GRAIN growers are being urged to check wheat crops after reports of Victoria's first stripe-rust outbreak this season.
The Department of Primary Industries Senior Plant Pathologist Dr Grant Hollaway said the outbreaks, in the Mallee, were not unexpected, following reports of the disease in Queensland and northern NSW.
This season's early break and sowing of crops, coupled with wetter seasonal conditions had been favourable for rust development, Dr Hollaway said.
Croppers need to begin checking their paddocks and be ready to spray if necessary.
The disease is better managed by applying fungicides early in the epidemic rather than later.
Stripe rust is easiest to identify in the morning. Look for yellow stripes of pustules on the older leaves. The pustules are raised above the leaf surface and can be easily wiped off on to a white cloth or tissue leaving a yellow stain.
Last season, stripe rust was detected in regions at tillering and a spray was required in many varieties to protect green leaf area until the onset of adult plant resistance, which starts around ear emergence in certain varieties.
Stripe rust can cause considerable damage with losses of up to 50 per cent in susceptible varieties.
For further information visit http://ww.dpi.vic.gov.au/notes or phone DPI Horsham on (03) 5362 2111.
