Larger canola plantings may have been responsible for unusually severe outbreaks of viruses in the northern region’s chickpea crops last year, according to the Grains Research Development Corporation.
Plant pathologists Joop van Leur said the link was as yet unproven but it was likely canola crops hosted viruses including Beet western yellows virus (BWYV) which then spread to chickpeas.
“Canola and turnip weed close to surveyed chickpea paddocks showed high infections of BWYV and Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) and have likely played an important role in the BWYV epidemic in chickpeas,” Mr van Leur said.
“Last year the area sown to canola was about five times the long-term average because of better prices for canola and poor prices for other crops,” Mr van Leur said.
“It is likely that virus inoculum builds up in canola over winter and spreads to chickpeas in spring where it can cause severe yield losses.”
He says growers should pay attention to the whole farming system and growing environment of their crops to ensure plants were healthy enough to fight incursions.
“Viruses are more severe in poor growing paddocks,” he said.
“A good growing plant seems to have the ability to withstand the virus, so it is well worth following recommended agronomic practices to reduce the chance of virus infection and increases the ability of plant to resist the virus.”
