In this update article we cover the lifecycle of loose smut in barley and how Bayer’s recently registered seed treatment EverGol® Prime can help provide more effective management of this disease next season. EverGol Prime sets a new benchmark for loose smut control in barley. EverGol Prime is registered for the suppression of rhizoctonia root rot and for the control of smut diseases* in wheat and barley.
Why was there so much loose smut around Disease lifecycle: in barley crops again this year? Barley crops infected with loose smut will have the characteristic dark spore Loose smut in barley is internally seed borne so if fi lled heads within the crop which is actually the appearance of infection from you are seeing infected heads then it means your the previous season which has been within the seed. At maturity, the spores will grain source was contaminated. It is the hardest rupture and be spread by wind infecting neighbouring crops at fl owering. Moist of the smut diseases to control because it is an conditions at fl owering combined with mild temperatures will favour infection. Grain internally seed-borne infection and most current infected this season will appear completely normal. When the seed is sown and seed treatments are not fully effective on internally germination occurs the following season, the fungus will begin to grow within the seed borne diseases. plant with a mass of spores replacing the head and continuing the disease cycle. But I used a seed treatment! Diagram 1: Lifecycle of loose smut in barley and wheat. Due to the lifecycle of loose smut, a fungicidal seed treatment that penetrates the seed at germination is required to control the disease. Most smut diseases can be controlled by a seed treatment that sterilises the surface of the seed but this is not the case for loose smut as the fungus is within the seed. Excellent seed treatment coverage of every seed is also required to ensure control. Even with a highly effective seed treatment such as EverGol Prime, control will be reduced if seed treatment coverage is poor. Loose Smut
Loose smut.
Diagram 1 source: Lifecycle adapted from McMullen and Lamey (2000). Seed Treatment for Disease Control, NDSU. Loose Smut in Barley Update
Impacts: Options for disease control: As the disease affects all tillers of plants grown from infected Due to the ability of EverGol Prime to penetrate the seed at seed, if the incidence of disease is high within a crop it will result germination, it offers exceptional control of this disease. in signifi cant yield loss as no grain will form from an infected Trial data in Graph 1 from two trials conducted during the 2013 plant. Additionally, when grain is delivered to receival points, it is season shows how effective EverGol Prime is at registered rates assessed for the presence of loose smut. According to Grain Trade compared to other seed treatments for loose smut control in Australia trading standards, if the level of spores per half litre of Hindmarsh barley. Graph 2 shows further trial data for loose smut grain is high, the whole grain load may be rejected. control in barley.
Graph 1: Loose smut control in Hindmarsh barley (% utc inf) WA trials 2013 (13WE04 & 05)
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30 EverGol Prime EverGol Prime Vibrance® Baytan® T Tri-Power® 80 mL 40 mL 180 mL 100 mL 400 mL
Regans Ford (WE05 - 4%) West Wubin (WE04 - 2.8%) All rates per 100 kg of seed.
EverGol Prime gives outstanding control of barley loose smut beyond many other seed treatments currently in the market place.
Graph 2: Barley Loose Smut Control (Average of 2 Trials *WA31 *NW23)
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30 EverGol Prime Raxil® T Baytan T Dividend® 80 mL 100 mL 100 mL 130 mL
All rates per 100 kg of seed. www.bayercropscience.com.au Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd, 391–393 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East, Vic 3123. ABN 87 000 226 022. Technical enquiries 1800 804 479. EverGol®, Baytan® and Raxil® are Registered Trademarks of the Bayer Group. Seedgrowth™ is a trademark of the Bayer Group. December 2013