Australia
March 7, 2012

Selecting varieties with improved resistance and timely applications of effective fungicides are two key strategies for preventing and controlling barley powdery mildew.

This is a key message outlined in a new Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) resource aimed at helping Western Australian growers minimise losses from powdery mildew in barley in 2012.

Barley powdery mildew is a damaging fungal disease caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp hordei (BGH), which is specific to barley and barley grass

The GRDC Barley Powdery Mildew Fact Sheet – Control Strategies for Powdery Mildew has been mailed to growers in the March/April edition of the GRDC magazine Ground Cover and is available at www.grdc.com.au/GRDC-FS-Barley-Powdery-Mildew-R11

A single gene mutation in populations of the powdery mildew pathogen has caused disease control failure by some triazole fungicides, contributing to substantial economic losses incurred by WA barley growers in 2010 and 2011.

The new GRDC fact sheet covers in detail issues including symptoms; sources of infection; disease risk factors; variety selection; different types of disease resistance; effective fungicides; effecti

Website: http://www.grdc.com.au

Published: March 7, 2012