TWO Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) reports put the annual cost of cereal diseases at an estimated $1.165 billion – $913 million for wheat and $252m for barley.
James Clark, GRDC northern panel chair launched the reports at the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS) conference in Newcastle.
“Wheat diseases cause an estimated current average annual loss of $913 million, or $76.64 per hectare, to the Australian wheat industry,” Mr Clark says.
“This loss is 19.5 per cent of the average annual value of the wheat crop over the past decade.
“The top five wheat diseases across Australia include stripe rust, yellow spot, cereal cyst nematode, stem rust and crown rot.”
The barley report is the first detailed study on barley disease losses and provides a benchmark to track and compare future changes.
“Barley diseases cause an estimated current average annual loss of $252 million, or $66.49 per hectare, to the Australian barley industry,” he says.
“This amounts to 19.5 per cent of the average annual value of the barley crop for 10 years.
“Nationally, five diseases dominate these losses including net blotch-spot form, powdery mildew, cereal cyst nematode, Pratylenchus neglectus and leaf rust.”
Mr Clark says the wheat report details results Gordon Murray and John Brennan’s third study on the economic impacts of wheat diseases and is the first report since 1998.
* More details: www.grdc.com.au/diseasescostswhea t and www.grdc.com.au/diseasescostsbarl ey
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