Project details
Status: Completed
Fungicide resistance is an increasing global threat to agricultural productivity that has recently impacted the Australian pyrethrum industry, supplying 60 per cent of the world’s natural insecticidal pyrethrins.
“In about 2009, the local pyrethrum industry started to notice control failures where fungicides were not performing effectively, which suggested some pathogens may be developing resistance,” Dr Jason Scott said.
“Fungal diseases can result in severe yield losses which pose a risk to the pyrethrum industry’s continued productivity and sustainability.
“Our research found that over-reliance on a particular chemical can lead to resistance and that tan spot disease has a high capacity to develop resistance to a broad range of chemicals.”
Differential development of fungicide resistance in different fungal pathogens of pyrethrum provides a unique opportunity to:
- study the drivers of resistance evolution;
- determine the molecular basis of fungicide resistance;
- evaluate fitness costs to pathogens associated with resistance;
- clarify the role of dose rate in resistance development; and
- develop diagnostic tools for resistance monitoring and management.
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