The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Orchard plant protection guide for deciduous fruits in NSW aims to provide commercial orchardists with up-to-date technical information on all aspects of crop protection. The Orchard plant protection guide for deciduous fruits in NSW has been serving growers and other industry stakeholders for over 58 years, with the latest edition undergoing some significant changes to assist growers.

DPI Development Officer Temperate Fruits, Kevin Dodds said that information in the guide is now more accessible and user-friendly to assist commercial orchardists with pest and disease management decisions.

“The guide features more images to help with easy identification of pest and diseases in apples, apricots, cherries, pears, pome fruit, plums, prunes peaches and nectarines,” Mr Dodds said.

“For easy reference, crop protection products are listed with each of the orchard pests or diseases.

“The registered and permitted crop protection product lists have been updated to ensure growers have access to the latest information to help them effectively manage pests and diseases.

Feature articles in the guide include:

Calculating degree days for temperate fruit moth pests
- Managing crop load in deciduous trees
- Managing postharvest diseases in temperate fruits
- Chemical tools for managing bud dormancy, flowering, vegetative growth, harvest and storage quality

Mr Dodds said DPI is very pleased to welcome Jessica Fearnley to the Horticulture team and as co-author on this edition of the guide.

“Jess is appointed as the Temperate Fruits Development Officer based at Orange, having recently graduated from the University of New England with a Bachelor of Rural Science.”

The Orchard plant protection guide for deciduous fruits in NSW is Free to commercial fruit growers and industry stakeholders and is available from selected NSW Local Land Services offices in the key fruit producing regions or through grower cooperative/state organisations and selected rural retail stores across NSW.

This guide is available through the NSW DPI website.