MELON growers have been reminded that vigilance is the best insurance when it comes to protecting their properties from viruses.
Attendees at the Bayer Melon and Watermelon Field Day at Griffith earlier this month heard a strong biosecurity message aimed at informing and equipping the industry to limit the damaging impacts a virus outbreak could have.
Front of mind for many was cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), while melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) was also addressed.
MELON growers have been reminded that vigilance is the best insurance when it comes to protecting their properties from viruses.
Attendees at the Bayer Melon and Watermelon Field Day at Griffith earlier this month heard a strong biosecurity message aimed at informing and equipping the industry to limit the damaging impacts a virus outbreak could have.
Front of mind for many was cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), while melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) was also addressed.
Australian Melon Association industry development manager, Dianne Fullelove, gave an update on how the melon was positioned to tackle biosecurity concerns.
She said encouraged melon producers to ask questions of those they deal with.
"My advice to growers, and the seed companies will know that I've been pushing this hard; ask the seed companies for proof that the seed has been tested," Ms Fullelove said.
"And I'm sure Bayer is doing that all very well."
Her main points for better farm biosecurity included using only tested seed, implement strong farm hygiene practices and don't allow general access to a farm.
"Stop people coming onto your farm," she said. "If you are a grower- put up biosecurity signs. Just say to people, you can't come on my farm, and they have to come on through you. They have to ring you."
She said despite recent detections of CGMMV in cucumber crops in Queensland, the melon industry had been travelling well.
"Other than that, we haven't had any more outbreaks in the melon industry," she said.
"While we've had these other outbreaks occurring, for the melon industry I don't think it's too dire.
"I think that we are making good progress to control it, even though you're hearing at the moment that it's gone into cucumbers."
Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries plant virologist, Fiona Constable, spoke on the technical results of research projects into both diseases.
She said imported seed remained a major risk for disease entry.
"Internationally traded seed is absolutely a pathway for a lot of those things," she said.
"Viruses can live on the surfaces of the seed and if they are purely on the surface of the seed, there is a prospect that they can be cleaned off and maybe not such a problem."
"But once they start to get internally into the seed… then it starts to become problematic because you can't clean that up."
She also reiterated the need for ensuring plant material in the first instance was clean.
"If your starting material is good, then hopefully you won't find the virus in it," Ms Constable said.
Ms Fullelove said all seed coming into the country now should be tested for both CGMMV and MNSV, although she said she still had concerns that there was an amount of seed in circulation that was only tested at the lower level.