Effects of tillage and straw mulches on take-all of wheat in the Northern Wimmera of Victoria

Abstract

In 4 trials in the Northern Wimmera of Victoria, the incidence and severity of take-all of wheat caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici were generally unaffected by tillage treatments (nil, chemical weed control; subsurface, blade plough and rod weeder; conventional scarifier, cultivator and harrows). At 1 site at 1 sampling time disease incidence was higher after conventional tillage than after subsurface tillage and at another site in 1 year out of 3, disease severity was greater after nil tillage than after conventional tillage. A stubble mulch of 4 t ha-1 of straw and burial at 5 or 10 cm reduced survival of the take-all fungus in wheat crowns.