Field pea sowing guide can help reduce blackspot risk

Western Australian growers can use an online resource to help them seed field peas at the best time to minimise yield losses from blackspot disease and other agronomic factors.

Information generated from the ‘G2 Blackspot Manager’ model is available by clicking on ‘Field pea blackspot management guide for WA’ at www.agric.wa.gov.au/cropdisease

The model was developed by the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA), in collaboration with the South Australian Research and Development Institute and Victoria’s Department of Primary Industries, under a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded project.

DAFWA project manager Moin Salam said the tool advised growers in different districts about the risks of seeding field peas at certain times.

"The model takes into account agronomic issues such as frost and yield penalties from late sowing, combined with blackspot disease risk, which is largely determined by summer and autumn conditions,” Dr Salam said.

"Field peas should be sown so that the majority of blackspot spores – about 60 per cent – have been released prior to crop emergence.”