At CCDM, we do A LOT of fungicide resistance tests. We do A LOT of sample collecting, but we also work with A LOT of growers, agronomists and industry members to get samples. This leads to A LOT of data.
So what happens with all that data, I hear you ask? Well… results are communicated to industry, and then we’re often focussed on next season’s samples.
Wouldn’t it be something, to see all current and historical results in one place?
And further still, to not just look at a spreadsheet, but see it nicely displayed in a map?
Welcome to PRIM – Pesticide Resistance Integrated Mapping – a simple, easy-to-access online tool that can visualise the spatial distribution of resistance.
It’s been developed through GRDC’s Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI) and while fungicide resistance data is used in its first release, PRIM has potential to expand visualisation mapping to herbicide and insecticide resistance, as well as biosecurity issues.
Click here to try out the fungicide resistance part of PRIM: https://prim.ccdm.com.au
Here’s some scenarios where PRIM will be handy:
- John was about to apply a propiconazole fungicide to his barley. But before he did, he checked on PRIM and saw his area had detected net-form net blotch resistance to DMI fungicides. Delving deeper, PRIM showed his area had resistance in 4 out of 6 samples tested. With propiconazole at risk of field failure, John followed the PRIM link to AFREN’s disease management guide and made the smart choice to change his mode of action.
- Sarah heard on the grapevine that strobilurin resistance in powdery mildew of wheat was causing severe outbreaks across the country. However, a quick look at PRIM and she saw that resistance had not yet reached her region, phew! She can continue to manage this disease with formulations containing strobilurin fungicides.
How did the map come about? And where is it heading?
In this AAGI project, CCDM teamed up with NGIS to create the tool. The CCDM researchers compiled major datasets on fungicide resistance mutations with associated GPS data and the NGIS team helped to build a mapping platform that aggregated data to avoid disclosing results from individual farms or small areas.
The resulting maps show the spatial distribution of fungicide resistances across the nation, highlighting its widespread distribution and varying levels of severity.
CCDM director Mark Gibberd said we’re just at the tip of the iceberg with this technology, as PRIM has potential to be used to visualise all sorts of agricultural data for better management decisions.
“PRIM is one of the first key outputs to come from AAGI, and is an example of how this major national research initiative can come up with data analytics solutions for growers,” Mark said.
“PRIM will help growers make decisions using analytics, giving them the help they need to make the most profitable decision around crop and chemical use, and I’m excited to see the positive impact it will make to our industry.”
Mark said fungicide resistance in PRIM currently involves four key pathosystems including wheat septoria tritici blotch, wheat powdery mildew, and barley net-form and spot-form net blotch, with plans to expand into other pathosystems in the near future.
How to use the tool, explainer video
CCDM’s Leon Hodgson has been a key researcher involved in PRIM’s development, and has summed up how to use PRIM in this video:
From now on, all new fungicide resistance results will be entered onto PRIM
CCDM’s Fran Lopez-Ruiz said he was really happy with the way PRIM had come together and looks forward to seeing the accuracy of the map improve as more data is added.
“Australia is such a big place, and it is hard to cover the entire country with fungicide resistance testing,” Fran said.
“However, I’m optimistic that over time we will get a pretty clear idea of where fungicide resistance is causing problems in most, if not every, Australian grain growing region. So if your region looks a little light on testing results, please send us a sample and we will try to improve this area of the map with information to help you reduce your risk of fungicide resistance.”
Request a sampling kit from the CCDM Fungicide Resistance team at frg@curtin.edu.au
The fungicide resistance part of PRIM can be accessed at https://prim.ccdm.com.au/
AAGI was launched in 2023 as a major investment by GRDC led by strategic partners Curtin University, the University of Queensland and the University of Adelaide.
