New guides to help protect tasty truffles from serial snackers
Protect our cut flower and garden industries from myrtle rust
New guides to help protect tasty truffles from serial snackers
Four years of research in Australian truffle orchards has culminated in two guides to help commercial truffle growers identify and manage pests with a taste for the high-value delicacy.
Led by DPIRD Manjimup-based entomologists and researchers, the national research project has identified best management practices to respond to pests and diseases that affect truffles and their host trees in Australia.
Prior to the project’s launch in 2015, there had been little observation and documentation of the pests and diseases impacting truffle production in Australia.
Pest damage in truffles can result in downgrading of product for markets, making improved pest management key to increasing opportunities in premium export markets.
Following seasonal pest and disease surveys across WA and Australia, DPIRD’s team have developed two free resources for truffle growers: the Australian Truffle Orchards – Pest and disease field guide (mailed out to all commercial truffle growers), along with its companion publication Australian Truffle Orchards – Integrated pest and disease management manual (available in electronic version).
The field guide will help producers identify and monitor organisms likely found within Australian truffle orchards, while the management manual contains more detailed management information.
Anne Mitchell (pictured above left), truffle producer and Chair of Truffle Producers Western Australia, said the manual and field guide will be valuable publications for the industry.
“As a truffle producer, I know the frustration of finding a damaged truffle and trying to figure out what’s eating my truffles and how to control it.
“The field guide makes it easy to identify the culprit, then look up in the management manual how to control the pest in a way that’s safe for my orchard.”
The hard copies of the field guide should be received by early April, one copy per commercial truffle enterprise. Any commercial grower who has not received their copy by then should contact Alec McCarthy at DPIRD Bunbury.
The ‘Pests and diseases’ project was jointly funded by AgriFutures™ Emerging Industries Program, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Western Australia, Australian Truffle Growers Association (ATGA), Truffle Producers Western Australia (TPWA), the Australian National University (ANU) and Department of Primary Industries New South Wales (NSW DPI).
For more information, contact Alec McCarthy, development officer, Bunbury, +61 (0)8 9780 6273