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The incidence and relative importance of wheat diseases in Australia

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Abstract

A survey of cereal plant pathologists in each State has shown that stem rust is ranked as potentially the most important foliar disease of wheat in most regions. Other major foliar diseases were stripe rust, flag smut, Septoria tritici blotch and leaf rust. Yellow spot has increased in importance since 1975 with the adoption of stubble retention farming in north-eastern Australia and Western Australia. Root rots of major importance were take-all, crown rot, Rhizoctonia bare patch and cereal cyst nematode. Bunt is potentially the most serious disease of the inflorescence but it is very rare because it is effectively controlled by seed-applied fungicides. Most biotrophic foliar diseases are well controlled by selection for resistance. Cultural practices and crop rotation are the main controls for root diseases, while fungicides are mainly used for control of inflorescence diseases. Regional differences in the severity and incidence are pronounced for several diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Research Institute, New South Wales Department of Agriculture, 2650, Wagga Wagga, NSW

    Gordon M. Murray

  2. Department of Botany, The University of New England, 2351, Armidale, NSW

    John F. Brown

Authors
  1. Gordon M. Murray
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  2. John F. Brown
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Murray, G.M., Brown, J.F. The incidence and relative importance of wheat diseases in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 16, 34–37 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1071/APP9870034

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/APP9870034

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