GRDC is intending to arm grain growers with resources to overcome soil-borne diseases responsible for crop yield losses valued at $1.71 billion annually
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has launched an ambitious national initiative designed to arm grain growers with the knowledge, tools and strategies needed to combat the nation’s most damaging crop diseases.
With soilborne diseases like crown rot, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia and nematodes causing an estimated $1.71 billion in grain losses annually, $1.23 billion in wheat alone.
The Soil-Borne Disease Initiative is a critical step in safeguarding the productivity and profitability of farming systems.
GRDC Board Chair and South Australian grain grower Sharon Starick announced the 5-year initiative at the Adelaide Grains Research Update at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
As part of the program, GRDC will invest $20 million, complemented by an additional $14 million from collaborating research partners.
Mrs Starick said the initiative was about delivering meaningful, long-term impact for growers through cutting-edge research and practical, economic management solutions.
“Soil-borne diseases are responsible for more than half of total yield losses from disease in Australian grain crops,” Sharon Starick added.
“Through this initiative, which builds on past research, we aim to equip grain growers with practical, economic and innovative soil-borne disease management strategies that reduce the financial impact of these diseases on their farming businesses.”
The initiative will bring a wide range of current and new soil-borne disease research projects under a single collaborative program, with nodes across Australia’s cropping regions. These nodes will be developed in partnership with:
- South Australia Research and Development Institute (SARDI) at Adelaide University,
- Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA DPIRD) and Curtin University,
- Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA),
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
- University of Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland.
National co-ordinator Grant Hollaway from Astute Ag will oversee the nodes. Research will focus on key cropping diseases such as Fusarium crown rot (cereals), Rhizoctonia bare patch (cereals), Sclerotinia stem rot (oilseeds/ pulses), nematodes (cereals/pulses), fungi/oomycetes (pulses).
GRDC Managing Director Nigel Hart outlined how this initiative highlighted GRDC’s commitment to fostering national collaboration while recognising the unique challenges faced in different regions.
“We know this is a critical area for growers and advisers, which is why we have committed to bringing current and new research together in a highly effective multi-disciplinary way,” Nigel Hart added.
“As well as the research and development activities the initiative will have a communications and extension component delivered by AgCommunicators, through the Disease Management Extension Network.
“By bringing together Australia’s leading researchers and communication and extension specialists, we’re ensuring growers and advisers have the information, support and confidence they need to adopt and implement new and improved disease management strategies,” Nigel Hart concluded.
There are five research areas in this initiative
- assessing the economic impact of soil-borne disease
- mapping disease presence at the paddock scale
- developing integrated management approaches
- trialling novel control strategies
- ensuring effective national coordination.
The initiative will continue work already underway and will include more projects that combine scientific, economic and practical knowledge to help growers reduce losses and better manage disease pressure. The initiative will also support and build capacity into soil-borne disease research nationally.
