Frank Henry, Jason Brand and Joshua Fanning, Horsham1 / February 2015
What's New: Resistance ratings for root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus thornei and P. neglectus) have been added to the resistance tables for field pea and lentil varieties.
Resistant cultivars will on average reduce nematode densities or maintain them at low levels. Susceptible cultivars will increase nematode densities or maintain them at levels which will cause yield loss in subsequent intolerant cultivars. For detailed information consult the definitions on the NVT website.
Season summary 2014: With an early break in most areas of the southern region all the major pulse diseases emerged early during 2014. However, they failed to develop due to dry conditions and severe frosts from August onwards. The exception being bacterial blight of field peas, which was aggravated by frost damage.
Aphid numbers were high during 2014. The main aphids trapped at Horsham were the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) and the oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi). The green peach aphid spreads many pulse viruses, including Beet western yellows virus (BWYV). The oat aphid is an important vector for Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) in cereals. However, few pulse viruses were detected in samples tested at Horsham during 2014.
Dr. Mohammad Aftab (Virologist, DEDJTR1 Horsham) tested 68 pulse crops samples for viruses during 2014. Of 222 plants tested for viruses, four plants tested positive to BWYV, three to Alfalfa Mosaic Virus and two to Cucumber Mosaic Virus.
Dry conditions and frosts in the latter part of winter killed aphids and prevented the possible spread of BWYV to pulses in spring. BWYV is not seed-borne.
Implications for 2015: Significant summer rains over much of the southern cropping region have produced a 'green bridge' of self-sown pulses and weeds. As these plants can host a range of insect pests and diseases over the summer, they need to be removed before sowing to protect newly emerging crops (see Integrated Disease Management, page 4).
The dry finish and frosts seen during 2014 will affect seed quality, therefore it is important to check and test seed before sowing (see Seed Quality, page 4).
Chickpeas: Ascochyta rabiei (recently renamed Phoma rabiei) was widespread in self-sown chickpeas in June 2014, but failed to develop as dry conditions from late winter onwards did not favour disease. Nevertheless, it will be important to monitor chickpea crops for ascochyta during 2015. This includes varieties with an 'R' rating as all current chickpea varieties are susceptible to ascochyta infection on pods.
Field peas: Due to frosty conditions, bacterial blight was observed in some regions. Bacterial blight can be seed borne, so it will be important to sow disease free seed. Ascochyta blight of field peas was observed earlier in the season on the stems, it did not spread as conditions dried out.
Early sowing of field peas can be desirable to maximise grain yield, however, this can lead to significant crop losses from blackspot, as ascochyta spores are released from stubble early in the season. Fortunately, Blackspot Manager, an ascochyta blight forecasting model, can be used by growers to help identify the best balance between early sowing and potential yield loss from ascochyta. Blackspot manager is updated often during the sowing season.
Field peas play an important role in crop rotations, and in particular with root lesion nematode control. However, current research has shown that Kaspa is not as resistant as some other field pea varieties to Pratylenchus thornei and therefore if nematode control is an aim in the rotations then resistance ratings will play an important part in variety selection.
Lentils: Ascochyta blight of lentils was observed during July 2014 with mild conditions allowing it to develop earlier than usual in the spring. The drier spring meant that Ascochyta did not develop. Limited occurrence of Botrytis grey mould had no impact on crops.
Most lentil cultivars are more resistant to root lesion nematode than cereals and provide useful nematode control.
There were isolated incidents of Etiella damage to lentil crops where crops were not monitored and adult moths were not controlled prior to egg lay.
Faba beans: Faba bean crops had low levels of Cercospora and chocolate spot early in the season. In general, chocolate spot was well managed, but if pods were infected it will be important to check seed before sowing.
Lupins: There were a number of lupin root rot reports during the growing season, with Pleiochaeta setosa the most likely cause during 2014.
Vetch: Rust was detected early in the season but failed to develop. Botrytis and ascochyta were the main disease of vetch, especially in early sown crops.
Note that each Ascochyta species is crop specific.
Crop protection products: There are often changes to permits for the use of fungicides in pulse crops. See Pulse Australia’s website for recent information on Crop Protection Products.
Chickpea Disease Reactions 2015 courtesy Pulse Breeding Australia Lentil Disease Reactions 2015 courtesy Pulse Breeding Australia
No variety with a R resistant rating is immune to disease, and fungicide application may be required under severe disease pressure.
Variety / Botrytis grey mould / Ascochyta blight / Variety / Ascochyta blight / Botrytisgrey mould / Root lesion nematode
(Pratylenchus)
Foliage / Stem / Pod / Foliar / Pod / P. neglectus / P. thornei
DESI / Small red seed
Ambar / S / R / S / Nipper / MRMS / MR / R / RMRp / MRp
Genesis 509 / MS / R / S / PBA Bounty / MRMS / MS / MS
Howzat / MS / S / S / PBA Herald XT / R / R / R / MRMSp / MRp
Neelam / S / R / S / PBA Hurricane XT / MR / R / MRMS / MRMSp / MRp
PBA Maiden / S / MR / S / Medium red seed
PBA Slasher / S / Rp / S / Nugget / MRMS / MRMS / MRMS / MRMSp / MRp
PBA Striker / S / MR / S / PBA Ace / R / R / MRMS / MRp / MRp
KABULI / PBA Blitz / MR / MRMS / MR / MRMSp / MRp
Almaz / S / MS / S / PBA Bolt / MR / R / S / MRp / MRp
Genesis 079 / S / R / S / PBA Flash / MS / MS / MRMS / MSp / MRp
Genesis 090 / S / Rp / S / Large red seed
Genesis 114 / S / MS / S / Aldinga / MRMS / MS / MS
Genesis Kalkee / S / MS / S / PBA Jumbo / MRMS / S / MS / MRp / MRp
PBA Monarch / S / MS / S / PBA Jumbo2 / R / R / R / MSp / MRp
Medium green lentil
PBA Greenfield / MRMS / MRMS / MR
Large green lentil
Boomer / MR / MRMS / MRMS
PBA Giant / MR / MS / MS
Bean Disease Reactions 2015 courtesy Pulse Breeding Australia Vetch Disease Reactions 2015 courtesy SARDI National Vetch Breeding Program
Variety / Ascochyta blight / Chocolate spot(Botrytis) / Rust / Variety / Rust / Ascochyta / Chocolate spot
(Botrytis)
Foliar / Pod / Common vetch (Vicia sativa)
Broad bean / Blanchefleur / VS / MR / S
Aquadulce / MS / MS / MS / MS / Cummins / VS / MR / S
PBA Kareema / RMR / RMR / MS / MRMS / Languedoc / VS / S / S
Manafest / VS / VS / MS / MS / Morava / R / MS / VS
Faba bean / Rasina / R / MR / S
Farah / RMR / RMR / S / S / Timok / R / MR / MS
Fiord / MS / MS / VS / S / Volga / R / MR / MS
Fiesta VF / MRMS / MS / S / S / Purple vetch (Vicia villosa subsp. benghalensis)
Nura / RMR / RMR / MS / MS / Popany / R / VS / S
PBA Rana / R / R / MS / MS / Woolly pod vetches (Vicia villosa subsp. dasycarpa)
PBA Samira / R / R / MS / MS / Capello / R / S / VS
Haymaker / R / S / VS
Namoi / R / S / VS
RM4 / R / MS / VS
p = These ratings are provisional - treat with caution. R = Resistant RMR = Resistant to moderately resistant MR = Moderately resistant MRMS = Moderately resistant to moderately susceptible MS = Moderately susceptible MSS = Moderately susceptible to susceptible S = Susceptible SVS = Susceptible to very susceptible VS = Very susceptible
Field Pea Disease Reactions 2015 courtesy Pulse Breeding Australia
(Pratylenchus)
(Ascochyta) / (field rating) / Kaspa strain / Parafield strain / Pea seed-borne mosaic virus / Bean leaf roll virus (field rating) / P. neglectus (provisional) / P. thornei (provisional)
Yellow pea grain type
PBA Hayman / Sp / MRp / RMR / R
PBA Pearl / MS / MS / S / R / S / S / R / MRMSp / MRMSp
Sturt / MS / MS / S / MS / S / S / MS / MSp / MRp
Kaspa grain type
Kaspa / MS / S / S / MR / S / S / S / MRMSp / MRMSp
OZP1101 / MS / MRMSp / MS / R / S / S / S / MRMSp / MRMSp
PBA Gunyah / MS / S / S / R / S / S / S / MRp / MRMSp
PBA Twilight / MS / S / S / R / S / S / S / MRMSp / MRMSp
PBA Wharton / MS / S / S / R / R / R / R / MRMSp
Australian Dun grain type
Morgan / MS / MS / S / MR / S / S / Sp / RMRp / MRp
OZP1208 / MS / MRMSp / S / R / S / S / MR / MRp
Parafield / MS / MS / S / S / S / S / S / MRMSp / MRp
PBA Coogee / S / MRMS / Sp / R / Sp / MRMSp
PBA Oura / MRMSp / MRMS / MRMS / MR / S / S / MR / MRMSp / MRMSp
PBA Percy / MS / MR / S / S / S / S / S / MRMSp / RMRp
Lupin Disease Reactions 2015
Variety / Brown leaf spot / Pleiochaeta root rot / CMV / Anthracnose / Phomopsis(seed transmitted) / Stem / Pod
Narrow leaf
Jenabillup / MRMS / R / MR / MS / MS / R
Jindalee / MR / R / MS / S / R / R
Mandelup / MS / R / MS / MR / R / MRMS
Moonah / S / MS / MRMS / MR / MS
PBA Barlock / MS / - / RMR / R / MR / R
PBA Gunyidi / MS / R / MR / MR / R / R
Quilinock / MRMS / R / MR / SVS / MRMS / MS
Wonga / MS / R / R / R / R / R
Albus lupin
Kiev Mutant / MR / VS / R / VS / MR / S
Luxor / MR / R / R / VS / MR / S
Rosetta / MR / MR / R / VS / MR / S
p = These ratings are provisional - treat with caution. R = Resistant RMR = Resistant to moderately resistant MR = Moderately resistant MRMS = Moderately resistant to moderately susceptible MS = Moderately susceptible MSS = Moderately susceptible to susceptible S = Susceptible SVS = Susceptible to very susceptible VS = Very susceptible
Integrated Disease Management
To reduce the risk of disease damage in 2015 growers will need to implement an integrated disease management strategy. This strategy will include sowing healthy seed, knowing the variety resistance rating, using seed dressings, paddock selection and actively monitoring crops for disease to ensure timely foliar fungicide application. It is also important to note that there have been significant summer rainfalls in many regions, and care should be taken to remove the 'green bridge' over the summer and autumn prior to sowing.
Seed quality
Testing seed for germination, vigour and seed-borne diseases before sowing is important to ensure good establishment. Seed borne diseases can affect germination and seedling vigour, especially when conditions were favourable for disease late in the growing season. Infected seed may be smaller, shrivelled or discoloured, depending on the level of infection. In some situations, seed infection may not be noticeable and testing needs to be carried out by specialist laboratories (see list at end of fact sheet). Commercial seed tests also identify seed lots with poor germination/vigour.
Fungicides
Seed treatments are a cheap and effective method for suppressing some diseases.
Fungicide seed treatments do not combine well with rhizobium bacteria used for inoculation. Read the labels for compatibilities. Seed should be treated with fungicide and then, in a separate operation, inoculated with rhizobium just before sowing. Sowing should occur immediately after rhizobium has been applied.
Foliar fungicides are an important part of the integrated management of pulse diseases. Although many pulse varieties are considered resistant to diseases, for example ascochyta blight in chickpeas, they may still require a foliar fungicide application at podding to reduce seed infection and prevent yield and quality loss.
See the Pulse Australia’s Information note Pulse Seed Treatments and Foliar Fungicides for more information.