Poster Presentation Science Protecting Plant Health 2017

Winter cereal responses to root and crown rot pathogens (#332)

Ahmed Saad 1 , Anke Martin 1 , Noel Knight 1 , Alison Kelly 2 , Cassandra Percy 1
  1. Unviersity of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia
  2. Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Leslie Research Facility, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia

 

Winter cereals can be colonized by a number of different soil-borne organisms including crown rot (CR) and common root rot (CRR) pathogens which can have a devastating economic impact on the agriculture sectors. In Australia, Fusarium pseudograminearum (Fp) and Fusarium culmorum (Fc) are the two main fungi causing CR in winter cereals. Fusarium graminearum (Fg) is an important pathogen reported to cause CR in other parts of the world. Bipolaris sorokiniana (Bs) is associated with common root rot in Australia and internationally has been grouped with Fusarium species as part of a root rot complex. The host reaction of these pathogens causing CR and CRR on winter cereals has not been fully investigated. Bread wheat (cv. Livingston), durum wheat (cv. Hyperno), barley (cv. Grimmett), triticale (cv. Endeavour) and oat (cv. Genie) were inoculated with two isolates each of the four pathogens (Fp, Fc, Fg and Bs) in field trials conducted at the Wellcamp Research Station QLD. The impact these isolates have on each of the hosts at tillering, flowering and maturity will be detailed. At each of the three harvest times disease severity, plant height, shoot biomass and yield characteristics were determined. Preliminary data indicates the greatest expression of disease was observed in Livingston and Grimmett, while Genie showed lower levels of disease. In addition, Fp had the greatest impact on germination.