October 7, 2014
Queensland watermelon growers fear that a new virus identified in crops from in the Northern Territory could spread to local areas.
Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus has been identified in watermelon crops in the Katherine region.
It’s believed to be the first time the virus has been found in Australia.
However watermelons from the Katherine area are still being picked and shipped interstate.
Terry O’Leary, from Chinchilla, told ABC Radio today that watermelons from Katherine are currently for sale at his local supermarket.
“There is a bit of an unknown there on whether or not the disease in that fruit, whether it can be easily translocated to the wild melon that we have growing in this area,” he said.
