Managing sclerotinia in oilseed and pulse crops in Northern and Southern farming systems
Investment
GRDC Code: DPI2206-023RTX
Managing sclerotinia in oilseed and pulse crops in Northern and Southern farming systems
The growing of 'pulse break crops' of, chickpea, lentil, faba bean and lupin is an important crop rotational strategy adopted by Australian farming systems for the management of soil nutrition, weeds, pests and reducing the build-up of disease inoculum. However, in recent years, the increase in frequency of these crops in the rotation, particularly in the Northern region, has seen a resulting rise in Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) within these systems This has been driven largely by an increase in area and frequency of pulses and canola sown in the rotation, to provide a double break for cereal disease management, continuous cropping, stubble retention, and a return to more average winter and spring rainfall patterns. Canola is recognised as an excellent host for Sclerotinia and builds up high levels of soil-borne sclerotia (the survival structures for the fungus). However, increasingly a surge in SSR within the farming systems which now incorporate both pulses and canola is reducing the beneficial impacts and the viability of the use of these 'break crops' within grain cropping systems. Long-term management strategies are required to managed SSR due to the longevity of sclerotia in the soil.
This project will deliver a robust integrated disease management package for sclerotinia for growers utilising pulses in their farming system in the Northern and Southern regions.
This will be achieved through four focus areas:
This will be achieved through four focus areas:
- Establishing the economic thresholds for sclerotinia in key pulses
- Thorough understanding of epidemiology in rotations and
- Varietal susceptibility / tolerance
- Chemical / cultural control options
To deliver an integrated management strategy for SSR in farming systems with a pulse-canola rotation.
- Project start date:
- 10/06/2022
- Project end date:
- 30/06/2026
- Crop type:
-
- Lupins, (Legume)
- Lentils, (Legume)
- Faba/Broad Beans, (Legume)
- Chickpeas, (Legume)
- Canola/Rapeseed, (Oilseed)
- Organisation
- [NSW] Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
- Region:
- North, South
- Project status
-
Active
GRDC News
Wet springs require proactive Sclerotinia management
09 Oct 2024
In wet spring conditions, western Victorian growers cannot be complacent about managing Sclerotinia in canola
Assess Sclerotinia risk to assist crop planning
08 Oct 2024
Plant pathologists have found that some pulse species are more susceptible than others to the...
GroundCover Supplement
Sclerotinia transmission across a crop rotation
18 May 2023
How Sclerotinia moves from canola stubble into the whole of a farm’s crop rotation is...
Researchers issue warning on high disease pressure
19 Apr 2023
After a wet spring, researchers across Australia have warned that severe disease pressure will require...
Update papers
- 27 Feb 2025, Incidence and impact of Sclerotinia stem rot of canola and chickpea from double break strategies - GRDC
- 24 Feb 2025, An integrated approach to effectively manage pulse diseases a Victorian perspective - GRDC
- 10 Feb 2025, Incidence and impact of Sclerotinia stem rot of canola from double break strategies - GRDC
- 03 Feb 2025, An integrated approach to effectively manage pulse diseases a South Australian perspective - GRDC
- 14 Aug 2024, Sclerotinia impacts on chickpea yield and the role of Predicta B to differentiate between species and inoculum load of sclerotinia - GRDC
- 28 Feb 2024, Epidemiology and management of sclerotinia stem rot of canola in 2024 - GRDC
- 19 Feb 2024, Retained canola seed – disease implications - GRDC
- 19 Feb 2024, An integrated approach to effectively manage pulse diseases - GRDC
- 05 Feb 2024, Emerging strategies for managing pulse foliar disease - GRDC
- 11 Jul 2023, Cereal and pulse disease update: 2023 - GRDC
- 27 Jun 2023, Faba bean agronomics for Tasmania - GRDC
- 20 Feb 2023, Pulse disease research update - GRDC
- 13 Feb 2023, Managing sclerotinia stem rot of canola in 2023 - GRDC
Podcasts
Seasonal diseases update for canola and pulses: Northern region - GRDC
29 Aug 2023What signs should growers be looking for, how is and does weather affect decision making and what are the considerations...
