self-sown wheat in the summer/autumn
period.”
More information is available in the Farmnote: Managing stripe
rust and leaf rust in wheat.
Further information on cereal rust management can also be found
on the GRDC website at
www.grdc.com.au/rustlinks |
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