he Northern Territory's department of primary industry has started testing all crops in the Top End which could be susceptible to the recently discovered Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic virus (CGMMV).
The virus has been found in several watermelon farms near Katherine and one melon farm near Darwin.
Yesterday, in Katherine, quarantine officers began testing other farms which grow cucurbits susceptible to the virus such as pumpkins and zucchinis.
Hundreds of farms in the Darwin rural area will also be tested over the next three to four weeks.
The NT's Vietnamese growing community met in Darwin's rural area last night to get the latest information on the quarantine program.
Many of the growers are anxious about the virus potentially spreading to their crops such as bitter melons, snake gourd, luffa, long melons, hairy melons and Lebanese cucumbers.