Pear scab, or black spot, is caused by the fungus Venturia pirina. It infects leaves, shoots, blossoms and fruit, and can cause serious crop loss especially in wet seasons when control measures are inadequate. The disease is found world-wide, wherever pears are grown. The fungus is closely related to apple scab, but although many similarities...

The importance of periurban agriculture for a healthy city and the advantages of retaining agriculture are being increasingly recognised in rhetoric, but not in planning strategies, although the urbanisation of agriculturally productive land is of concern around many cities.

The cultivated blackberries are hybrid plants of the genus Rubus, subgenus Eubatus. They are only distantly related to the weed species, Rubus fructicosus Agg. The following varieties are found in commerce. Descriptive notes are based on performance in Southeast Australia. Fruiting season is dependent on climate and may vary by three weeks from early to...

This Agriculture note lists the common pests and diseases of Rubus crops in Australia. It is not a comprehensive list of all rubus diseases found worldwide, nor a full description of the life cycle of disease organisms. Life cycles of all major and minor rubus diseases can be found in Compendium of Raspberry and Blackberry...

Raspberries require well drained, deep soil. They do not tolerate heavy clay soils, or shallow soils, or prolonged water stress. They can tolerate heat in summer, but hot wind will devastate new growth and economic viability. The floricane fruiting (spring and summer) raspberries require adequate winter chill to fully and evenly break dormancy in spring...