Survey on Investigated Pasture and Forage Diseases in New Zealand: Reported Diseases, Mitigation Strategies, and Impacts

Pastures and forage are important for the New Zealand pastoral system. Previous work to identify disease issues heavily relied on reviewing literature rather than direct engagement with those in the pastoral sector. A survey of farmers, farm managers, and seed industry leaders conducted in 2024 sought to determine the plant diseases present in pasture and forage systems, plant disease management strategies, and the potential impact of plant disease on farms located throughout New Zealand. A total of 196 responses were eligible for inclusion. Fifty-six percent of respondents across every region in which surveys were returned experienced either pasture or forage diseases on their farm. Based on the questionnaire distributed to participants, there were forage diseases on their farms, with 11, 2, and 3 frequently reporting fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases, respectively. Some farmers had stopped growing some brassicas, legumes, and grass cultivars due to recurring diseases. Eighty-one percent of the respondents used fungicides, crop rotation, break crops, and/or bioprotectants to manage pasture and forage diseases. Fifty-seven percent of respondents agreed that fungicides have a place in future farm systems. The results from this survey provide a foundation for regulatory strategies and further research into specific strategies to mitigate pasture and forage diseases. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .