GRAINgrowers are being urged to increase their knowledge of fungicide resistance risks and optimal fungicide management in their cropping systems.
Cases of fungicide resistance have been reported in a wide variety of crops and all Australian growing regions over recent seasons.
The problem is a major threat to effective disease control in grain production.
Now, a new Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) podcast series aims to help growers understand how fungicide resistance develops and how they can prevent it from becoming an issue in their cropping programs.
The podcasts have been produced by the Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network, a significant investment by the GRDC, co-ordinated through the Centre for Crop Disease Management (CCDM) - a co-investment between the GRDC and Curtin University.
CCDM program leader for Fungicide Resistance Management and Disease Impacts Fran Lopez-Ruiz said the alternative to integrated disease management was a very adverse situation.
"Growers could see fungicides start to fail, which would require increased chemical inputs with negative implications for grain yield and quality and for the environment," Dr Lopez-Ruiz said.
"If we can keep disease levels lower, that reduces the inputs required to control them."
The series focuses on the 'Fungicide Resistance Five' (FR-5) - a series of practical, onfarm steps growers can take to implement an integrated disease management strategy that reduces disease pressure and minimises their reliance on fungicides for disease control.
Over six episodes, regional plant pathology and fungicide resistance experts detail the key principles of the strategy and how growers can put them into practice.
It is hoped widespread adoption of the FR-5 strategy will help protect the long-term efficacy of current fungicides by reducing disease pressure in crops and encouraging sustainable fungicide management.