Ross Mann
Ross Mann
Horticulture Australia Limited Award Winner
Native fungi provide solutions for pesticide problems
As horticulturalists across the world seek to reduce their use of harmful chemical-based pesticides, an Aussie scientist is looking for alternatives in the most unlikely of places.
Ross Mann, a plant pathologist with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, is keen to prove that effective disease management can be achieved using biopesticides derived from native Australian fungi.
He said that horticulturalists want an alternative to existing pesticides that is not only safe and environmentally friendly, but also meets consumer expectations.
“Fungi found within native flora (endophytes) can produce compounds that act like a fungicide, protecting its host against invading pathogens”.
“It’s thought that these compounds could also prove effective against common pathogens such as Plasmodiophora (clubroot) and Sclerotinia, which affect a wide variety of horticultural crops”.
Ross’s project will look into the use of native fungi to develop improved disease management systems for the horticulture industry.
This is a new concept for pathogen and disease control in horticulture, and one that does not rely on synthetic pesticides.
There are also other major benefits, with fungal-based biopesticides offering a safer product for farmers and farm workers.
Wider benefits for catchments and ecosystems could also be gained from this research with a possible reduction in use of some synthetic pesticides.
“Exploring the potential of natural biopesticides is very important as it may provide an alternative to some current products that have either developed pesticide resistance or leave residual effects in food.”
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