Investment

Septoria avenae blotch is a significant oat disease especially in Western Australia where almost all oat crops have some level of Septoria infection. Average yield losses from Septoria in the high rainfall zone are approximately 15% and result in significant economic loss. The Septoria pathogen population is diverse, making breeding for durable resistance difficult and to date little work has been undertaken to identify and characterise genetic sources of resistance to Septoria avenae blotch.

The aim of this program of work is to investigate the evolution and virulence of the pathogen population, establish Septoria avenae blotch differential sets and identify novel sources of resistance to provide breeders with the germplasm and tools to breed varieties with durable resistance to Septoria.