Plant Pathology And The Farmer

Northern Advocate, 14 January 1939, Page 7

Plant Pathology And The Farmer

(deceived 10 a.m.)

CANBERRA, January 13. “Although damage of this nature has been caused since early days, it is only in recent times that plant pathology has received the attention, that is its due,” said Dr, Waterhouse, at the Science Congress yesterday. “The history of its development id New Zealand and Australia makes, an interesting study and emphasises 5 the great debt we owe to pioneer investigators in this sphere. “Among the. diseases, cereal rusts are often important. They damaged some of the earliest crops Reduced in Australia, Ravage of Wheat Rust Australian work has ' shown that wheat rust, alone, causes an average loss of more than £250,00(1 in New South Wales each year. .

“In New Zealand and Australia it, has been shown that a number of varieties occur, but our position is, relatively simple. Tims only nine out, of the recorded ISO races of wheat stem rust have been found. r .

There have been marked changes in the rust flora* during the period covered by the investigations ahd these have introduced difficulties into Hie programmes of breeding for resistance.

Nevertheless, .work of this nature has given'results of value and the-v prospects of gaining full control are promising.”