Diseases

Diseases have a detrimental effect on plants and animals and impact on market access and agricultural production. Diseases include micro-organisms, disease agents (bacteria, fungi and viruses), infectious agents, parasites and genetic disorders.

Western Australia is free from some of the world's major agricultural and livestock diseases. Biosecurity measures on your property are vital in preventing the spread of diseases.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides:

  • biosecurity/quarantine measures at the WA border to prevent the entry of plant and animal diseases
  • post border biosecurity measures for harmful animal and plant diseases
  • advice on widespread diseases present in the state.

For advice on animal and plant diseases search our website, the Western Australian Organism List or contact our Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS).

For diagnostic services, please contact our Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

See Also

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Articles

  • Straw or brown colour spots surrounded by a yellow water-soaked halo than may resemble septoria

    Diagnosing halo blight in oats

    19 June 2015

    There are two types of bacterial disease which infect oat foliage; halo blight (Pseudomonas syringae pv. coronafaciens) and stripe blight (Pseudomonas syringae pv.

  • Fluffy, white powdery growths of fungal spores on leaf surface

    Diagnosing powdery mildew in cereals

    4 December 2013

    Powdery mildew is a fungal leaf disease that reduces yield and grain quality in susceptible varieties.

  • First signs are dark spots with yellow edges

    Diagnosing spot type net blotch

    21 January 2014

    Spot-type net blotch is a stubble-borne fungal foliar disease occurring more frequently in the medium and high rainfall areas of the West Australian (WA) wheatbelt.

  • Cabbage showing necrotic flecks and patches characteristic of turnip mosaic virus

    Virus diseases of vegetable brassica crops

    16 July 2014

    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

  • Leaves turn yellow from the tips and may have yellow stripes extending towards base.

    Diagnosing yellow dwarf virus

    4 December 2013

    A cereal disease caused by two similar viruses (barley yellow dwarf virus and cereal yellow dwarf virus). These diseases are spread by several colonising aphid species.

  • Mature plants: Twisted, fleshy, distorted heads

    Diagnosing downy mildew in cereals

    4 December 2013

    A fungal disease favoured by waterlogged conditions.

  • Stem rot sclerotes packed inside infected lupin stems

    Diagnosing sclerotinia white mould in pulse crops

    14 May 2015

    Two fungi which cause similar diseases referred to as sclerotinia white mould are Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Sclerotinia minor.

  • Infected plants are covered with a white powdery film

    Diagnosing powdery mildew in field peas

    24 April 2015

    Powdery mildew Erysiphe pisi is rarely seen in the field in Western Australia. Warm humid conditions favour its growth late in the season.

     

  • Reddish-brown lesions on the hypocotyl

    Diagnosing rhizoctonia hypocotyl rot in grain legumes

    24 April 2015

    Strains of the soil-borne fungus Rhizoctonia solani that cause hypocotyl rot in all lupin species and most other crop and pasture legumes in WA.

  • Plants infected as seedlings are spindly with multiple tillers

    Diagnosing wheat streak mosaic virus

    4 December 2013

    Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is a seed and mite-borne virus that infects cereals (including wheat and barley) and grasses.

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