CHOOSE YOUR PLANTS
Look for these disease-resistant varieties as seed or seedlings. Seedlings offered as premium or sold in larger punnets are often varieties selected for disease resistance. Not all are new varieties, as some heritage varieties also have good disease resistance.
BEANS
Beans are generally easy to grow but may be affected by blight and rust. Problem 1 Bacterial blight Resistant variety Hawkesbury Wonder (a dwarf bean)
Problem 2 Rust
Resistant variety Stringless Pioneer (a dwarf bean)
BROCCOLI
Broccoli grows best in cool conditions so look out for heat-tolerant varieties such as Summer Green for summer growing. Problem White rust
Resistant variety Marathon
CARROT
Carrots can be affected by virus disease. Problem Virus
Resistant varieties All Seasons, Topweight, Western Red
CUCUMBER
Long cucumbers are generally less disease prone than the round or apple-shaped varieties.
Problem Downy mildew, powdery mildew
Resistant variety Burpless
EGGPLANT
Eggplants prefer a long, warm growing season. In areas with short seasons, dwarf varieties with small fruit provide a faster crop.
Problem Short season, disease Resistant variety Fairy Tale
LETTUCE
Lettuce can bolt to seed in hot weather, and hearting varieties may be affected by mildew.
Problem Downy mildew
Resistant variety Greenway
ROCKMELON
Mildews affect leaves of many melons. Problem Powdery mildew Resistant variety Hales Best
SPINACH
Spinach likes cool conditions. In warm areas, grow as a winter or early spring crop. Although little goes wrong with spinach, there are varieties with good disease resistance.
Problem Downy mildew
Resistant variety Lazio
TOMATO
Several diseases can affect tomatoes. Varieties bred to resist disease and those that show good overall disease resistance include KY1 (an Australian heirloom), Pink Pearl, Summerstar, Tomatoberry and grafted plants. Problem 1 Bacterial wilt
Resistant variety Summertaste Problem 2 Blights (including early blight, late blight)
Resistant varieties Brandywine, Green Zebra (late blight), Legend
(late blight), Roma (late blight), Tigerella (late blight)
Problem 3 Fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt
Resistant varieties Ferline,
Roma VF, Sungold, Sweet Million Problem 4 Tomato mosaic virus Resistant variety Sweet Million
WATERMELON
Mildews affect the leaves of many melons but there are also other diseases to avoid.
Problem Anthracose, fusarium wilt Resistant variety Candy Red