An opportunity to work with some of the nation’s leading researchers and practitioners – to help address the rising challenge of fungicide, herbicide and insecticide resistance – is being offered to the Australian grains industry ahead of the 2019 cropping season.
The 2018 Crop Protection Forum, to be held in South Australia on December 6, will feature a line-up of speakers who will discuss evolving resistance, new research aimed at tackling the issues and innovations to manage them.
The one-day forum, ‘Riders of the storm of resistance’, is presented by the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) – a national research centre co-supported by Curtin University and the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
The forum is in partnership with the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative and research organisation Cesar.
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CCDM co-director Karam Singh, who will chair the opening session with a focus on the impact and management of chemical resistance, said resistance to agricultural chemicals is here now and will continue to evolve and challenge the Australian industry into the future.
“For the industry to tackle resistance head-on, we need a co-ordinated approach and that’s where the Crop Protection Forum fits in,” said Singh.
“The forum brings together agronomists, advisers, growers, practitioners, resellers and researchers to tackle the important questions and solutions around crop disease, pest and weed control and management.
“Delegates will hear from key researchers and others about what they’re finding and the implications for paddock practices,” said Singh.
The first session features presentations from CCDM’s Fran Lopez-Ruiz on fungicide resistance, the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative’s Roberto Busi on herbicide alphabet cross-resistance, and Cesar’s James Maino on predicting insecticide resistance and risk.
A panel of experts will guide a workshop session designed to give workshop participants a fresh look at their strategies and tactics for the 2019 cropping season.
The panel includes CSIRO farming systems scientist and research group leader, Rick Llewellyn, who brings to the discussion an extensive knowledge of weed control, backed by a mix of farming systems field research, strategies for technology adoption and agricultural economics.
The panellists will help identify the implications of resistance and key messages raised at the forum that agronomists and advisers can use in preparation for the 2019 growing season.
Registrations for the 2018 Crop Protection Forum at Glenelg in South Australia are now open.