Good crop disease management will be required in 2024 due to the early summer rain events and potential disease risk, according to Agriculture Victoria research scientist Hari Dadu.
The cereal disease expert will outline his approach at the members-only BCG Trials Review Day on Friday, February 23 at the Birchip Leisure Centre.
“I’ll be discussing the importance of off-season and in-crop strategies to manage cereal diseases during 2024,” Dr Dadu said.
“This will include the advantages of removing green bridge by mid-March, use of cereal disease guide to select better varieties and the importance of paddock selection.
“I’ll also highlight the status of fungicide resistance in Victoria and detail the strategies to slow the fungicide resistance development and protect their longevity.”
Dr Dadu will also discuss the results of 2023 trials which showed significant yield losses due to disease despite the dry spring.
“AgVic trials during 2023 demonstrated yield losses of up to 28 per cent and 18 per cent in susceptible varieties due to septoria tritici blotch (STB) in wheat and net form of net blotch (NFNB) in barley, respectively.
“Yield losses due to STB in Mallee were reported for the first time. In both crops, avoiding highly susceptible varieties reduced disease risk and yield losses.
“Fungicides were found effective where susceptible or worse rated varieties are grown.”
Other topics covered on the day will include farmer and adviser experiences, grid sampling at a paddock scale, silicon in wheat and lentils, long coleoptile for moisture management, crop disease research, rosinweed and Star of Bethlehem management, insects in harvest weed seed control systems, vetch for risk mitigation in dry times, soil microbial indicators, slug and snail management, pulse varieties update, the latest cereal varieties and protein mapping experiences.
As a members-only event, attendees will have first access to the 2023 BCG Season Research Results compendium to be released on the day.
“BCG Trials Review Day also offers a wonderful opportunity for members to connect, meet new people and catch up with other farmers, researchers, agronomists and industry representatives from across the region,” BCG senior extension manager Kelly Angel said.
The event will run from 9am to 4pm.
BCG Trials Review Day is a members-only event. To become a member, go to: https://www.bcg.org.au/product/bcg-membership/
To secure your place at the BCG Trials Review Day, go to: https://www.bcg.org.au/event/bcg-trials-review-day/