The protection of one Australia’s most valuable crops, canola, from potentially crippling diseases is the focus of research by a leading plant pathologist at Charles Sturt University (CSU), Associate Professor Gavin Ash. 

Since his arrival at CSU in 1990, Professor Ash has attracted more than $1.8 million in research funding. The research work has ranged from stem and leaf diseases of rice, the biological control of aquatic weeds and downy mildew in grape vines.

In field trials, Professor Ash is currently studying the biological control of two fungal diseases blackleg and sclerotinia stem rot in canola. The two diseases have the potential to destroy one of the most important crops in the southern cropping zones in Australia. 

Indigenous bacteria are being applied to the seed or the plant to control these diseases. Several of these bacteria have been shown to not only “immunise” the plant against diseases but also increase the growth rate of the seedlings in low disease situations.

Charles Sturt University is celebrating the work and goals of its leading researchers as part of National Science Week 2003 from 16 August to 24 August.

With the high cost of weeds to Australian farmers in mind, the CSU research team has also discovered a number of fungal pathogens of weeds which have potential to control the troublesome saffron thistle, bitou bush, starfruit in rice and fireweed. These pathogens are in the formulation and field trial phase of research. 

“We are currently investigating the establishment of a company to take these and other biological control agents out to the marketplace. It is envisaged that this will be a regional enterprise which will supply clean, green products to Australian agriculture,” said Professor Ash 

Professor Ash was awarded the University’s Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence in 2001 and is currently a senior editor at Australasian Plant Pathology. He also is a member of the Gene Technology Ethics Committee and the Australasian, American and International Plant Pathology Societies.

Professor Ash is a researcher with the University’s Farrer Centre, which addresses sustainable food and fibre production, particularly within the Murray-Darling Basin. See more on the Farrer Centre at its website here: http://farrer.csu.edu.au/farrer/