On the Northern Territory Government’s research farm in Australia, an infestation of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus has been detected. The presence of the virus is a surprise for the department, which strives to set the standard in term of biosecurity and their have been ongoing efforts to contain the disease.
Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries acting chief executive Ian Curnow yesterday said the cause of the infestation remained unknown and would be subject to an internal investigation.
The affected crop at Berrimah is a patch of watermelons, which has been sprayed with Glyphosate and cordoned off to stop the disease spreading.
Mr Curnow said the research farm tested the watermelon crop’s seeds and seedlings for the disease before planting, with both sets of tests coming back negative.
A nearby study of infected plants is surrounded by a buffer of sentinel plants, all of which have tested negative.
Mr Curnow said the consensus was the disease was in Australia to stay, and efforts had shifted to containment.
Quarantine conditions were lifted for Territory producers earlier this month as part of a national agreement on managing the disease, and new on-farm biosecurity measures were introduced.
The virus infects watermelon, cucumber, melons, zucchini, pumpkin, squash, bitter gourd, bottle gourd and some weeds. It has decimated crops around Katherine.
The disease damages crops to the point they cannot be sold.
Source: news.com.au
