University joins consortium to fight Australian crop diseases

Airborne and soil-based pathogens can pose major problems to Australia's farmers. Revenue losses can either be extreme or moderate, depending on the type of plants being grown.

The variety of diseases Australian growers have to contend with incite the need for specific types of crop insurance. Coverage details are often determined by the risks associated with a farmer's land, what they're growing, any diseases that may infect their plantations and other information.

The persistence of foreign invaders

Globalisation has not only opened up business to foreign economies, but also exposed domestic farmers to alien pathogens.

For example, in 2014, the University of Sydney's Plant Breeding Institute discovered a new type of disease that likely originated outside of Australia. After conducting various DNA "fingerprinting" tests, the researchers confirmed that it was an exotic wheat rust. The disease's foreign origins indicates that many farmers are contending with pathogens they may be unfamiliar with.

University receives financial backing

While crop insurance coverage is typically regarded as a reliable form of income security, university researchers and scientists working at non-profits are studying ways to combat known crop diseases.

Recently, Curtin University's Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) was awarded a grant to work with European institutions studying wheat biology. The overarching purpose is to analyse crop genetics to combat some of Europe and Australia's most prevalent wheat pathogens.

The ERA-CAPS grant will focus on finding ways to reduce the fiscal impact of three wheat diseases - Septoria nodorum blotch, Septoria tritici blotch and Tan Spot.

"At the CCDM we focus on necrotrophic effectors - which are proteins secreted by the fungal pathogen that cause disease symptoms. Over the past few years, we have helped breeders use these effectors to distinguish which wheat varieties are resistant to disease saving the Australian grains industry nearly $100 million per annum in yield gains," said CCDM Chief Scientist Professor Richard Oliver in an April 23 press release.

It's certainly good news that there are so many institutions committed to analysing wheat diseases. The University of Adelaide maintained that wheat production generates, on average, $5 billion in revenue for the Australian economy every year.

Although research is certainly positive, some farmers may want to speak with a farm insurance provider to see how they can protect their income in the event crop devastation occurs.