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Fungicide resistance awareness in the spotlight

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Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), Media Release, 10 November 2021

Grain growers and advisers are invited to take part in a national Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN) survey to gauge awareness of fungicide resistance issues and management.

Whether you consider yourself an expert, a responsible fungicide user, or just want an idea of how your current knowledge measures up, your participation will be valuable to AFREN’s ongoing fungicide resistance extension work.

Plant pathologists suggest using foliar fungicides to manage sclerotinia stem rot in districts at high risk of disease development. These include areas where the disease frequently occurs, where there is a long flowering period and reliable spring rainfall. Plants become susceptible to infection when flowering starts. Photo courtesy GRDC.

AFREN represents a significant investment by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), in partnership with the Centre for Crop Disease Management at Curtin University and a network of regional plant pathologists, disease management experts and extension specialists.

The anonymous survey is being conducted online and takes an estimated 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

GRDC Grower Relations Manager – South, Randall Wilksch, says fungicide resistance education is a major focus area of for the GRDC

“Fungicides are essential chemical tools in all cropping regions of Australia and their continued effectiveness is a key factor in achieving optimum grain yields.”

“Understanding current levels of grower and adviser knowledge will help us maximise our extension efforts.”

The GRDC is making a significant investment in fungicide resistance awareness through its Australia Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN) project, operated in partnership with the Centre for Crop Disease Management (CCDM) at Curtin University.

This survey is designed to measure any changes in behaviour following an initial baseline survey conducted in 2020, which had solid engagement from across Australian growers, advisers and agronomists.

AFREN includes a wide range of practical resources for growers and advisers, including a comprehensive Fungicide Resistance Management Guide, fact sheets, case studies, regional webinars and local workshops with leading regional plant pathologists.

These resources and more general information can be accessed any time via the AFREN website at https://afren.com.au.

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