Agriculture Victoria research scientist Josh Fanning said cereal cyst nematode was one of the cropping industry’s biggest yield thieves.

He said it affected certain varieties of barley and wheat and was on the increase throughout the Wimmera.

“It’s a small nematode that feeds on the roots of the plants,” he said.

Dr Fanning said varieties susceptible to the disease were widely grown in the Wimmera and Mallee, including gairdner and scope barley, and the wheat varieties axe and cosmick.

“Cereal cyst nematode was a huge issue for growers in the 1970s and 1980s, however the use of resistant varieties meant the disease was largely forgotten, until now,” he said.

“The past wet spring produced ideal conditions for the disease to increase.”

Dr Fanning said scientists were starting to see the pest re-emerge.

“Five per cent of paddocks in the Mallee and 12 per cent in the Wimmera had cereal cyst nematode present when surveyed during 2014 and 2015,” he said.

“However, after the wet season, those numbers have certainly gone up.

 “Although it has not been a major problem in recent years, it can still cause severe yield losses.”

Dr Fanning said while there was no visible signs of the disease, there was things growers could do to mitigate the risks. 

“Farmers need to check the levels of cereal cyst nematode in their paddocks,” he said.

“This test can be organised through agronomists and can deliver an answer on cereal cyst nematode levels within a couple of weeks.

“Identifying low yielding paddocks or washing cereal plant roots can also help detect paddocks with issues.

“Growing resistant cereal varieties, or non-cereal break crops in a rotation, and controlling cereal weeds early in break crops reduces cereal cyst nematode populations.”

Dr Fanning said people could call Agriculture Victoria Horsham on 5362 2111 or email joshua.fanning@ecodev.vic.gov.au for more information.