Cereal rust

The Cereal Rust Laboratory hosts the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (ACRCP, established in 1973), which continues one of the longest running research efforts at the University of Sydney. It is involved in cereal rust research with a very strong emphasis on disease control by resistance breeding. The University's involvement in this area dates back to the 1920s.

The current program is funded largely by the grains industry, through the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC). It has a national mandate and with 6 senior scientists, 8 technicians and currently 7 PhD students, is one of the largest groups involved in cereal rust research in the world.

The program monitors cereal rust pathogens throughout Australia, finds and characterises new sources of rust resistance, and assists Australian cereal breeding groups to incorporate rust resistance in new cultivars. An economic analysis of the value to the Australian wheat industry of rust resistance made in 1988 estimated the industry saves some $289 million per year thanks to resistance breeding. The ACRCP is a significant contributor to this effort.