Gordon Murray and John Brennan

Overall, wheat diseases have the potential to cause very significant costs for farmers. Measures to overcome those potential costs, including varietal choice, cultural practices, crop rotations and the use of fungicides, play an important role in the location and nature of wheat production in Australia. Even after these measures have been taken to reduce losses, Australian farmers still suffer significant losses each year from wheat diseases.

In this report, detailed information on the present costs of diseases and the potential costs if current control measures are not maintained are presented. Awareness of those costs
will allow decision-makers to allocate the research and development resources to most effective use, while farmers will also be in a position to make better-informed judgments about the type and levels of controls to apply in their district.

This report estimates the status of wheat disease losses in the first decade of the 21st century. It demonstrates changes that have occurred and provides a benchmark to judge future changes.

Region National

• 1.43 mb Disease Loss Wheat Disease Loss Wheat