Crop disease forecasting

The crop protection and diagnostics team at NPARU combines research into investigating the detection and control of plant pathogens within cropping systems together with the commercial element of providing forecasts for growers.

NPARU has developed mathematical models to predict when disease infection can occur and air samplers that can collect airborne disease. Growers can monitor from the computer at home when the crop is at risk from infection.

On days when a high reading is given a ‘pregnancy-style’ rapid detection test can be used in the field to determine whether disease is in the air. Using all of this information together allows growers to improve crop production and only apply fungicides if absolutely necessary.