A New Zealand-bred milling wheat is showing signs of being less resistant to the leaf rust fungal disease.
The Conquest Milling Wheat was bred four years ago by Plant & Food Research and is showing signs of leaf rust this season on some crops in Mid-Canterbury.
Plant + Food suspects it is the result of a new strain or pathotype of the fungal disease, but is also not ruling out weather conditions as a cause.
Federated Farmers says it's concerning for the industry as Conquest has performed very well against imported wheats.
