Agriculture Victoria has released new disease guides for cereal grains and grain pulses to assist grain growers manage their disease risks this season.
Research Scientist at Agriculture Victoria, Joshua Fanning said the annual crop disease guides, which were produced with support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation, detailed how susceptible new and commonly grown pulses and cereals were to a range of crop diseases.
“This year’s edition of the Pulse Disease Guide will be of particular interest to growers as it includes an explanation of a new pulse disease rating system being implemented this year,” Dr Fanning said.
“Some disease ratings have changed to reflect this,” he said.
“Growers should consult the current disease guide for the latest ratings and definitions to plan disease management.”
Dr Fanning said a dry spring last year minimised the impact of diseases on Victorian pulse crops last season.
“However, there were widespread reports of significant crop losses due to bacterial blight in field peas and sclerotinia white mould in both lentil and chickpea crops across the Wimmera and Mallee,” he said.
“This season, a proactive disease management strategy will reduce the risk of pulse diseases and subsequent yield losses.”
He said that for cereal growers, the Cereal Disease Guide provided updated information on crop disease ratings and advice on how to reduce the risk from fungicide resistance.
Agriculture Victoria’s 2020 four-page Cereal Disease Guide can be accessed at this PS News link and its four-page Pulse Disease Guide at this link.
