Potato virus Y is a major issue for potato production in all Australian states and, indeed, worldwide. However, it exists as a complex of different strains. This summary talks about the latest identification of PVY found in Australia.

Find out more about good salinity management practices on farm, salinity thresholds for vegetables, how salinity can be identified and measured, as well as appropriate EC ranges for soils and water. 

Tospoviruses cause large losses of product across the supply chain. Whilst some species such as Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) are present in Australia, others are not and represent a significant biosecurity threat. This 2019 report compiles important DNA information that could be used with modern biotechnology to develop new and effective controls.

Hear from industry experts on how strip-till will save you fuel and time, increase soil organic matter, reduce erosion and compaction, and how fertilisers’ can be banded at multiple depths.

This Hort Innovation report goes into a needs analysis of the potato industry. It highlights that there is a need for strong extension and communication programs. It also develops a strategy and implementation plan that could be used to meet those needs.

Integrated weed management (IWM) is about combining a series of small management changes to produce a big result. Read the guide that was conducted by the University of New England through the Hort Innovation funded project.

This Hort Innovation report covers the current state of knowledge of soil health, with the use of over 220 references from both Australian and international sources. This report also covers various workshops media articles, videos and a factsheet associated with soil health in potato production.

This Monitoring Psyllids and Psyllid Predators in Australian Potato Crops report by Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) and Hort Innovation covers the different psyllid populations found and the levels of psyllid predators present.

This Serve-Ag project ran from 2016 to 2020 to assess groundwater quality in areas of potato production in South Australia (where groundwater quality is most variable) and investigated how regional and seasonal water-quality variability impacts on potato production and quality.

Powdery Scab, caused by Spongospora subterranea, is a costly blemish disease. This 2018 report delves into novel detection and mitigation strategies. Both greenhouse and field trials were undertaken. This report has provided a great source of knowledge for the ongoing battle with Spongospora.

This Hort Innovation report reviewed the Australian potato industry seed handling and seed quality. The latest trends and research were investigated.

This 2018 report looks at the available literature and information regarding species present in Australia. It also investigates the accessibility of accurate diagnostic tests.

In this video, Tasmanian grower James Addison discusses the value of cover cropping in maintaining soil health and increasing productivity in potato production.

This case study outlines the economic considerations when using compost in vegetable production systems. It is based on lessons learned from several Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (ICP) demonstration sites, during the period 2014 to 2016.

Have you been thinking about implementing cover crops on your property? Would you like to know more about how they can interact with your farm’s natural systems? What they cost? what benefits they can create? Read this Soil Wealth Integrated Crop Protection factsheet that goes into the economics of cover crops and what they can do for you.

This fact sheet from the Department of Agriculture and Food WA covers why It is important to be vigilant for signs of the pest and report suspect tomato potato psyllids.

Anhydrous ammonia has long been used as a preplant and side dressing fertiliser in the cotton and grain industries. It results in a high retention of nitrogen in the soil, reduced leaching of nitrates through the soil and yield increases in various crops. However, it needs to be treated with care as it can cause injury to farm workers.

This case study provides a unique long-term grower perspective on using compost on a commercial vegetable farm. Learn more from Sam Calameri of Baldivis Farms in Western Australia who started trialing compost on-farm more than 10 years ago.