Cotton growers race to treat leaf disease after mysterious arrival
Queensland Department of Primary Industries principal plant pathologist Linda Smith said there were few options to treat ramularia leaf spot, which was known by a number of names. "It's also called areolate mildew, grey mildew, or false mildew, because it looks like a mildew, but it's not a mildew," she said. "It's a fungal disease that loves hot, humid, wet tropical conditions, and when you get these conditions you get disease outbreak." Dr Smith said the disease was more commonly seen in the south-eastern United States and Brazil and appeared briefly in the Northern Territory decades ago.
- ▪Queensland Department of Primary Industries principal plant pathologist Linda Smith said there were few options to treat ramularia leaf spot, which was known by a number of names.
- ▪"It's also called areolate mildew, grey mildew, or false mildew, because it looks like a mildew, but it's not a mildew," she said.
- ▪"It's a fungal disease that loves hot, humid, wet tropical conditions, and when you get these conditions you get disease outbreak." Dr Smith said the disease was more commonly seen in the south-eastern United States and Brazil and appeared
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| Canonical URL | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-28/ramularia-leaf-spot-cotton-crops-queensland/106902700 |
| Publication time | Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:20:42 +0000 |
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Cotton industry scrambles for ramularia leaf spot treatment after detections in QueenslandMBy Megan HughesABC RuralTopic:Fungal DiseasePosted Tue 28 Jul 2026 at 6:20amTue 28 Jul 2026 at 6:20amTue 28 Jul 2026 at 6:20amRamularia leaf spot has been seen in crops in north and central Queensland for the last two seasons. (Supplied: Queensland Department of Primary Industries)abc.net.au/news/ramularia-leaf-spot-cotton-crops-queensland/106902700Link copiedShareShare articleThe race is on to deal with a little-known cotton disease that has mysteriously arrived in northern Australia and is wreaking havoc on crops. Queensland Department of Primary Industries principal plant pathologist Linda Smith said there were few options to treat ramularia leaf spot, which was known by a number of names.
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