Arabic version: اكتشاف فطر تعفّن الجذور في محاصيل الشمام بالإقليم الشمالي

According to ABC News, the soil-borne fungus Monosporascus cannonballus has been detected at two Northern Territory properties, marking the first reported Australian cases of the plant disease.

Northern Territory Chief Plant Health Officer Sally Heaton said the fungus causes root rot and was found in a cucumber plant in the Darwin region, as well as honeydew and rockmelon crops in the Katherine region, about 300 kilometres south. It affects cucurbit plants including pumpkins, squash, melons, cucumbers and gourds.

Two farmers reported problems with their crops, and the pathogen was identified in August after fine roots were examined. Ms Heaton said authorities did not know how the disease arrived in Australia and that it could have been present for a long time. The fungus cannot be eradicated, she said.

Melons Australia chief executive Johnathon Davey said the detection was concerning and was causing significant loss for affected NT growers. He said growers needed support to understand the fungus’s spread and manage it, warning that increased management costs could make supplying fresh melons harder.

NT authorities are not planning biosecurity restrictions in response to the detections. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries will work with industry groups to help growers manage the disease, with Ms Heaton saying existing farm biosecurity practices could assist.