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.

Articles

  • Bananas are grown in Western Australia in the Ord River irrigation Area (arid monsoonal tropics) and Carnarvon (semi-arid subtropics).

  • The ORIA is free of major banana diseases found in the Northern Territory and Queensland, such as Panama disease and black sigatoka.

  • American foulbrood is a disease of honeybee larvae caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae.

  • European foulbrood disease, a serious disease of honey bees in eastern Australia, has not been detected in Western Australia.

  • The Western Australian (WA) cattle tick control program is managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to protect the viability of the cattle industry and safeg

  • When selecting a wheat variety to implement in a farming system, it is important to be aware of the variety's disease package to plan management options. The disease resistance ratings for wheat va

  • 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.

  • To make sure that any chemical application doesn’t leave you short on protection or break your withholding periods,  the Flystrike Assist application (mobile app for iOS and Android) has been devel

  • Western Australia is free of most of the significant diseases that affect animals in other parts of the world.

  • Dothistroma needle blight (Dothistroma septosporum) causes needle loss, slow growth and sometimes death in many types of pine and some related conifers.

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