October 3, 2002

The recent Australasian Plant Breeding Conference included tours to the Wongan Hills Research Station where plant breeders from around Australia and the world saw leading varieties under trial and a little of Western Australia’s newest visitor, stripe rust.

The group was well equipped for the experience however, with Germplasm Enhancement and Screening Leader with the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program based at the University of Sydney in New South Wales, Dr Harbans Bariana, among the throng to discuss Western Australia’s future with stripe rust.

As part of his work, supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Dr Bariana has been developing genetic material to build higher resistance into local breeding programs.

“Growers shouldn’t panic, as we have material progressing well. It’s not like we’ve been caught unawares by Western Australia’s stripe rust incursion as our program has been preparing for it for years,” he said.