Plant quarantine - Digital Library

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 Western Australia, Series 3

Volume 3

Number 1 January-February, 1955 Article 27

1-1954

Plant quarantine Plant quarantine

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation

(1954) "Plant quarantine," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3: Vol. 3: No. 1, Article 27.

Available at: https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3/vol3/iss1/27

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The Plant Quarantine display at the Perth Royal Show, 1953. This general view shows the demountable, third- dimensional aluminium stands together with some of the colourful posters used to emphasise the importance

of the work.

PLANT QUARANTINE

Publicity Campaign Emphasises its Importance

O

NE of the lesser-known activities of the Commonwealth Department of Health is the Plant Quarantine section which by its unobtrusive efforts has been able to safeguard Australian farms, orchards and gardens from many of the plant pests a n d diseases which have become serious scourges in other lands.

Unless constant vigilance is maintained a t ports and airfields, infected plants or other materials could easily be introduced into Australia and result in the wide- spread dissemination of pests or diseases which could wipe out some of our primary industries unless they,were controlled by costly campaigns.

In order to enlist the support and co- operation of t h e travelling public, a n d to give farmers a better understanding of the work t h a t is being carried out, P l a n t Quarantine displays have recently been staged a t the Royal Shows in all t h e capital cities of the Commonwealth.

These displays were designed to be readily demountable and t h e basic stands were made from half-inch hexagonal alloy rods in 30-inch lengths. The rods, joints

and accessories were transported from city to city in a light three-ply box m e a s - uring 31in. x 12in. x l l i n .

When assembled, the rods created t h i r d - dimensional space frames in which pic- torial and other display material was suspended by means of fine wire. T h e illusion thus created of display pieces floating in space, especially when first seen from a distance, added to t h e eye- arresting appeal of the display.

As an aid to flexibility and mobility, in assembling a display plant to tour five capital city shows within three m o n t h s , t h e exhibits were confined as far as pos- sible to pests and diseases t h a t have been kept out of Australia. Complementary support for this general national propa- ganda line was provided by t h e now 125

Journal of agriculture Vol. 3 1954

familiar "Don't be a Carrier" a n d "Will Your Baggage Pass the Test" posters of t h e campaign, which is sponsored by the Australian Agricultural Council. Photo- g r a p h s of q u a r a n t i n e inspections and examinations were also used.

Australia is most fortunate in being free from some of t h e world's worst pests a n d diseases of p l a n t s ; so t h e organisers of this show display series h a d some i n - teresting m a t e r i a l to choose from. The exhibition subjects included:

Fire Blight of Apples a n d Pears—Ask a n y Australian apple grower if he would like to have "Fire Blight" in his orchard.

He knows w h a t a scourge it could be here, as it h a s been in North America and New Zealand, where it h a s wiped out apple a n d pear orchards and involved fruitgrowers in continuous expense to control it.

Citrus Canker—An authority has de- scribed Citrus Canker as the world's worst disease of citrus. In overseas countries, millions of trees have been destroyed by it a n d in measures to eradi- cate it. T h e disease is very difficult to control. America spent two and a half million dollars a n d destroyed four million trees to rid Florida and the Gulf States of Citrus Canker.

Boil Smut of Maize—Are you interested in growing maize or sweet corn? Aus- tralia is lucky i n n o t having to contend w i t h Boil Smut or with Stewart bacterial disease of these crops. Both of these scourges could be imported with maize or sweet corn.

Enemies of Potatoes—Black Wart and Ring Rot are overseas diseases t h a t are most destructive of potato crops. There is also t h e Colorado Potato Beetle which is a d a m a g i n g pest in North America a n d Europe. These are three good reasons why P l a n t Q u a r a n t i n e cannot allow potatoes to be imported from abroad.

Narcissus Fly—This is a very serious pest of bulbs a n d is present in most of t h e bulb-importing countries overseas. I t a t t a c k s m a n y popular bulbous plants i n - cluding t h e daffodil.

Oriental F r u i t Fly—This insect pest, one of t h e world's worst, entered the Hawaiian Islands during World War II.

Joint action h a s been achieved by the Australian and New Zealand Governments with the United States Government to try to check its spread. The U.S. Department of Agriculture h a s made inspectors avail- able a t Honolulu for pre-flight examina- tion and for t r e a t m e n t of all aircraft be- fore taking off for Australia.

Japanese Giant Snail—This is another war legacy. I t spread to parts of New Guinea, but so far h a s been kept out of continental Australia. Our alert quar- a n t i n e officers have a t times intercepted live specimens in ships' cargoes, a n d show patrons who saw the real shell on display could easily imagine w h a t a feast the pest would have in a n Australian home garden or m a r k e t garden crop.

Sirex Wasp—Australia's developing pine forests are proving a valuable national asset, providing essential housing, furni- ture, case-making a n d plywood needs, as well as sustaining a large employment force. If the Sirex wood wasp got into these forests it could devastate t h e m as it h a s done large areas in New Zealand.

T h a t is why P l a n t Quarantine checks all imports of softwood timber.

The story of these pests and diseases of plant life was told simply and strik- ingly in t h e recent Royal Show series.

So as to a t t r a c t the greatest number of people possible and to teach the most in the least time, audio-visual aids were used effectively in combination with t h e bright and modern mounting devices.

Adapting the Continental exhibition technique of applying sound to a p a r - ticular exhibit, "The Talking Tree" told the story of Citrus Canker in a way which was sure to give even the most disinter- ested passerby some inkling of Plant Quarantine activity. There is ample evidence, however, t h a t m a n y busy show patrons tarried—and a t least heard t h e whole story.

Another popular feature was a n Ampro Repeater Projector in which the campaign film "NOT WANTED ON VOYAGE" was screened, with sound, a t frequent inter- vals. The screenings, which produced a vivid image, day or night, on the m a c h - ine's self-contained television-like screen, never failed to gain a n i n s t a n t audience.

Journal of agriculture Vol. 3 1954