Key Points
- Overall, the dry summer period combined with good farmer fungicide programmes has resulted in low disease pressure for most crops in most areas.
- Take-all has been prevalent, mainly in 2nd year wheat crops.
- The period of very humid conditions in Canterbury from mid January to mid February has led to crop discolouration resulting from field fungi and yeast infections. Fusarium head blight has not been identified in any Canterbury crops.
- BYDV continues to affect wheat and barley in the North Island.
- A new soil-borne virus disease has been identified in Canterbury this season but is not expected to have a major impact on crop production.