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

Potato seed certification

20 November 2013

DDLS Seed Testing and Certification is responsible for administering the industry seed potato production schemes in Western Australia.
Potato spindle tuber viroid: declared pest

9 July 2014

Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is a declared pest in Western Australia. It can significantly reduce crop yields in potatoes and tomatoes.
Late blight of potato and tomato: declared pest

4 April 2019

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is considered the most devastating disease of potatoes worldwide and caused the Irish potato famine in the 1840s.
Bacterial wilt of potato: declared pest

29 March 2019

Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) is a serious disease of potatoes that can cause crop losses of more than 90%.
Potato Virus Y tuber necrosis strain: declared pest

4 April 2019

Potato virus Y tuber necrosis strain (PVY^NTN) causes a serious disease of potatoes called potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease which results in dark unsightly rings on tubers.
Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum

8 May 2017

Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum is a bacterial plant pathogen that is exotic to Australia. Currently five haplotypes have been described: haplotypes A and B from solanaceous crops suc
Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum: pest data sheet

8 May 2017

Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum is an exotic pest to Australia. It can affect both solanaceous and apiaceous crops.
Potato virus Y in potato crops

31 January 2014

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

10 July 2017

Dickeya dianthicola is a serious bacterium that can cause tuber soft rot and blackleg in potatoes, and can also affect some ornamental varieties, chicory and artichoke.
Soft rot diseases of potatoes

21 November 2013

Soft rot can cause heavy losses in stored potatoes if not properly managed, creating a perception of poor quality in export seed potato markets.