Members of HMA NSW took part in an important Fruit Care Workshop on Friday 24 August where three top industry specialists spoke to us about current threats to citrus and other fruit varieties.
Horticultural entomologist Andrew Jessup first updated us on current fruit fly controls and gave us an understanding of why this pest is so successful.
Dr Nerida Donovan, citrus pathologist with the NSW DPI, had only just arrived back from Darwin where she is working on controlling the latest outbreak of the bacterial disease citrus canker. Nerida explained how much damage this disease could do to our national citrus industry if it spread.
Martin Horwood, Senior Plant Biosecurity Officer with Greater Sydney Local Land Services, outlined some of our current serious biosecurity threats including tomato/potato psyllid and brown marmorated stink bug.
After lunch we crossed the road to the nearby Engall’s citrus nursery where 3rd generation citrus grower Mark Engall gave us a tour of the nursery, outlined his production methods and spoke about the importance of growing citrus on certified rootstocks. While we were there Ben Swane, nursery legend, called in and caught up with a number of old friends in our group.
