Last summer saw unprecedented levels of phytoplasma in summer pulses/legumes (including chickpeas, mungbeans and pigeon peas) in all cropping regions in eastern and northern Australia from the Ord Irrigation area (WA), Burdekin/Atherton Tablelands (NQ), to central NSW. The most likely insect vector is the brown leafhopper Orosius orientalis, which has been detected in recent (2017) spring crops. While plantings of… Read more »
Phytoplasma (a specialised bacteria infecting plants) has been widely reported in spring-planted mungbeans from Central Queensland to North Western NSW (Moree and Narrabri) and all areas in between. Symptoms include masses of small deformed leaves, flowers and pods, plants remaining green at harvest, and possibly an increased incidence of puffy pod. While in previous recent summers, moderate to high levels… Read more »
A devastating disease was observed in several paddocks of soybean crops in the Branchview area of the Darling Downs in late autumn 2016. Almost 100 percent of plants were affected in some paddocks. The affected plants produced no, or very few filled pods and instead had a proliferation of tiny immature pods as shown in Photos 1 and 2. The plants… Read more »
As the warm weather persists, insect activity is remaining high. DAFFQ Entomology has received numerous reports of aphids, and leaf-feeding caterpillars. The aphids have been identified as cowpea aphid and the caterpillars as one of the summer-active armyworm species, Spodoptera exigua (lesser armyworm). The concerns about these are for the potential for crop loss caused by direct feeding damage/defoliation or virus… Read more »
An estimated 4,000 ha of soybeans near Casino in Northern NSW have been affected to varying degrees by soybean stem fly (Melanagromyza sojae) , a pest rarely seen in damaging numbers in Australia. Damage in many Casino crops is confounded by the presence of charcoal rot, a disease which blocks the plant’s vascular (xylem and phloem) tissue and causes similar… Read more »
