Sugar Industry Turns Focus To Fusarium Wilt

Sugarcane disease management will be put under the spotlight next month as Sugar Research Australia (SRA) prepares to update growers and millers on Fusarium wilt and new research aimed at improving its control.

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SRA will hold a national online industry update on Tuesday 13th October, bringing together biosecurity, disease screening and research specialists to discuss the disease and answer questions from the sugar industry.

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The session comes as SRA begins a new research project focused specifically on Fusarium wilt control, led by Manager Biosecurity and Disease Screening Dr Shamsul Bhuiyan.

The research is particularly relevant to major sugar-producing districts including Mackay, where disease management remains an important part of maintaining cane productivity.

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Mackay Regional Council estimates around 80,000 hectares of cultivated land across the region is dedicated to sugar production, with approximately 69,000 hectares harvested for cane.

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Disease management is already a major focus locally, with Mackay Area Productivity Services (MAPS) providing growers with advice and plant protection services covering diseases, pests, varieties, nutrition and other productivity issues.

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SRA's Central District Productivity Plan, covering Mackay, Plane Creek and Proserpine, also identifies improving the industry's understanding and management of pests and diseases as a regional priority.

Research and variety development are another part of that defence.

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SRA's Central Region breeding program targets the needs of the Mackay, Plane Creek and Proserpine industries, with potential varieties assessed for productivity and resistance to diseases before reaching commercial growers.

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In August, SRA reported disease screening was progressing for a range of sugarcane threats including smut, leaf scald, Fiji gall, red rot, mosaic and Pachymetra, alongside the newly agreed Fusarium wilt project.

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The organisation is also working to get improved varieties to growers sooner, with around 100,000 seedlings progressing across its northern, Burdekin and Central regions during August.

For Mackay growers, the upcoming Fusarium session adds to a broader focus on preventing diseases from eroding productivity in one of Australia's major cane-growing districts.

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The 30-minute Fusarium Wilt: Australian Industry Update will run online from 11am to 11:30am on Tuesday 13th October.

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SRA Manager Biosecurity and Disease Screening Dr Shamsul Bhuiyan, Central District Manager Dylan Wedel and General Manager Research and Development Dr Tinashe Chiurugwi will present, followed by a question-and-answer session.

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Registration is available through Sugar Research Australia.

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