The Vegetable leafminer (Liriomyza sativae; VLM) is an exotic fly species which poses a significant threat to Australia’s nursery and vegetable production industries.

VLM established itself in the Torres Strait in 2008 and was found on the mainland of Australia on the Cape York Peninsula in 2015. VLM populations have not reached problematic levels in Australia as researchers believe that tiny biological control agents called parasitoid wasps are helping parasitise leafminer flies.

Levy funded ‘Research, Development and Extension program for control, eradication and preparedness of vegetable leafminer’ (MT16004) project launched in 2017 to better identify and recognise the impact VLM could have on Australia’s nursery and vegetable production industries and where parasitoid wasps could contribute to controlling the pest.

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The nursery industry communications survey is set to close on Monday, 30 March 2020.

To influence the future direction of the program, levy payers are asked to complete a short online survey to ensure you’re getting the information you want, the way you want it.

Delivered by project provider, Cox Inall, the Nursery industry communications program (NY18001) aims to ensure levy payers are kept up to date with the latest R&D and marketing information so your business and the broader industry can continue to develop, grow and thrive.

The communications program utilises several channels to maximise their reach, including:

• Your Levy @ Work website
• The Hort Journal
• Greenlife Industry Australia website
• Social media
• Your Levy @ Work eNewsletter

This quick survey works to ensure R&D and marketing information is relevant and timely for your business.

Information gathered will be used to inform the communications strategy for the next year and aims to strengthen the connection with industry.  It only takes a few minutes!

To complete the survey, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GVQFCMR

The Nursery Industry Communications Program 2018-21 (NY18001) has been funded by Hort Innovation using nursery industry levies and funds from the Australian Government.

Wednesday, 11 March 2020

Last week, Mr Reece Whitby MLA, Western Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and to the Minister for Environment officially declared the Greenlife Industry Australia national conference open in front of over 250 delegates, exhibitors, industry stakeholders and media and research partners.

The declaration kicked off two full days of education and inspiration centred around the theme of ‘Healthy Plants, Healthy People’. Running from Wednesday, 4 – Thursday, 5 March, the conference focused primarily on plant health to ensure it remains at the forefront of the national conversation, as does its direct and proven link to human health.

The exhibition hall was a hive of activity during the event with nursery levy funded project research partners and commercial partners showcasing the latest innovations in greenlife.

A virtual reality demonstration managed by the Greenlife Industry Australia plant protection team was one of the most popular exhibits as delegates were able to conduct pest inspections via an immersive virtual reality headset. Still in development, this technology will eventually be rolled out nationwide as part of the National Nursery Industry Biosecurity Program (NY15004).

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Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) causes a range of symptoms, depending on the age of plants, weather conditions and nutritional status. Symptoms include yellow mottling of leaves, ringspots, chlorotic blotches and line/mosaic patterns. Wilting and purpling of leaves can occur and necrotic lesions can develop on stems of affected plants. Plants can be stunted, have reduced vigour, or in some cases die. Symptoms are similar to, and can be confused with, nutritional disorders, bacterial or fungal diseases, or improper management techniques.

Transmission:

TSWV is transmitted by seven thrips species, four of which are present in Australia: onion thrips (Thrips tabaci), melon thrips (Thrips palmi), tomato thrips (Frankliniella schultzei), and western flower thrips (WFT) (Frankliniella occidentalis) with WFT being the most efficient vector. Thrips remain infectious for life but do not pass the virus to their offspring through the egg. Approximately five days are required from the time the thrips are infected with the virus to when the thrips are able to transmit the virus to another plant.

It is not spread by other sap-sucking insects such as aphids, whiteflies and leafhoppers, but can be spread by the vegetative propagation of infected plants, such as cuttings and bulbs. The virus is not spread in seed or on equipment, does not survive in soil or decaying crop residues, and is not spread by handling plants.

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Applications are now open for the 2020 Growing Leaders Program.

Ten places are available for participants from the nursery industry who want to take the next step in their careers. This cross-industry program will challenge participants to reflect on what is expected of them as future leaders, as well as provide a set of tools and skills that will help them lead teams, and ensure their businesses are prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

This program is an evolution of the previous Growing Green Industry Leaders Program, a four-month professional development course which equipped future nursery industry leaders with career-focused skills and knowledge. However, this new program also includes participants from other sectors including the vegetable, raspberry and blackberry, sweet potato as well as and fresh and processing potato industries. This program also includes two extra days: one of training and a dedicated field day.  Combined, these two days enable more time for deeper reflection and real-world application.

By taking a more holistic approach, the Growing Leaders Program provides an opportunity for different industries to learn from each other and their leadership practices.

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Friday, 28 February 2020

The management of caterpillars in Australian production nurseries is crucial, with approximately 10,000 species of moths and butterflies posing a biosecurity threat to the industry. The recent detection of fall armyworm in Northern Queensland reinforces the need to be well informed on best management practices.

Caterpillars damage plants by physically removing plant tissue causing window-like holes in leaves. Though newly hatched larvae only cause minimal lower leaf damage, as they grow they consume a much greater volume of food, leaving behind larger holes, rapidly increasing the amount of damage caused.

Detection

It’s important that crops are consistently monitored in order to control any infestations and minimise the risk of the pest spreading. Caterpillar infestations are best managed if the lifecycle is broken early.

There are a number of caterpillar management recommendations that growers should consider to minimise the biosecurity threat in their production businesses.

Regular plant health inspections are strongly encouraged, allowing growers to:

• Identify the infestation sooner
• Keep populations under control
• More effectively manage the incursion whilst it’s considered lower risk.

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