Vegetables

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development works closely with the vegetable industry to promote growth through better market access, developing integrated pest management programs and improving water and fertiliser use efficiency.

Vegetable production in Western Australia had a farm gate value of about $336 million in 2013, with the total industry value being $909 million. Most crops are grown for local consumption, apart from carrots, which are exported year-round to South East Asia and the Middle East.

The main growing areas are in the South-West, especially the Swan Coastal Plain from Gingin to Busselton, and around Manjimup and Albany.

Articles

  • Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is a declared pest in Western Australia. It can significantly reduce crop yields in potatoes and tomatoes.

  • Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a very damaging virus disease of tomato crops in tropical and warm temperate regions of the world, causing losses of up to 100%.

  • Potato virus Y tuber necrosis strain (PVYNTN) causes a serious disease of potatoes called potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease which results in dark unsightly rings on tubers.

  • Potato virus Y (PVY) is an aphid-borne virus that causes yield losses and tuber quality defects in commercial potato crops.

  • Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is an aphid-borne virus that infects a wide range of plant species including vegetable crops and weeds.  In Western Australia CMV infection in capsicum causes yield and

  • Carrot virus Y has been found in carrot crops throughout Australia.

  • Turnip mosaic virus, cauliflower mosaic virus and beet western yellows virus occasionally cause significant economic loss in vegetable brassica crops such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Chinese