GRDC national manager diseases Alan Little, WA DPIRD principal research scientist Jean Galloway, DPIRD research scientist Dr Harry Eslick and GRDC senior manager crop protection Emma Colson with the newly released NetBlotchBM app. Photo: Lumens Photography/GRDC

BARLEY growers can now access a new app to help minimise damage from the net blotch fungal disease.

Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development principal research scientist Jean Galloway said net blotch was a common disease which reduced crop yield and grain quality.

“The NetBlotchBM app supports growers and consultants to examine the best management strategy to reduce the disease in barley and increase profits,” Ms Galloway said.

“The decision support tool assists growers with foliar fungicide application decisions and the likely economic returns from those decisions.”

NetBlotchBM is part of a suite of disease management tools developed by WA DPIRD through the National Disease Modelling projects with co-investment by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

“NetBlotchBM works for both net and spot form net blotch, with multiple options allowing the user to enter parameters that best reflect their circumstances.

“The user can specify factors relating to paddock selection, variety, seasonal conditions, prices and management options.

“The user can then explore their options for disease control, understand the relative importance of each factor and compare the likely profitability of different disease management strategies.”

The NetBlotchBM app allows users to explore their options for disease control and compare the likely profitability of different disease management strategies. Photo: Lumens Photography/GRDC

GRDC manager diseases Alan Little said the app’s release was part of a broader project to support Australian grain growers to reduce the manageable impact of fungal diseases.

“Through the use of unified and validated decisions support tools such as NetBlotchBM, growers can reduce the manageable impact of fungal diseases to increase profitability and reduce financial risk,” Dr Little said.

“This project builds on the successes of previous investments and continues to deliver improved decision-making tools for management of key foliar fungal diseases in cereal, oilseed and pulse crops.”

The NetBlotchBM app is now available for mobile devices from the App Store and Google Play.

Source: WA DPIRD