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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Virus Diseases In Agriculture, George Mclean

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

Viruses are extremely small particles which can only be seen with an electron microscope. A virus is present in a diseased plant as huge numbers of tiny particles within the cells of the plant. Viruses which are infectious can cause disease, and reproduce only inside the cells of a living plant.

Many insects transmit plant virus diseases—aphids, leafhoppers, mealy bugs, thrips and beetles. Generally a virus is spread by only one of these groups of insects.

The Western Australian Department of Agriculture is expanding the diagnostic service for the identification of plant viruses.

Planning Home Vegetable Supplies, James P. Fallon

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

PLANNING is important to obtain the best value from growing vegetables at home and many types can be satisfactorily stored for later use to provide a welcome change of diet when they are not generally available.

Whatever is home grown can be picked absolutely fresh and at the best stage for eating, but there is no advantage in growing too much or in growing lines which are plentiful and cheap on the market when yours are ready to pick.

The Vital Role Of Bees In Apple Pollination, N H. Shorter

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

THE vital role the honey bee plays in pollinating apples is often overlooked.

Bees are the most important agents for cross pollination in apples and other fruit trees.

Controll Of Eelworm Diseases Of Bananas In Western Australia : A Review, O M. Goss, M. G. Hawson

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

During the 1950's, a decline in bananas in plantations in Carnarvon, caused by heavy infestations of eelworms, prompted investigations into eelworm control.

The work was started in 1955. The results and recommendations based on experiments have been published in Department of Agriculture Bulletin 3532.

Fertiliser Recommendations For Apple Trees, N H. Shorter, J. E. L. Cripps

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

THE increased use of irrigation and chemical thinning in apple orchards and the planting of trees in light soils have resulted in responses to regular fertiliser dressings.

Production Costs In The Apple Industry : Comments On A Survey, A W. Hogstrom, I. J. Moncrieff

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

IN 1964 and 1965, light and heavy bearing years respectively, apples cost $2.40 per bushel to produce in Western Australia. This figure, to be considered with many other factors, was reached in a cost-of-production survey of 45 selected growers.

Packing and labour costs, in that order, were the two biggest cost-of-production items.

The Pear Leaf Blister Mite, G D. Rimes

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

THE pear leaf blister mite* may be causing widespread but undetected damage in Western Australian pear crops.

A bud-dwalling form exists which shows none of the leaf blisters normally associated with this species.

Survey Of Potato Losses In The Field, James P. Fallon

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

A RELATIVELY large proportion of the potatoes grown in Western Australia are below Grade 1 standard.

Some are left in the field at harvest while others are rejected during grading operations.

A New Type Of Seed Bed Cover For The Market Garden, R R. Bell, M. Hardie

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

ALL market gardeners use seed beds in their gardening programme. However, the basic design of seed beds and covers has not greatly altered over the years.

The availability of cheap good quality plastic materials has now shown the way to improvements in the design of this type of gardening equipment.

Powdery Mildew Or Oidium Of Grapes, H L. Harvey

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

POWDERY mildew or oidium, is a disease which is always present to a greater or lesser extent in grapevines in Western Australia.

In seasons favourable for its development it stunts the growth of shoots and leaves and may seriously reduce fruit yields and quality.

Most of our commonly-grown varieties are quite susceptible to the disease, but for the reason that currants are the most extensively grown variety, the overall losses are greatest in this variety.