Regional crown rot management trials: summary 2013

Abstract

Key findings • Two durum and ten bread wheat varieties were evaluated in the presence of added or no added crown rot inoculum across 11 field sites in 2013. Under high crown rot pressure (added CR inoculum) Suntop[PBR] was 0.42 t/ha, LRPB Lancer[PBR] 0.51 t/ha, Sunguard[PBR] 0.61 t/ha and LRPB Spitfire[PBR] 0.63 t/ha higher yielding than EGA_Gregory[PBR] on average across sites. • Where no additional CR was added EGA_Gregory[PBR] had similar yield to other varieties at sites with low background levels of crown rot but was between 0.52 t/ha (Suntop[PBR]) to 0.37 t/ha (Sunguard[PBR]) lower yielding at sites with medium–high background levels of crown rot. • EGA_Gregory[PBR] production should be specifically targeted to paddocks with lower levels of crown rot risk based on testing such as PreDicta B. • Some newer wheat varieties have a measurable improvement in their tolerance to crown rot but these current levels are not a complete solution to crown rot. The best varieties still suffered up to 34% and 41% yield loss at the two sites with the highest impact from crown rot infection.