Irrigated crops

In areas such as the Ord River Irrigation Area in northern Western Australia, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is working with industry in trialling new varieties and agronomic systems for both existing and potentially valuable new crops.

The main crops of current interest include the health food quinoa, rice which is showing considerable potential if disease and variety problems can be overcome, sugar cane which will be the basis of new developments on Ord Stage 2, and cotton which is based on genetically-modified varieties.

Articles

  • Bacterial wilt of lucerne (Clavibacter insidiosus) is a disease that reduces the lifespan and productivity of lucerne stands. It also makes lucerne crops hard to establish.

  • The Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS) provides advisory and identification services on animal and plant pests, weeds and diseases that impact Western Australia's agriculture and food ind

  • Rice blast is the most important disease of rice worldwide and detection of the disease in 2010 halted the rice industry in its tracks in northern Western Australia.

  • Rice blast caused by fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is generally considered the most important disease of rice worldwide because of its extensive distribution and destructiveness unde