REMINDER: If you are a relevant employer within the meaning of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 and seeking to supply goods or services to government at or above $80,000, the Workplace Gender Equality Procurement Principles require you to provide a Certificate of Compliance with the Act as part of the procurement process.

To be eligible for a Compliance Certificate you must submit a report to WGEA by 31 May 2024 or seek an extension before 31 May and submit your report within the extension period. To seek an extension, please email support@wgea.gov.au with the subject heading Application for extension.

Closed ATM View - PROC-9176307

Epidemiology of Septoria Tritici Blotch in the low/medium rainfall zones of the Southern region to inform IDM strategies

Linda McDougall

Phone: 0472832502

Email Address: tenders@grdc.com.au

Document(s) Contact Name:
Linda McDougall

Document(s) Contact Phone:
0472832502

Document(s) Contact Email:
tenders@grdc.com.au

ATM ID:

PROC-9176307

Agency:

Grains Research and Development Corporation

Category:

70140000 - Crop production and management and protection

Close Date & Time:

28-Jan-2021 5:00 pm (ACT Local Time)
Show close time for other time zones

Publish Date:

1-Dec-2020

Location:

ATM Type:

Request for Tender

Multi Agency Access:

Panel Arrangement:

Multi-stage:

Description:

Background

Septoria tritici blotch (STB) is a foliar fungal disease of wheat that can cause yield losses of up to 50% in susceptible varieties in conducive years. Recent surveillance and grower/adviser reports have identified STB as one of the most prevalent foliar diseases impacting on wheat productivity in the Southern Region. The increased incidence and distribution of the disease is largely due to current intensive farming practices, including no-till and stubble retention, which have led to inoculum build-up. Additionally, the STB pathogen has the potential to rapidly evolve with the recent reports on fungicide resistance/insensitivity development in its populations both in Australia and overseas. Through GRDC investments, extensive research has been conducted into the disease lifecycle and epidemiology in the high rainfall zone (HRZ). The knowledge gained from the investments have been used to develop integrated disease management (IDM) strategies for STB in the HRZ. While the epidemiology of STB is well-understood in the HRZ, information on the disease lifecycle and factors leading to epidemic in the medium and low rainfall zones (MRZ & LRZ) is limited. This fundamental information is required to allow for the development of IDM that is specific for the regions. Currently, growers in the MRZ and LRZ are using the IDM strategies that were developed for HRZ by applying pre-emptive fungicides prophylactically to manage STB. Given the differences in the environmental conditions and farming systems, this practice is unlikely to be effective and economical. Key Investment Target 3.3 identified STB as a priority focus disease and the strategy emphasizes the importance of understanding the biology and ecology of priority disease life cycle, dispersal, survival and distribution characteristics to inform management strategies.

Investment description

This investment will provide new knowledge of Septoria tritici blotch (STB) epidemiology and pathogen biology under MRZ and LRZ growing conditions and farming systems. The research outcomes will inform the development of IDM strategies to manage STB that are specific to the MRZ and LRZ in the Southern region. GRDC seek a suitable applicant to provide the research of STB epidemiology and pathogen biology under MRZ and LRZ growing conditions and farming systems and to develop practical and cost-effective integrated disease management strategies for STB in medium and low rainfall zones of the Southern region.

Expected Outcomes

By 2024, growers and advisers in the low and medium rainfall zones of the Southern region will have access to best practice integrated disease management strategies for STB specific to each rainfall zone. Growers and advisers will have a resource that informs on farm decision-making regarding the management of STB specific to their rainfall zone conditions and farming systems.

Outputs

Output 1 By June 2024, a technical report detailing the epidemiology of Septoria tritici blotch in wheat grown in conditions of the medium and low rainfall zones of the Southern Region.

Description

Research will determine

the impact of inoculum loads present in stubble, volunteers and other host plants,
stubble management, including pathogen survival periods, pathogen dispersal in standing and slashed stubble,
environmental conditions that lead to spore maturation and release
temperature, moisture, rainfall events impacting on the pathogenicity,
effect of plant growth stages on susceptibility,
pycnidia spore and ascospore development and latent periods.

Output 2 By June 2024, practical and cost-effective integrated disease management strategies for STB in the LRZ and MRZ will be developed and made available to growers and advisers in the Southern Region.

Description

STB IDM strategies will be developed for the Southern Region MRZ and LRZ. Trials will be developed in consideration of current regional practices. STB IDM strategies will include as a minimum:

Fungicide application; timing, different mode of actions and with or without seed dressing
Stubble load management
STB resistant/tolerant varieties
Sowing time
Crop and variety rotations

To ensure consistency, all field trial sites will be designed in consultation with SAGI South. For full details on the ATM, including selection criteria and any associated attachements as as information on any Questions and Answers relating to the ATM, visit

Other Instructions:

To register as a first-time user, please visit https://access.grdc.com.au/ and:

Click on the register button at the top right-hand side.

Complete the Registration Form. Fill in all the fields: your email address, a password and the captcha. Your password must be alphanumeric with at least one special character (i.e. not a letter or number). Click register to continue the process.

Registration is confirmed by the system sending an email to you, with details to complete the registration process.

Once the registration process is complete, you can sign in and review all investments open for tender

Once you have located this investment, you can commence the application process by completing the details for each field available, until you reach “Submit Application” on the last page.

Conditions for Participation:

Eligibility Criteria

The Conditions for Participation (eligibility criteria) for this procurement include:

The applicant must be a single legal entity or recognised firm of partners.
The applicant and any subcontractor must be compliant with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012.
The applicant and any subcontractor must not have a judicial decision against it (not including decisions under appeal) relating to employee entitlements and who have not paid the claim.
The applicant and any subcontractor must not be named on the Consolidated List, being the list of persons and entities who are subject to targeted financial sanctions or travel bans under Australian sanction laws, as maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Timeframe for Delivery:

This project is expected to run for 3 years from approximately April 2021 to April 2024.

Address for Lodgement:

Applying

Tenderers must submit their responses electronically through the Grains Investment Portal at https://access.grdc.com.au.