Are oats an effective break crop for crown rot?

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

9-2018

Conference Title

10th Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium: Paddock to Plates 2018

Place of Publication

Adelaide

Disciplines

Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Biosecurity

Abstract

The oat industry in Western Australia (WA) is expanding its’ production, both within traditional oat production areas and into adjacent medium-low rainfall areas. Increased export demand provides oat grain and hay producers the opportunity for enhanced economic returns. Fusarium crown rot, caused predominantly by the stubble-borne fungus F. pseudograminearum, is one of the major root and crown disease constraints on cereal production in Australia. In 2009, it was estimated to cost WA grain growers $7 million annually in wheat and barley (2, 3). Expression of the disease occurs most commonly in the low rainfall areas, a region where oats have not been grown traditionally and no information is available on crown rot impacts on oat yield in this area. A cereal stubble survey conducted in 2013 and 2014 by DPIRD under the national crown rot project DAN00175 identified crown rot infected stubble across the cereal producing areas of WA including in the medium to high rainfall areas. F. pseudograminearum was identified from this survey as the primary pathogen; however, in the medium to high rainfall area which is the traditional oat growing region, F. culmorum was also isolated. Small field trials in 2005 and 2008 showed that oats had yield losses of up to 16% which was comparable to susceptible bread wheat yield losses (Evans, personal comm.). Additionally, trials in SA and Vic in 2003 and 2004 found that levels of F. culmorum DNA were similar after oats and barley, but levels of F. pseudograminearum DNA were lower after oats than after barley (1). They concluded that the level of resistance in oat cultivars and the role of oat crops in building-up levels of crown rot inoculum are unclear and requires more research. With the recent increases in milling prices for oats and the growers from the non-traditional growing region (low rainfall areas) interested in growing oats, there is an increased need to evaluate varietal tolerance to crown rot in the field to demonstrate economic benefits of adoption to growers. Additionally, there is a need to provide information on the effect of new varieties on crown rot inoculum given that many growers are likely to use oats as an additional crop in their rotations.

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