Resistance to fungicides confirmed in ramularia in the UK

Growers are being warned that signs of fungicide resistance to ramularia have been seen
Growers are being warned that signs of fungicide resistance to ramularia have been seen

UK barley crops stricken by the disease Ramularia are potentially conferring resistance to SDHI and azole fungicides.

Further detailed analysis of Ramularia samples taken from a small number of UK barley crops in 2016 has been completed.

It highlighted the presence of mutations potentially resisting to succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) and azole fungicides.

Two types of mutation were confirmed – one which affects the performance of all SDHI fungicides, and a second that has a similar effect on azole fungicides.

Unlike in Germany where both types of mutations were found together in Ramularia samples, in the UK this was less frequent in the samples analysed.

Multinational chemical company Bayer said this probably helps to explain why complete loss of control was not seen in the UK last season.

Growers are being urged to make sure chlorothalonil fungicide is used in their sprays.

Ramularia leaf spot can cause extensive damage to the upper leaves in spring and winter barley once crops have finished flowering. This can cause extensive losses in yield and quality.

A team of scientists studying fungus in barley, which has caused farmers yields and quality to decline, have now sequenced and explored its genome.