Effect of rotation with barley and oats on crown rot of wheat in the northern wheat belt of New South Wales

Abstract

We investigated the incidence of Fusarium graminearum Group 1 (infection, stem colonisation) and crown rot in 3-year crop sequences of 1 or 2 years of barley, oats, or mown oats followed by wheat, compared with 3 years of wheat. Seed was sown into the stubble of the previous crop. Stubble production was estimated for each cereal treatment. Plants of each cereal were infected by the crown rot pathogen. Oats were susceptible to infection but did not express symptoms of crown rot in 2 years of the trial. Oats can, therefore, be considered a symptomless host that may contribute to the maintenance of inoculum. The overall mean incidence of infected plants increased from 12% in 1987 to 81% in 1989. The various treatments did not significantly reduce the incidence of infected wheat plants in November of the final year. The incidence of crown rot of wheat in 1989 was greatest after 2 prior wheat crops and lowest after 1 or 2 years of mown oats. The 3 species produced a similar amount of straw by weight; however, mown oats produced significantly less. Oat straw decomposed more rapidly than that of other cereals in controlled conditions.