A NEW data visualisation tool can display the distribution and severity of pesticide resistance across Australia, enabling growers and agronomists to make better, data-driven crop management decisions relevant to their region. 

The Pesticide Resistance Integrated Mapping tool was developed through the Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry program, a major investment by the Grains Research and Development Corporation. 

It was produced by the Centre for Crop and Disease Management in collaboration with geospatial technology company NGIS. 

CCDM Director Professor Mark Gibberd said the first release of the PRIM tool visualised the spatial distribution of fungicide resistance data, with potential to expand to other data including herbicide and insecticide resistance monitoring and biosecurity issues. 

“This simple web-based app is the first of many exciting research outputs to come from AAGI that will give growers the help they need to make the most profitable decision around crop and chemical use,” he said. 

“PRIM is one of the first key outputs to come from AAGI and is an example of how this major national research initiative can come up with data analytics solutions to challenges faced by growers. 

“In its first release, PRIM has enabled an enormous database of CCDM’s fungicide resistance testing results to be visualised in a map, showing industry that fungicide resistance is indeed everywhere, with various levels of severity across the country.” 

NGIS General Manager WA Matt Stewart said developing PRIM into a simple, web-based app had been a fantastic accomplishment, using major fungicide resistance datasets with associated GPS data to build a map that displayed resistance distribution of de-identified results. 

“And it’s promising to think this data visualisation tool is only in its early stages, with potential to visualise all sorts of agricultural data. As more data is entered into the system, the more accurate the tool gets, and the less guesswork there is for growers,” Mr Stewart said. 

CCDM’s fungicide resistance leader Associate Professor Fran Lopez-Ruiz and researcher Dr Leon Hodgson have worked closely with NGIS to develop the fungicide resistance component within PRIM. 

“For years, we have been testing diseased leaves for fungicide resistance and letting growers know if they have a problem or not,” Associate Professor Lopez-Ruiz said. 

“Now, with PRIM, we can add all this data in one place available to all growers and continue to add new data as it comes in, improving the accuracy of fungicide resistance in every Australian grain growing region. 

“Together with key management advice from the Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network, we’ve been able to remove much of the grey area from disease management decisions.” 

Fungicide resistance in PRIM currently involves four key pathosystems including wheat septoria tritici blotch, wheat powdery mildew, and barley net-form and spot-form net blotch, with plans to expand into other pathosystems in the near future.