Wheat Rust in Australia. 71 



PREVENTION OR MITIGATION OF THE RUST. 



The all-important question now remains to be answered, how to pre- 

 vent or mitigate (the effects of the rust. In the various reports of the 

 Rust-in-Wheat Intercolonial Conferences, special attention was paid to the 

 solution of this question, and the effect on the crop of different cultural 

 methods ireceived a large share of attention. 



Drainage. It is commonly affirmed that rust is worst in hollows, where 

 water lodges, and on general grounds it is considered that drainage by 

 removing the surplus moisture would tend to afford the wheat themost 

 favorable conditions for its healthy development, and thereby render the 

 rust less injurious. But, as a matter of fact, when it was experimentally 

 tested in Victoria, an increased yield was the result ; but as regards rust, it 

 did not seem to affect it, for out of six areas artificially drained, five of them 

 were rusty. In a number of our wheat-growing areas, it is not excess of 

 moisture in the soil, but deficiency of it, which is complained of, and in 

 such areas the rust is very severe in seasons marked by copious late spring 

 rains, 



Irrigation. At the present time irrigation is the great problem which 

 overshadows all others in connexion with the utilization of the land in Aus- 

 tralia, and its relation to the development of rust has not been overlooked. 

 In irrigated areas where wheat was grown, the effect was observed, and it 

 was seen that the judicious application of water was beneficial if done at 

 the right time, and with due iregard to atmospheric conditions. There is 

 only one rational method of irrigation for wheat in Victoria, and pro- 

 bably for all Australia, and that is a thorough soaking of the ground 

 prior to ploughing. Mr. Geo. Pagan, of Ardmona, who has successfully 

 irrigated in the Goulburn Valley, states in the Journal of the Department 

 of Agriculture for March, 1905, that his routine practice is to flood the 

 land in March, unless there has been heavy rain, and then plough as soon 

 as the horses can work without sinking. 



This one watering, followed by proper working of the land, will usually 

 mature the grain. Even in 1902, when the year's rainfall Was only six 

 inches, this was the case. The application of water later in the growing 

 season is always risky, and often does more harm than good. It spoils 

 the grain, making it soft, may bring on rust, and results in very uneven 

 ripening. 



Seed-bed. A relatively dry and firm seed-bed is generally considered 

 best for wheat, and especially if there is a prospect of rain after sowing 

 to ensure a good germination. Its effect on rust has not been definitely 

 determined, but farmers are generally of opinion that sowing on a dry 

 seed-bed gives the plant a better chance to escape the rust. If the seed- 

 bed is moist, the condition will be favorable for the rust-spores on the 

 soil, or on the grain, to infect the germinating wheat-plant, but probably 

 it is not so much the nature of the seed-bed as the aftergrowth which will 

 affect the result. This also applies to the mode of sowing, for it did 

 not appear to make any difference, as regards rust, whether the wheat 

 was sown broad-cast or drilled. 



Ploughing and Harrowing. The question of deep as opposed to shallow 

 ploughing does not seem to have much to do with the rust. In experi- 

 mental tests, deep ploughing yielded the heavier crop, and thus indirectly 

 favoured the development of rust ; but both were about equally affected. 

 Harrowing when the crop was about two feet high was equally incon- 

 clusive. 



Rotation. Rotation is undoubtedly good for the crop, and is a factor 

 in clean cultivation ; but it is another question whether it is good or bad for 



