PestFacts WA

Spartacus leaf tipping

• Esperance region

Maximus CL barley at Wittenoom Hills showing the leaf marks typical of the “Spartacus yellows” physiological leaf spotting. Photo courtesy of: Andrea Hills (DPIRD).

Plant pathologist Andrea Hills (DPIRD) reports finding Spartacus leaf tipping in Spartacus CL, Rosalind and Maximus CL barley crops around the Esperance region.

Rosalind barley at Salmon Gums in 2021 showing the leaf marks typical of the “Spartacus yellows” physiological leaf spotting. Photo courtesy of: Andrea Hills (DPIRD).

Symptoms show as yellow tipped leaves, usually restricted to one or at most two leaves on a plant, in mid-canopy of plants at tillering to stem extension. There is usually a dark discolouration on the yellowed leaf, sometimes with a netting pattern, which might be confused with net or spot form net blotch or nutritional deficiency. Laboratory testing has failed to detect a pathological cause of these symptoms and they do not appear to multiply up the canopy of an affected plant or crop.

It is unlikely that any intervention is needed in affected crops and in DPIRD trials where leaf tipping has occurred, fungicide treatment has not changed the incidence or severity of this symptom.

For more information read Intergrain’s Barley News article Funny things happening in Spartacus CL barley – “Spartacus leaf tipping”. 

For more information contact DPIRD Plant Pathologists:

• Andrea Hills, Esperance on +61 (08) 9083 1144, 
• Geoff Thomas, South Perth on +61 (08) 9368 3262, 
• Ciara Beard, Geraldton on +61 (08) 9956 8504, 
• Kylie Chambers, Northam on +61 (08) 9690 2151
• Kithsiri Jayasena, Albany on +61 (08) 9892 8477

Article author: Geoff Thomas (DPIRD South Perth).