The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has warned wheat growers to take precautions to protect next year’s crops from flag smut (pictured).
Research Scientist at the Department, Ciara Beard said it had received several reports of the fungus from Yuna in the north, through the central and eastern regions down to Esperance in the south.
“The presence of flag smut in conjunction with the warm, dry start to the 2020 growing season favoured plant infection shortly after germination this year, in instances where fungicide seed dressings were not applied,” Ms Beard said.
“Flag smut, or Urocystis tritici, is both a seed and soil-borne disease, which at high incidence can cost growers dearly in lost yields and downgraded seed quality.”
She encouraged growers to monitor crops as they harvest for signs of flag smut and to adopt preventative measures to reduce the risk of the disease spreading and occurring in next year’s crops.
“As flag smut only occurs intermittently, cereal growers may not be familiar with the symptoms, which are exhibited on plant leaves rather than heads,” Ms Beard said.
“It is best to look on plant leaves for long raised streaks of sooty black spores, which rub off easily. Affected plants are often stunted, with curled leaves, which can tiller excessively and do not usually produce grain.”
Skeleton Weed Project Manager at the Department, Martin Atwell weighed in with his concerns over the prevalence of the agricultural pest, which has been sighted in paddock and drone searches.
Mr Atwell said surveillance for 2020-21 aimed to cover 55,000 hectares, including 20,000 hectares using drones.
“The program focuses on infested properties and is complemented by targeted surveillance aimed at finding new infestations that landholders may not be aware of,” he said.
“The drone surveillance, while still relatively new, is improving each year and has shown promising results to date.”
He said skeleton weed was a declared plant which reduces crop yields by competing for moisture and nutrients.
