Western Australia
May 29, 2009
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Australian Centre for Necrotrophic Fungal Pathogens
Director and GRDC Western Panel Deputy Chair, Professor
Richard Oliver, with some of his students at Murdoch
University, including GRDC supported graduate Angela
Williams (far left) and Simon Ip Cho. |
Herbicide resistance has long been
a problem in Australia’s wheatbelt, but a new threat is emerging
in the form of fungicide resistance, according to Professor
Richard Oliver.
Professor Oliver is Deputy Chair,
Grains Research and Development
Corporation (GRDC) Western Region Panel and Director of the
GRDC supported Australian Centre for Necrotrophic Fungal
Pathogens (ACNFP) at Murdoch University.
As a key component of crop protection strategies, fungicides
cost Australian growers about $150 million a year, with many
using three or more treatments on a crop. Nearly all the
fungicides used in WA are from the same mode-of-action group –
the triazoles, otherwise known as group 3 or DMI’s.
Professor Oliver said experience in Europe suggests some fungal
diseases are developing dangerous resistance to this group of
fungicides, so he’s asking WA grain growers to be vigilant and
contribute to a nationally coordinated project, initiated by
ACNFP, to address the risk of fungicide resistance.
“We want to know if there are any cases of fungicide escape by
fungal pathogens of grain and we’re looking for fungal disease
that occurs soon after full-rate treatment with fungicides such
as Alto, Garrison, Opus, Jockey, Tilt or Folicur,” he said.
Growers identifying ‘escapees’ should, in the first instance,
contact Professor Oliver, Email roliver@murdoch.edu.au or Tel
9360 7404.
Fungicide escape is most likely to occur for powdery mildew of
barley and wheat, wheat yellow spot and barley net blotch.
Cereal rusts have no known history of fungicide resistance
anywhere in the world.
Fungi from lesions or pustules on efficiently sprayed leaves are
sought. The ACNFP has established laboratory methods to measure
the sensitivity to key fungicides of fungal isolates from the
most at-risk species.
Professor Oliver said air-dried leaves with wheat yellow spot,
Septoria nodorum and barley net-blotch could be posted in paper
envelopes, with details of site, cultivar and fungicide, to
Kasia Rybak at ACNFP, Health Sciences, Murdoch University, South
Street, WA 6150.
In the case of powdery mildew, growers should request a sealed
tube from ACNFP, Tel 9360 7404, before posting leaf samples.
Professor Oliver said fungicide resistance was potentially a
very significant problem, but lessons learnt overseas and here
with herbicide resistance would stand WA growers in good stead.
He suggested growers alternate available mode-of-action groups
and strongly recommended they use full label rates and
genetically resistant cultivars when available.
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