Experts to gather at Crop Protection Forum

The development of resistance to pesticides – in weeds, pests and diseases – poses significant challenges to the Australian grains industry and an upcoming event will discuss the latest research insights relating to this issue.

The 2020 Crop Protection Forum will be held in Perth on December 8 – as a face-to-face event aimed at industry personnel including researchers, agronomists and resellers.

It will be hosted by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)-invested Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI), based at The University of Western Australia (UWA) – in partnership with the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM), a national research centre co-supported by the GRDC and Curtin University, and sustainable agriculture research organisation cesar.

AHRI director Hugh Beckie says the forum will tackle the important questions around crop disease, pest and weed management.

“In addition to specific research updates and findings, some broader industry issues will also be discussed,” Professor Beckie said.

Some of the ‘big picture’ questions to be addressed include: ‘What do agronomists and growers need from researchers that is not already being delivered, and how can agronomists and growers better assist researchers?’, and ‘Why is it important to consider the social aspects of resistance such as the ‘whys’ and ‘why nots’ of growers’ adoption of resistance management strategies?’

Professor Beckie said it was important for questions such as these to be addressed and for researchers from different fields to come together, in order to help deliver a coordinated approach to finding solutions to pesticide resistance.

Presentations on weeds and herbicide resistance will be delivered on the day by AHRI researchers including:

• Mechelle Owen – providing an update on the status of resistance to various Mode of Action (MOA) herbicides in annual ryegrass, wild radish, wild oats and emerging weeds in WA
• Roberto Busi – delivering an efficacy ranking of herbicide solutions (rotation or mixtures) necessary to mitigate resistance across Australia. Includes a benchmark study comparing old and new herbicides
• Mike Ashworth – giving some insights into how weeds are evolving to evade control measures and some tactics to combat this evolutionary response.

Disease and fungicide resistance updates will be delivered by:

• Fran Lopez-Ruiz, CCDM, and Geoff Thomas, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development – providing an overview of the latest developments in fungicide resistance emergence in WA and nationally
• Caroline Moffat and Lars Kamphuis, CCDM – discussing varietal resistance developments in cereals, canola and pulses
• Mark Gibberd (CCDM director) – providing some updates on CCDM projects involving WA growers and agronomists, and discussing industry capability to adopt and adapt fungicide resistance management strategies.

Due to COVID-19, Victorian-based cesar researchers cannot attend the forum in person, but will deliver recorded presentations and be available in real time to answer questions relevant to their topics, including fall armyworm, redlegged earth mite, diamondback moth and green peach aphid.

Each of the cesar spokespeople will discuss the latest pest-related research and development that is relevant to WA.

DPIRD’s Ben Congdon will be available in person to deliver his presentation on controlling green peach aphid and turnip yellows virus.

WeedSmart’s Peter Newman will wrap up the day by facilitating a panel session in which some of WA’s leading agronomists will discuss how to encourage growers to embrace new tools to combat the evolution of pesticide resistance.

Mr Newman will also provide his insights into ‘how adults learn’ and the latest research in this area.

Lunch will be at the Royal Perth Yacht Club and a sundowner will be held at the end of the day, with drinks and nibbles included in the ticket price.

The one-day forum will be held in the Wesfarmers Lecture Theatre at UWA’s Business School on December 8, 2020. For more information or to register, visit the GRDC events page.

An early bird discount is on offer until November 17.

Contact details

Contact

media@grdc.com.au GRDC communication manager – west
0427 189 827
media@grdc.com.au

Lisa Mayer, AHRI manager
0414 841 862
lisa.mayer@uwa.edu.au