Horticulture Commons^™

Don't Neglect Bitter Pit Sprays, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

BITTER pit is a serious fault in export apples and each year considerable quantities of f r u i t are rejected for export on this account.

Now that control measures are available, it is most important that they be applied.

Leaf Scorch Of Apple Trees, N H. Shorter

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

BEFORE the 1964-65 fruit season, sections of a number of orchards in the Donnybrook district were converted to systems of permanent overhead sprinkler irrigation.

In several cases, however, leaf scorch occurred where these overhead sprinklers were used during the day time.

The Control Of Weeds In Orchards, Geoffrey A. Pearce, S. E. Hardisty

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

THE use of herbicides for the control of weeds in orchards has become established during the past few years.

It has become more efficient with the introduction of newer herbicides which have proved more effective and less dangerous than some of those recommended in the past.

Plant Diseases : Leaf Spot Of Celery, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

LEAF SPOT is the most serious disease of celery in Western Australia, and causes heavy losses in many crops during the cold wet months of June, July and August.

The disease is incited by the fungus Septoria apii Chester, and was first recorded in this State at Osborne Park in 1923.

Since then it has become a limiting factor in the production of marketable celery during the winter months.

Fence Out Those Rabbits, J C. Rowbotham

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

THERE is probably no more distressing sight to orchardists' eyes than two or three hundred young fruit trees that have been damaged by rabbits.

Thimet For Woolly Aphis Control, G D. Rimes

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

THE woolly aphis Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausm) has been known as a serious insect problem in Western Australia since the early days of apple growing.

It was distributed on nursery stock to most parts of the world in the early days of horticulture.

Root Knot Eelworm And Its Control, O M. Goss

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

ROOT galling caused by root knot eelworm attack is very common in the lighter sandy soils of Western Australia.

This parasitic worm causes severe unthriftiness which may even result in the death of the plant, particularly during the summer months when the disease is most damaging.

Root knot eelworm has a wide host range.

Peach Leaf Curl, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

PEACH LEAF CURL is a common disease in Western Australia during the spring and early summer.

Vegetable Seed Treatments, G C. Macnish

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

Many common vegetable diseases can be carried over from one crop to the next by means of contaminated seed.

The use of such seed also results in contamination of the soil with the disease-causing organisms.

Prevention or control of seed-bome diseases can be achieved by the use of appropriate chemical or hot water treatments.

Blossom-End Rot Of Tomatoes, G C. Macnish

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

Complete control of this common physiological disorder of tomatoes cannot as yet be achieved, but a number of measures can be employed to reduce its incidence.

DURING the summer months many tomato specimens are received showing symptoms of blossom-end rot.

Many growers attribute this trouble to parasitic organisms and are anxious to prevent it spreading to the rest of their crop.

However as blossom-end rot is not a parasitic disease, it cannot be controlled by fungicidal or bactericidal sprays.

Brown Spot Of Passion Fruit, R F. Doepel

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

Brown Spot is a serious fungal disease of passion fruit in this State.

Successful crop production is dependent on adequate disease control in the plantation.

BROWN SPOT is found in plantings throughout Western Australia. Severe outbreaks of the disease have occurred in most districts, including Serpentine, Manjimup, Nannup and Denmark.

Although isolated young plantings may remain healthy for two or three years, the disease eventually becomes established in the vines.

The Pruning Of Fruit Trees : Deciduous Fruit Trees (Apricots), H R. Powell

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

APRICOTS are grown in this State mainly for the fresh fruit market. Varieties commonly grown include Newcastle Early, Royal, Ouillins Early, Blenheim, Moorpark, Trevatt and Tilton.

In some orchards the trees are regularly pruned, but in others they are left unpruned. Unpruned trees are given some renovation pruning from time to time.

Continuation of an illustrated series on pruning fruit trees, by H. R. Powell, B.Sc. (Agric), Chief, Horticulture Division.

Black Spot Of Roses, G C. Macnish

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

ROSES are among the most popular and versatile ornamentals as they may be grown as climbers, bushes or standards.

Black Spot of roses can be prevented by combining good sanitary practices with the regular use of preventative fungicides such as maneb and folpet.

Mosaic Diseases Of Beans, H L. Harvey

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

TWO important diseases of beans in W.A. are common mosaic and yellow mosaic.

Both may cause malformation, stunting of growth and yield reductions and are most serious in the spring and early summer crops.

Plant Diseases : Angular Leaf Spot Of Cucurbits, O M. Goss

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

ANGULAR leaf spot caused by the bactterium Pseudomonas lachrymans (E.F.Sm. & Bryan) Carsner, is common on cucumbers and gherkins grown late in the season.

The same disease has been recorded on rockmelons, watermelons and pumpkins but rarely occurs on these hosts in Western Australia.

Septoria Leaf Spot Of Tomatoes, S C. Chambers

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

SEPTORIA leaf spot was first observed on tomatoes in Western Australia in 1925.

Since then it has caused serious losses, both from seedling blight and defoliation of larger plants, on many occasions in autumn and spring crops.

Sclerotinia Disease Of Vegetables : Survival Of The Fungus In Soil, S C. Chambers, M. Hardie

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

Sclerotinia of vegetables is carried over in the soil of market gardens by means of resting fungal bodies called sclerotia.

Recent tests have shown that sclerotia may stay alive in the sandy soils of Spearwood for two years, but disappear from the wet peat soils of Wanneroo within six months

Cover Spraying For Septoria Leaf Spot Of Celery, S C. Chambers

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

LEAF SPOT, caused by the fungus Septoria apii Chester is the most serious disease of celery in Western Australia and is responsible for heavy losses in many winter grown crops.

Excellent control of Seproria leaf spot on winter grown celery has been obtained with the fungicide Dyrene (R) when applied at 10-11 day intervals during the season.

Apple And Pear Growing In Western Australia : A Survey Of Trends In Planting, Frank Melville

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

APPLE growing is the major f r u i t growing activity in Western Australia.

The highest production recorded was 2,052,600 bushels in the peak year of 1960-61; of this 1,326,157 bushels were exported.

Western Australia is second only to Tasmania in the quantity exported and at present relies on overseas markets to absorb about two-thirds of the crop.

In 1962 there were 1,304,455 apple trees in this State and the average annual production over the previous five years was 1,449,962 bushels. *

Why Not Take Another Look At The Loquat?, W J. Hart

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

Loquats were introduced to Australia in New South Wales in the early days of the colony.

Although they hare since been established throughout the country, loquats have never found a prominent place in the horticulture industry.

In this article W. J. Hart of the Horticulture Division says Why not take another look at the loquat ?

Leaf Spot Diseases Of Strawberry, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Leaf spot and leaf scorch are two important' fungal diseases of strawberry in Western Australia.

Satisfactory control can be obtained by good cultural methods and with captan or phaltan fungicides in a suitable spray programme.

Modern Developments In Bulk Handling Of Apples, J C. Rowbotham

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

One of the results of mechanisation replacing physical labour has been the development of bulk handling of many commodities.

Apart from the saving of time, effort and cost, bulk handling of agricultural produce enables quicker harvesting at the right time.

Guard Against Bitter Pit, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Two seasons ago bitter pit' caused heavy rejections of apples for export overseas and bad trade publicity.

To avoid a repetition of this, precautions should be taken against bitter pit on all susceptible varieties.

The Control Of Bitter Pit In Apples, Frank Melville, S. E. Hardisty, N. S. Shorter

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

Bitter pit is a physiological disorder of apples which causes considerable wastage of otherwise sound fruit .

It is a problem of world-wide occurrence and in Western Australia growing conditions appear particularly favourable for its development.

In recent years a practical means of control by calcium sprays has been developed.

Modern Methods Boost Apple Production In A South-West Orchard, N H. Shorter

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

A WELL-KNOWN South-West apple orchard with an impressive cropping record is owned by W. F. & E. M. Dilley and Sons, of Upper Capel, near Donnybrook.

Trees in this orchard have been producing consistently heavy crops for many years and, furthermore, yields have increased steadily over a 10-year period.

Roses : The Ideal Garden Flower, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE popularity of roses is increasing year by year and there is no need for any comment on the virtues of these flowers.

Apart from isolated areas right on the coast and similar extremely windy locations, roses can be grown with confidence, and you will be rewarded with a wealth of choice blooms.

Daffodil Eelworm Diseases, O M. Goss

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

EELWORMS or nematodes are minute worm-like organisms, some of which cause plant diseases.

The plant parasitic forms are not visible to the naked eye but the damage resulting from their attack can be quite severe.

A Revised List Of Fruit Diseases Recorded In Western Australia, R F. Doepel

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

THIS list of fruit diseases is a revision of part of the census published by Carne (1925) and supplemented by the same author in 1927.

It also contains records of diseases identified in the period between these earlier publications and June 30, 1961.

Rust Of Stone Fruit : Results Of Some Recent Spray Trials, R F. Doepel, S. E. Hardisty

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

RUST is caused by the fungus Tranzchelia discolor which attacks almonds, nectarines, peaches and, less commonly, apricots and plums in Western Australia.

Rust disease occurs in stone fruit orchards throughout the State and in some seasons causes premature leaf fall.

In unsprayed canning peach orchards growers have suffered considerable losses as a result of infected fruit being rejected for processing.

In recent spray trials satisfactory control has been achieved with the fungicides Delan, thiram and zineb.

Plant Diseases : Sclerotinia Disease In Vegetables : Control With Allisan Fungicide : A Progress Report, S C. Chambers, M. Hardie

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

During the past decade sclerotinia rot has become a major disease problem in metropolitan market gardens.

The fungicide Allisan has given promising results as a cover spray for the control of Sclerotinia. Two applications of the material reduced the incidence of Sclerotinia in runner beans from 45 per cent, to 15 per cent, and in lettuce from 9 per cent, to 2 per cent.