Projects

Results: The Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) 17-year, $17.5 million investment in cereal rust research has been vindicated by a benefit:cost ratio of 23:1.

According to an independent evaluation by Agtrans Research Ltd, the 1991-2007 investment of $57.6m by GRDC and its research partners, including the University of Sydney, has produced a return of $2.1 billion.

Keith Perrett, GRDC chair says the high returns identified support the Corporation’s view that cereal rust research is one of the most important grains industry investments.

“The national approach taken via the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (ACRCP) has been vital for ensuring research has been cost efficient and effective in its outcomes,” Mr Perrett said.

“Some breeding of resistant cultivars would have occurred without the ACRCP but the degree of disease resistance produced would have been lower and total breeding costs higher than with the ACRCP,” he said.

“Yield losses would have been higher and more fungicides would have been used.

“The analysis shows only half the protection from rust would have been achieved and it would have been associated with additional costs to breeding programs and increased fungicide use in some situations where crops were high yielding.”

Mr Perrett says breeding for disease resistance is a constant challenge as the resistance of older cereal varieties is overcome by the incursion of new rust pathotypes and the continuing evolution of existing strains.

Cereal rust disease has imposed a large cost on the cereal industry throughout its history.

Since 2003 stripe rust infections are estimated to have cost farmers between $40m and $90m per annum in fungicides alone.

ACRCP activities include annual pathogenicity surveys for all cereal rust pathogens in Australia, genetic research aimed at identifying and characterising new sources of resistance, and germplasm screening and enhancement service to all Australian cereal breeding groups.

The program covers:

• stem rust, leaf rust and stripe rust of wheat;
• leaf rust, stem rust and barley grass stripe rust of barley;
• crown rust and stem rust of oats;
• stem rust, leaf rust and stripe rust of triticale; and 
• leaf rust and stem rust of cereal rye.
  

Mr Perrett says industry, environmental and social benefits include:

• A reduction in the frequency and severity of rust epidemics;
• Avoiding high yield losses by using resistant varieties in the absence of fungicides; 
• Improved gross margins for growers taking a risk management approach to the varietal and fungicide mix based on information from the pathogen surveys;
• Higher soil moisture storage, less erosion, and reduced export of contaminants into waterways; and
• Contribution to national food security.