Australia
April 30, 2013

Victorian field pea growers can now access information online to assist in reducing the risk of blackspot infection in this year’s crops.

Blackspot spore release times and time of sowing guides to minimise the risk of spore infection are now available via the Blackspot Manager website, www.agric.wa.gov.au/cropdisease.

Supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), the Blackspot Manager model for Victoria was developed by Dr Moin Salam of Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, and is run in conjunction with the Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries.

Estimated to reduce field pea yields by 15 per cent, blackspot is a significant disease for field pea growers.

Mature blackspot spores are released into the air from infected stubble following a rainfall event.

By knowing when that risk is highest, the sowing date of field peas can be manipulated to minimise exposure to the airborne blackspot spores.

Primary infection of blackspot is reduced if field pea crops are sown after the majority of blackspot spores have been released from infected pea stubble.

Other factors that assist in minimising the incidence of blackspot include avoiding planting pea crops adjacent to pea stubbles and avoiding water logging.

More information about blackspot and other pulse diseases is available from the GRDC, via www.grdc.com.au/diseaselinks.

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

Published: April 30, 2013