GRDC Grains Research and Development : European lessons shared on fungicide resistance

Danish researcher Lise Jorgensen will address the growing issue of fungicide resistance at the GRDC Grains Research Update, Perth.

Leading Danish researcher Lise Jorgensen will be a keynote speaker at Western Australia's premier grains research forum, providing advice on how growers can manage the growing issue of fungicide resistance. Ms Jorgensen is a senior scientist at the Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University (Flakkebjerg).

Her talk will take place on the second day of the Grains Research and Development Corporation's (GRDC) Grains Research Update, Perth, to be held at the Crown Perth on February 27 and 28.

'Living with fungicide resistance - lessons for WA grain growers' will be presented in conjunction with Fran Lopez-Ruiz, of the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) at Curtin University.

Dr Lopez-Ruiz leads the Fungicide Resistance Group at the GRDC-supported CCDM, which conducts cutting-edge crop disease research into genetics, breeding and fungicides and improving agronomy and farm management practices.

The areas of Ms Jorgensen's research include: disease management; disease forecasting; fungicide efficacy and resistance in cereals and other crops; and concentrating on the optimisation and minimisation of fungicide use in cereals and fungicide resistance.

'WA grain growers are seeing the first signs of fungicide resistance to chemicals used to control plant diseases,' she said.

'Similarly to herbicide resistance, this can lead to rapid escalations in the cost of managing disease in grain crops.

'I will discuss my research and outline management strategies used by European farmers, who have already been dealing with fungicide resistance for a number of years.

'I will also offer suggestions about how the Australian grains industry and growers can manage fungicide resistance before it becomes a major problem.'

The GRDC Grains Research Update, Perth, provides information about the latest innovations and research results and helps fine-tune growers' management strategies for the coming season.

It will boast five international experts and more than 50 presenters delivering the latest grains research and development (R&D) information for WA grain growers and advisers.

The two-day GRDC Grains Research Update in Perth will be complemented by three one-day GRDC Grains Research Update events to be held in Mingenew, Kendenup and Merredin to enable growers to access a subset of the available information of particular relevance to that region.

These regional events will be held at the Mingenew Recreation Centre on February 24, the Kendenup Lodge on March 7 and the Merredin Recreation Centre on March 9.

Discounts apply for early-bird registrations for Perth's GRDC Grains Research Update until January 29, 2017.

To register or for more information, please visit the GIWA website by following this link. More information can be obtained by contacting event coordinator the Grain Industry Association of WA on 08 6262 2128 or email [e-mail].

For Interviews

Rachel Nash, Grain Industry Association of WA 08 6262 2128
[e-mail]

GRDC Project Code GIA00004

Region West