Crops

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development continues to support the growth and international competitiveness of all crop industries in Western Australia.

With a 2400 kilometre span from its tropical north to its temperate south, WA supports a broad range of cropping industries from rain-fed winter cereals through to irrigated horticultural crops.

In the 2012/13 year the WA cropping industries exported a total of $3.9 billion which comprised: $3.1 billion of cereals, $859 million of pulses, pastures and oilseeds, $142 million of horticultural crops. The major contributors to these exports were wheat ($2.7 billion), canola ($756 million), barley ($377 million), lupins ($42 million), carrots at $48 million, oats ($12 million), and strawberries at $5.5 million.

Articles

  • Apple looper (Phrissogonus laticostata) is a native insect that damages fruit in apple orchards and vineyards in the South West of Western Australia.

  • African black beetle (Heteronychus arator), is native to southern Africa. It has been present in Western Australia since the 1930s and occurs in the wetter coastal regions.

  • Garden weevil (Phlyctinus callosus) was accidentally introduced into Western Australia from South Africa.

  • Downy mildew of grapevines can cause serious crop loss if weather conditions are favourable.

  • Bunch rots of grapes are widespread in Western Australia and reduce yield and quality. Weather conditions and control strategies influence the severity of losses which can vary between vineyards.

  • Sclerotinia shoot rot is caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

  • Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is a major disease of grapevines that originates from North America.

  • Eutypa dieback is caused by the fungus Eutypa lata which is a prohibited organism in Western Australia. It is a major trunk disease of grapevines that reduces yields and kills the vine.

  • Powdery mildew is the most persistent fungal problem of grapes in WA and one of the most widespread fungal diseases of grapevines in the world.

  • Saperavi wines have outstanding colour and performed well with both judges and consumers in evaluations in Western Australia.

Filter by search

Filter by topic