Get your disease plan set
High risk season for chickpeas
LAST winter conditions were very conducive to ascochyta, botrytis, phytophthora and sclerotinia diseases in chickpea crops throughout the northern grain growing belt and given that there is large amounts of inoculum of these pathogens available to infect 2017 chickpea crops, a good disease plan will be essential for this winter cropping period.
Current volunteer chickpea seedlings in fallows are exhibiting signs of disease.
Disease management in successful chickpea crops should start from day zero.
At Elders we believe that prevention is better than cure when it comes to minimising the risk of losses in yield, marketability and income from ‘in-crop’ disease.
Fungal disease control is geared around protection rather than curing.
As the crop’s maximum yield potential is set genetically, all efforts need to go into preventing any loss of yield wherever possible.
A good fungicide program should ensure that the first fungicide spray is applied as early as necessary to minimise the spread of the disease.
Additional sprays are required if the weather conditions favour the disease.
A fungicide spray at the commencement of flowering protects early pod set.
Additional protection may be needed in longer growing seasons until the end of flowering.
Fungicides remain effective for approximately two to three weeks. Keep in mind that all new growth after spraying is unprotected.
In periods of rapid growth and intense rain (50mm over several days) the protection period will reduce to around 10 days.
Timing of fungicide sprays
is critical.
As ascochyta (AB) and botrytis (BGM) can spread rapidly, do not delay spraying.
A spray in advance of a rainy period is most desirable.
Despite some fungicide washing off, the disease will be controlled. Delaying until after a rainy period will decrease the effectiveness of the fungicide as the disease has started to spread.
The need for repeated fungicide sprays depends on the amount of unprotected
growth, the amount of rainfall since spraying and the likelihood of a further extended rainy period.
Unprotected crops can lose over 50% in yield.
In severe cases the crop may drop all its leaves, branches and pods.
The other consideration is resistance management.
The best practice to avoid resistance is to ensure you have a good rotation of chemistry in the program.
Most programs provide for an early Mancozeb spray at three weeks post emergence followed by Chlorothalonil 720 fungicide applications and then utilise new co-formulation products of an Azoxystrobin and Tebuconazole.
Please check with Pulse Australia or the APVMA if products are registered for use or hold an emergency or minor use permit.
Always read the label and follow the registered label instructions.