THE Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) is looking to develop susceptibility ratings for Fusarium crown rot in oats.
DAFWA research officer Daniel Huberli established two oat trials to evaluate the plant's yield response to crown rot in a low rainfall site at Merredin and a high rainfall location at Pingelly as part of the two-year project.
"We will be testing six varieties at each location, including Bannister, Carrolup, Kojonup, Mitika, Williams, Yallara and new oat variety WA02Q302-9 to be released next month," he said.
"Two wheat varieties with known yield responses to crown rot have been included as controls - Emu Rock, one of the least susceptible varieties, and Mace, which is more susceptible.
"These sites will be inoculated with crown rot and run under typical paddock management systems."
He said oat production has expanded significantly in WA in recent years and moving into low to medium rainfall areas where crown rot is more prevalent.
"However, little is known about the impact of crown rot on oat yields in these areas and how growing oats influences the inoculum for the following year's wheat crop," Dr Huberli said.
He said soil borne diseases, including crown rot, cost WA graingrowers an estimated $105 million a year in yield and quality losses.
Crown rot in oats was also more difficult to diagnose, as it expressed differently than wheat.
"It is not often that you get the white heads like you do in wheat and it can also be difficult to see the brown in the crowns," Dr Huberli said.
He said in comparable bread wheat varieties, crown rot could cause an estimated 16 per cent yield penalty in oats.
"There are some differences in the susceptibility between oat varieties and the oat variety susceptibility ratings would assist growers make more informed decisions about variety selection to minimise the risk of crown rot to their crops," Dr Huberli said.
"Variety selection is one of the most important decision tools for grain producers to optimise their crop production and profitability."
The project will also examine the level of crown rot pathogen in different oat varieties and the impact on the following year's wheat crop.
"This research will provide baseline information on whether there is an added benefit from sowing oats to reduce the level of disease," he said.
DAFWA researchers were also seeking input from oat growers who have experienced crown rot in their crops.
"We are particularly interested to hear from growers who have planted oats this year in paddocks that were previously sown to wheat that experienced crown rot, who would be willing to monitor for evidence of the disease in this year's oat crop," Dr Huberli said.
The field trials are supported by a survey of the oat National Variety Trials, so the research trial findings can be extended to a broader area.
It complements the department's work as part of the National Crown Rot project, funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), which is examining the impact of the disease on new and existing wheat and barley varieties.
Susceptibility ratings for crown rot are expected to be included in future variety sowing guides for oats and the results extended to breeding companies to assist the development of new, improved oat lines.
