Agriculture Commons^™

Clubroot, Rachel Lancaster, Caroline Donald, Ian Porter

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Rachel Lancaster, Caroline Donald and Ian Palmer, outline some control measures for clubroot, one of the most serious diseases of crucifers world wide.

Bean Yellow Mosiac Virus In Lupins, Roger Jones

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) is a threat to lupin crops in high rainfall areas of south-western Australia, particularly in districts where subterranean clover pastures are prevalent. The disease causes markedly reduced grain yield in all types of lupins. Worldwide this is the most important virus affecting lupins. The author outlines the symptoms, spread and management of this serious disease.

Stable Flies On The Swan Coastal Plain, David Cook, Ian Dadour, Natalie Keals, Bob Paulin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Grower associations are developing best management practices to minimise stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) breeding in horticulture and turf production. Three types of insect controls are discussed.

Skeleton Weed : The Current Situation, Peter Scott, Jon Dodd

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Skeleton weed is a major threat to western Australia's grain industry. This weed established itself throughout the entire eastern States wheatbelt in just over 50 years and is now found from south-east Queensland to South Australia. It was first founs in Western Australia at Ballidu in 1963, and since that time has been the subject of an ongoing and intensive eradication campaign. Peter Scott and Jon Dodd report on the present status of skeleton weed in Western Australia and outline the progress to date and future directions of the eradication campaign.

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus And Its Management, Lindrea Latham, Roger Jones

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In 1993, western flower thrips, an important pest of horticultural crops, was found in Western Australia. Since then there has been an upsurge in damsging virus disease epidemics caused by tomato spotter wilt virus in horticultural crops. This has occurred because western flower thrips is a more effective vector of tomato spotted wilt virus than other thrips species. Lindrea Latham and Roger Jones outline the symptoms, spread and management of this serious virus disease in vegetables and ornamentals.

Virulent Footrot : Mild Or Severe?, Laurie Depiazzi

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The footrot eradication scheme in Western Australia has resulted in a low prevalence of severe footrot.

To appreciate the achievement, we need to understand what exactly is being eradicated. 'S' strains of Dichelorbacter nodosus, the infectious bacterium of footrot, are the target of footrot eradication. Laurie Depiazzi examines the basis for eradicating 'S' strains.

Eradication Of Apple Scab, John Cripps, Ralph Doepel

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The detection of apple scab in two orchards at Pemberton and New/ands in December 1989 ended Western Australia's 41-year, scab-free span for apple growers .

Without eradication orchardists would have had to apply up to 20 fungicidal sprays a year, at an annual cost of $1-2 million, to be able to market a high proportion of scab-free fruit. The industry chose eradication as the cheaper alternative, but the location of infected orchards at Pemberton in particular, with its high rainfall, suggested that it would be difficult .

Scab, or black spot, is the most serious fungal disease of apples in …

Paddock Sampling For Management Of Annual Ryegrass Toxicity, Ian Riley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidumJ seedheads containing corynetoxins, a group of bacterially produced antibiotics, are poisonous to livestock. Animals that eat affected ryegrass develop annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT), suffer convulsive staggers and die within a few days of eating a lethal dose. ARGT is characterised by high death rates, especially where pastures are not known to be affected and where stock-owners are not expecting the problem. Fortunately, there are commercial tests that determine the levels of ARGT organisms in the paddock and the risk of getting the disease. These tests will help farmers plan their cropping and pasture programs for the …

Coping With Brown Spot And Root Rots Of Lupins, Mark Sweetingham

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

There is increasing concern that brown spot and root diseases may limit the long term viability of lupin cultivation in close rotations in the agricultural areas of Western Australia. Research has found several useful strategies to reduce the impact of brown spot and Pleiochaeta root rot so that losses can be kept to a minimum. Rhizoctonia has proved more difficult to combat. Although less widespread than Pleiochaeta, it has caused severe losses and appears to be increasing in incidence, particularly in the northern wheatbelt. Research has vastly expanded our knowledge of the strains of Rhizoctonia present in our soils and …

Eradication Of The Liver Fluke In Dairy Cattle, Dave Muirson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In July 1987, a meat inspector found liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) in a cow at an export abattoir at Waroona. This was the first evidence of the liver fluke completing its life cycle in Western Australia. Fortunately, the Department of Agriculture is reasonably confident that a comprehensive drenching programme has eradicated the liver fluke. The establishment of liver fluke in the south-west coastal areas could cause a serious problem for cattle producers and the small number of sheep producers. Stock would need additional drenching, and if it was not carried out effectively production could be lost or stock could die. …

Btec Campaign Ends In 1992, Carole A. O'Dwyer

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

BTEC, the national brucellosis and tuberculosis eradication campaign, is funded jointly by cattle producers and the Commonwealth and State Governments. When the campaign was launched on July 1,1970, its aims were to remove a potential export trade barrier and to improve the level of herd health. The campaign should be substantially completed by the end of 1992.

The Kimberley region of Western Australia was declared free of brucellosis in April 1980, and the entire State was declared free in 1985, the first mainland State to achieve this status.

All parts of Western Australia south of the 20th parallel were declared …

1080 Does Not Threaten The Northern Quoll, D R. King

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The poison 1080 is used in baits to control animal pests such as dingoes, rabbits and, indirectly, foxes. There is always the risk that some "non target" animals, particularly our native animals, might eat the baits and die, although investigations indicate that many southern native mammals are tolerant of 1080. The compound 1080 is found in many native plants growing in southern Western Australia, in the genera Gastrolobium and Oxylobium, and over the centuries native animals have built up resistance to its effects. Until recently the tolerances to 1080 of only a few animals from the pastoral areas were known. …

The Awassi Fat Tail Sheep Project, R J. Lightfoot

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Australia's first Awassi fat tail lambs arrived at Kununurra in January 1987, completing the first major step in an ambitious project to establish a fat tail sheep breeding industry in this country.

Fat tail sheep bred in the Middle East attract much higher prices than merino wethers imported from Australia. The question to be resolved through our product development and market research is what premiums will Middle Eastern buyers pay for fat tail sheep bred in Australia and exported to the region.

The Department of Agriculture believes that there is potential for Sustralian producers to enter these new markets without …

Eradicating Fruit Fly From Carnarvon, Kingsley Thomas Fisher

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Late last year the Mediteranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Weidemann) was eradicated from Canarvon, Western Australia by using an intergrated programme of sterile insect releases and bait spraying.

The eradication marked the end of a four-year study on the use and effectiveness of the Sterile Insect Technique, a biological control technique which uses an insect pest against itself. such a study can be used as a basis for treating other threatening insect pests, such as the serious cattle pest screw-worm fly, should they be found in Asustralia.

Being a biological control method, the Sterile Insect Technique is an exellent …

Beating Soursob, J R. Peirce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

No abstract provided.

A New Approach To Grain Insect Control, G D. Rimes, M. T. Sexton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australian farmers now have a legal responsibility to control stored grain insects on their farms.

Ten species of insects, usually referred to collectively as 'weevils', have been 'declared' under the Agriculture and Related Resources Act.

In Western Australia, grain storage insects are not found in standing cereal crops. Thus, it should be possible to set up a clean delivery "pipeline" from the paddock to the C.B.H. bin.

The European Wasp : A New Threat To W.A, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The European wasp was detected in Western australia for the first time in January and February 1977 in the metropolitan suburbs of Mosman Park, Cottesloe and Attadale.

So far it has only been found within an area of 8 km radius from Fremantle but the outer boundries of the infestation are still uncertain.

It is Department of agriculture policy to eradicate the European wasp, if possible, and to destroy all nests detected.

Ryegrass Disease Could Spread, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The disease annual ryegrass toxicity kills sheep and cattle grazing pastures which contain infected annual ryegrass. In Western Australia the first confirmed outbreak was in 1968 in the Gnowangerup area.

The disease has noe spread over a range of 450 kilometres and with a total area of perhaps 100 000 hectares. because annual ryegrass is the major sown pasture grass in W.A. the disease could spread throughout the South-West.

There are some precautions that can be taken.

W.A. Alert For Aphid On Lucerne, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The spotted alfalfa aphid which is devastating lucerne crops in the Eastern States, could be introduced to Western Australia on lucerne hay which is fed en route to imported livestock. The Department of Agriculture has therefore alerted all inspection points about the possible danger.

The Department of Agricultureis maintaining traps specifically for the aphid, and has found no evidence of it yet.

Extracts From The Department Of Agriculture's Annual Report, 1974-75, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Department of Agriculture's Annual Report for the year ended June 30, 1975, took the form of short reviews of selected activities of the Department during the year.

Some of these reviews are reprinted below to give an idea of the range of activities undertaken by the Department. A limited number of copies of the full report are available to interested organisations from the Department of Agriculture, Jarrah Road, South Perth, 6151.

In past years the Department's report has taken the form of a relatively detailed technical summary of the work of each Division. Because of the large volume of …

New Laboratory For Virus Disease Studies, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Exotic diseases continually pose a threat to Australia's animal industries and the consequences of major outbreak could be disastrous.

If an outbreak should occur, it is essential that clinical diagnosis is confirmed without delay for control measures to be effective.

The completion of the new Virology Laboratory provides a building in which most exotic viral diseases could be handled with safety for diagnostic purposes in the event of an outbreak.

Sorghum Midge : Threat To Re-Cycle Cropping, D G. Shedley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

SORGHUM midge is one of the most widespread and persistent pests of any crop, Under suitable conditions, the midge can halve the yield of grain sorghum crops.

Quarantine : Two New Inspection Centres Built, C R. Chambers

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A BIGGER population, a busier State; more travellers, more goods from more places; faster, more frequent transport—these things have demanded for Western Australia greater efforts to protect its primary industries from the chance introduction of disease and pests which could attack our plants and animals.

Rural Radio Reports - Animals And Birds Declared Vermin, A R. Tomlinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Animals and birds are declared vermin by the Agriculture Protection Board if they are a threat to primary industry.

Identification Of Seeds Of Undesirable Weeds, J R. Peirce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PREVENTING the introduction of weeds to a farm is a far cheaper proposition compared to the expensive and laborious process of eradicating a well established infestation.

Unfortunately most weeds establish themselves as plants before they are identified, the main reason being farmers are often unable to recognise weeds in the seed stage.

The Protection Of Primary Production : The Role Of The Agriculture Protection Board Of Western Australia, A R. Tomlinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE main function of the Agriculture Protection Board of W.A. is, as its name implies, "protection", and, in this case, it is the State's primary production which is being protected from pest animals, birds and weeds.

In general, the Board's activities are centred on the prevention, destruction or management of animals and plants which are troublesome to agricultural or pastoral production, or are capable of being troublesome.

The Java Sparrow, John L. Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE attractive Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora) with its immaculate grey, white and black plumage is a favourite caged bird both in Australia and abroad.

It represents, however, a species of considerable pest potential to the agricultural interests of this State.

Simple Treatment Will Protect Farm-Stored Grain, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WITH unusually large quantities of grain likely to be stored on farms this season, 1970 will be an important year for the control of pests in stored grain.

Infested grain from farms is responsible for almost all outbreaks of infestation in bulk storages, leading to costly treatment by the grain handling authority. Effective control on the farm would eliminate most of this.

The Spice Finch, John L. Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE Spice Finch (Lonchura punctulata) is also known as Nutmeg Finch or Mannikin, Spice bird, Spotted Munia, Common Munia, Ricebird and Scaly-breasted Munia.

It is an east and south east Asian species inhabiting Malaya, Singapore, Penang, India, Ceylon, Burma, Indo-China, Yunnan, Formosa and the Philippines.

The dangers associated with such a species being introduced to Western Australia are great.

Why Australia Needs Plant Quarantine, A T. Gulvin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

LATE blight of potatoes in 1830, powdery mildew of grapes in 1847, phylloxera in 1861, downy mildew in 1875, and black rot in 1838 . . . It was this grim list of plant disease epidemics in Europe that forced Governments to protect plants by quarantine.