This region is home to many market gardens that provide fresh fruit and vegetables for your dinner. Fruit and vegetables, being as tasty as they are, also happen to be attractive to many pests who also like to eat them for dinner. Farmers face an ongoing battle to keep their crops free from pests and diseases. A disease that is causing great concern at the moment is the Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV).
Image: www.agric.wa.gov.au
CGMMV is a plant virus that infects cucumbers, rockmelons and watermelons, pumpkins and zucchinis. It can be transmitted through wounds to the plant, especially young plants (made by farm tools and insects such as beetles chewing on the fruit), infected seeds and can also survive long periods in soil and on vehicles and equipment. Symptoms vary depending on the crop but generally cause pale spots on the leaves and veins causing a mottled or mosaic appearance, deformed leaves and leaf death. Plants can become stunted and also drop their fruit. In watermelons the fruit is deformed, discolored and rots.
Image: www.nt.gov.au
It was first reported in the Northern Territory in September 2014 and although great efforts have gone into keeping the disease contained, the virus has since been found on one property in Qld in April 2015. The virus can be spread by contaminated soil and water, people touching infected fruit then touching healthy fruit, packaging material and storage bins and contaminated tools.
If this virus were to spread into NSW it could have a devastating impact on our local fruit and vegie growers. If you go on to an operating farm be sure to follow the Farm Biosecurity measures, the farmer can tell you more about this. Be sure to use clean nursery stock from a reputable supplier for your home vegie garden and ensure it has not been brought in from the NT or Qld. If you suspect your backyard garden may have this disease you can report it to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881, where a specialist can confirm the presence/absence of the disease and help with management options.
Biosecurity practices that can help limit the spread of GCMMV include:
-
Restricting visitor access
-
Disinfecting tools, machinery and even footwear
-
Dispose of infected plants by burning or deep burial
-
Removal of weed species that may harbour the virus
Further information on this and other Biosecurity threats currently faced by NSW can be found on the DPI Biosecurity website: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity If you suspect the presence of an exotic plant pest or disease you can report it to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
Cache Details
Cache is a small bison tube but shouldn’t need an extracting tool for the log. Be mindful of critters in the grass especially over summer. Common hiding place, minimal passing traffic at most times. There is a flat area for easy parking just a few metres from the cache.