The storage life of fresh fruit and vegetables varies with type, variety and pre-harvest conditions. There is scope to control storage life through postharvest management of the two most important determinants of storage life and quality — respiration and transpiration.
Irrigating crops with saline water can result in yield loss and decreased quality.
Hollow heart is an internal disorder where a 'lens' or 'star'-shaped cavity forms in the potato tuber. Some varieties are more susceptible than others but, under predisposing conditions, most varieties can be affected.
Matching water supply in the soil to crop demand using good irrigation practice is important to produce a high quality potato crop.
When different fruits and vegetables are stored together, one foodstuff may be tainted by odours given off by another. A second important problem is that optimum storage temperatures and relative humidities for different produce vary widely.
Five varieties provide Western Australian chickpea growers with their best options for growing. These include PBA Striker, PBA Slasher, PBA Maiden, Neelam and Ambar.
The red and green kangaroo paw is the floral emblem of Western Australia.
Kangaroo paw flowers are grown for both the local and export cut flower markets. They are also used as amenity plants providing a block of colour and are fairly drought tolerant.
Farms in the agricultural areas of south-west Western Australia are particularly susceptible to fire in the hot, dry summer months – accidental and intentionally started fires are not uncommon.
Brome grasses (Bromus spp.) are highly competitive weeds, most problematic in wheat crops.
Chlorination effectively reduces problems with water colour, taste and odour, and treats bacterial contamination.
