Effective Control of Blackleg of Canola

Canola in the 2nd most valuable grain crop in Australia producing 7.8 million tonnes in 2022. Blackleg is a devastating disease of canola, without control, canola cannot be produced in Australia. Blackleg is an ongoing concern as the populations constantly evolve to overcome genetic resistance and fungicides and has created new issues such as branch and pod infection (termed upper canopy infection, UCI) in response to changed growing practices. Consequently, ongoing research is required to manage this constantly changing pathogen; if blackleg knowledge is continually updated, the Australian canola industry can continue to thrive. Blackleg is currently controlled by genetic resistance, fungicides and farmer cultural practices. This GRDC investment will monitor cultivar resistance and provide resistance breakdown warning to growers and industry. Knowledge will be provided to breeders so that strategies to enhance durability of resistance and consequently canola production can be developed. Pathogen monitoring will occur across all canola producing states. Blackleg in recent years has caused disease in the reproductive parts of canola plants (UCI), this is due to farmers sowing crops earlier and crops now flowering in the late winter which is still conducive for pathogen infection. This project will investigate the effects of crop development timing, cultivar resistance, fungicide application, pathogen population and environmental conditions on UCI. The project will work with agronomists to develop management plans for growers.