We compared the ability of four crown rot and common root rot pathogens to induce disease in five winter cereals. This research demonstrates significant differences in crown rot and common root rot visual discoloration and host response across the range of cereals. The knowledge gained will be useful for developing improved management strategies for crown and common root rot diseases in crop rotations.

A novel method for the detection of Xanthomonas albilineans DNA in sugarcane xylem sap is reported, and field application of the method was demonstrated by testing sap extracted from infected sugarcane plants. qPCR results strongly correlated with our assay and with cultivar resistance rating. Our assay could be useful for first-pass on-farm disease diagnosis as well as for sensitive quantification of target pathogen DNA in infected sugarcane plants.

Salt-alkaline stress generally leads to soil compaction and fertility decline. It also restricts rice growth and nutrient acquisition, so reduces rice yield. Results of this study indicate that salt-alkaline tolerant rice genotypes may have more stable carbon and nitrogen metabolism than sensitive genotypes under the salt-alkaline conditions. This study provides a basis for breeding of salt-alkaline tolerant rice varieties and improvement of cultivation measures, which are important for sustainable development in rice production.

Forage brassicas are widely used in Australian dairy and high rainfall livestock systems, but this study shows that they should also be useful in drier environments in Australia’s mixed farming zone. When sown in autumn and winter, several forage brassica genotypes grown across a range of environments offer superior yields of metabolisable energy and crude protein compared with benchmark species, principally oats. This study demonstrates the value of forage brassicas as an alternative forage in livestock systems within Australia’s mixed farming zone.