Grain growers, agronomists and farm advisers are encouraged to stay up to date on the latest resistance research and management strategies at the Crop Protection Forum, to be held in Adelaide on December 6.

Now in its ninth year, the Crop Protection Forum provides advisers and industry with regionally focused and up-to-date crop protection information.

Participants will hear from Australia’s leading experts in herbicide, fungicide and insecticide resistance. This year’s forum theme is ‘storm of resistance’.

This year’s forum is organised by the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI) in partnership with the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) and Cesar Australia, with support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

AHRI Director Ken Flower says the forum provided an opportunity for the nation’s leading crop protection researchers to engage with industry and local agronomists on the issues affecting South Australian growers.

GRDC crop protection manager – south, Ruth Peek, said the Crop Protection Forum would focus on research in resistance development in pest weeds and disease, and provide opportunities to discuss optimal management strategies. Photo: Nick Hallum/GRDC.

“The forum program is a great opportunity to gain an understanding of the latest technological innovations together with new insights into the biology and ecology of pests. Panel discussions will consider solutions to stop escalating resistance as well as the regulatory environment with a focus on South Australian broadacre crops."

GRDC crop protection manager – south, Ruth Peek, says the forum offered agronomists and advisers the latest information on research in resistance development in pest weeds and disease, and opportunities to discuss optimal management strategies with expert researchers from across Australia.

“Knowing how best to respond and manage resistance isn’t always straightforward. And with resistance on the rise, this forum also gives the industry a chance to discuss future directions, with conversations on new and emerging problems, diagnostic advances and the role of chemical control options,” Ms Peek says.

The program includes presentations from key researchers at AHRI, CCDM, Cesar Australia, the University of Melbourne, University of Adelaide and the South Australia Research and Development Institute, as well as leading international institutions including the University of Copenhagen and Colorado State University.

Topics on the agenda include:

• Resistance status updates and emerging problems
• Recent developments in herbicide resistant weeds
• Novel approaches to predicting and monitoring insecticide resistance
• Fungicide resistance status in grain crops
• Considerations for industry – future use of pesticides
• Mapping the weed genome.

The day will include two industry panel discussions with leading grain agronomists discussing local and national issues.

Tickets are $130 for early birds (on sale until October 31) or $160 full price. The ticket price includes morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a networking event at the end of the day.

More information about the event and tickets are available via the booking website.