Investment

Disease can pose a significant constraint on crop yield due to misdiagnosis and inappropriate disease response. Effective disease management strategies require accurately identifying the disease through visual symptoms or laboratory diagnosis; however, misdiagnosis of disease is common due to symptoms often being confused with other diseases or abiotic stresses. In lieu of easily accessible and comprehensive tools for in-paddock identification of disease, there is an opportunity to upskill advisers in their own ability to identify disease symptoms. Additionally, as single tactic disease management strategies may not always be effective, it is often necessary to take an integrated management approach, using a combination of tactics to ensure sufficient disease control.

Through the delivery of workshops across GRDC's Northern grains region, this investment will provide advisers with the practical knowledge, skills and resource materials to correctly identify disease and how to effectively manage disease using an integrated approach. Advisers will be better equipped to guide appropriate management decisions through correctly identifying crop disease symptoms and understanding the most effective set of management approaches available.