A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: December 18, 2008
Source: The West Australian [edited]
<http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=113808>
Farmers fear millions in losses from pink mould
Farmers on the State's south coast could lose up to AUD 150
million [USD 106 million] if barley infected with a mystery pink
mould is downgraded from malting quality to feedstock. WAFarmers
president Mike Norton said WA Government scientists had been
unable to identify the fungus responsible for the mould outbreak
in flood-hit barley crops. He said mould and excess rain had hit
harvests along a stretch of coast from Albany to Ravensthorpe.
Scientists ruled out the toxic fusarium head blight fungus as
the cause of the mould, co-operative grain handler CBH said. But
no price had been set for the grain and further toxicology
results would not be released until next month. CBH was taking
delivery of barley infected with pink mould at 3 locations, but
storing it separately pending a decision on its price.
Farmer Kim Sounness, of Wellstead, said there were a lot of
concerned farmers along the south coast waiting for full details
of the toxicology analysis. "We are still waiting to see what we
can do with this grain. There are mountains of it down here and
no home for it,"
he said. Mr Sounness has begun feeding the pink grain to his
sheep to see whether it was safe for livestock.
[Byline: By Michael Hopkin]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Fusarium head blight (FHB) of small-grain crops which is
mentioned above, can be caused by several related fungal
pathogens. It results in yield losses, reduces the grade of
harvested grain and may also cause toxin contamination which can
affect stock. A pink discolouration or mould may be seen on
affected barley heads. For more information on this disease
please see previous ProMED-mail post no. 20080708.2073 and links
below.
However, according to the report above, FHB has been ruled out
as the problem in WA. The toxicological analysis may help with
pathogen identification since some of the compounds can be
characteristic of certain groups of fungi.
Maps
Australia:
<http://www.ga.gov.au/image_cache/GA4073.jpg>
and <http://healthmap.org/promed?v=-25.7,134.5,4>
Western Australia:
<http://www.ozhorizons.com.au/wa/map.htm>
Picture of FHB on barley head:
<http://cril.cimmyt.org/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=157&g2_serialNumber=2>
Links
Additional news stories:
<http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/200812/s2444915.htm>,
<http://www.abc.net.au/rural/wa/content/2006/s2442936.htm>
and
<http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuId=2&ContentID=113180>
FHB information:
<http://www.apsnet.org/education/feature/FHB/>,
<http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/smgrains/pp804w.htm>
and <http://smallgrains.psu.edu/pdf/FusariumHeadBlight.pdf>
Diseases and pathogens of barley:
<http://www.apsnet.org/online/common/names/barley.asp>
and <http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/ipm/pestprog/educate/barley.pdf>
Information on barley production in WA:
<http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/FCP/CER/BAR/barley_index.htm>
- Mod.DHA]
