Boosting Diagnostics for Plant Production Industries

Theme: Diagnostic capacity building

Subthemes - Training, Science extension and industry, proficiency lab and field

The ability to diagnose exotic plant pests is at full capacity. Currently, the NT has a small team that are base funded within the Plant Health Branch of NT DPIR and they are required to cover the whole of the NT. There is an urgent need for capacity building and succession planning within the NT in both entomology and field pathology in diagnostics. This project is proposed to build cross-sectoral capacity and diagnostics in plant pathology for northern Australia.

Theme: Enhanced diagnostic tools

Subthemes: Protocols, Early warning

Entomology

Of particular importance to NT are the Asiatic citrus psyllid and the associated HLB disease since both are present in neighbouring countries to the north and could enter NT by travellers or through wind-borne dispersal. Surveillance for the psyllid is already being undertaken in the National Tomato Potato Psyllid and Zebra Chip Surveillance project, which is trapping for psyllids in urban areas. These traps could be extended to citrus production areas and high-risk sites for introduction (see also under blitzes below). This program will provide the necessary diagnostics support for these other programs, while enabling surveillance, and therefore the likelihood of early detection, to be enhanced.

Plant Pathology

The project field pathologist will fill one of the current gaps of diagnostic capacity for pests of Northern Australia. This pathologist will be trained in the diagnostics of key pests for the major crops, monitoring for exotic pathogens through targeted surveillance activities, and will focus on key cross sectoral priority pests in the NPPP and HPP lists.

Theme: Triage and Industry Readiness

Subthemes: Blitzes and incident scenarios

Ten years ago (Citrus Surveillance Program (CSP) 2009) the department carried out a survey for Asiatic citrus psyllid and HLB in the NT. This included both trapping and visual surveys for the psyllid and collection of citrus leaves with possible HLB symptoms for analysis in the laboratory. The survey was designed by a statistician who assisted with determining the number and distribution of sampling points, which included not only production areas but also urban and peri urban sites and high risk areas on the northern border. In the final year of the project it is proposed to conduct an exercise based on the scenario of a detection of HLB and/or ACP. This will involve the department's diagnostic laboratories and quarantine staff, but will be run and coordinated by the DPIR Emergency Management team.