Entries by admin

Workshop: tracking and forecasting of pest and pathogen movements (PBSF028)

Project Leader Hazell Parry, CSIRO Status Active Background Parallel research has been undertaken in both the UK[1] and Australia[2] that considers the risks posed by the long-distance atmospheric movement of insect pests and pathogens. This currently takes a range of independent methodological approaches: Atmospheric dispersal modelling Radar technology Near-ground monitoring  Genetics A Rothamsted Research-CSIRO Linkage […]

January 19, 2020 by

Urban plant biosecurity: Using a foundational approach to understand emerging risks, support resilient cities and safeguard rural industry (PBSF027)

Project Leader Jessica Lye, cesar Dr Helen McGregor, Redefining Agriculture Status Active Background Australian cities are undergoing a high rate of growth. Creating ‘urban forests’ to boost resilience in the face of future challenges is widely accepted as a necessary strategy to achieve resilience and in response local governments are developing urban agriculture strategies. In […]

January 19, 2020 by

Australian Strawberry growers equipped with biosecurity knowledge

This Foundation-funded project delivered Masterclasses to Australian strawberry growers to increase their awareness and adoption of farm biosecurity practices. Growers considered most of the farm biosecurity practices discussed as ‘easy’ to adopt, particularly those that were not costly or time consuming to implement. 75% of participants adopted one or more of the biosecurity practices on […]

January 12, 2020 by

Boosting biosecurity awareness and action in the international post-border freight and logistics industry

The Foundation supported NSW DPI to undertake a program of activity for biosecurity in the post-border freight and logistics industry. This came on the back of two post-border detections of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) in 2017-18 in NSW. These detections led to a cost-shared emergency response between agricultural industries and government under the […]

January 11, 2020 by

2019 Pest Invaders competition and big hit with the kids

The 2019 ‘Pest Invaders’ competition, sponsored by the Foundation, was a huge success with 153 schools registered from across Australia and just over 3,600 students directly engaged in experiments and activities to help them discover the impact invasive pests have on the native environment and agricultural production, on both a national and international level. A […]

January 4, 2020 by

Expanding environmental biosecurity capacity to protect unique ecosystems on K’gari (Fraser Island) (PBSF025)

Project Leader, Organisation Geoff Pegg, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Status Contracting Background Exotic pests threaten cultural and environmental biodiversity values unique to Australia. Myrtle rust is a significant invasive pathogen of the native environment. The Australian Government has responsibility for maintaining World Heritage values under the World Heritage Convention ensuring biosecurity risks are […]

November 11, 2019 by

Ornamental and Asian vegetable plants as entry pathways for viruses (PBSF024)

Project Leader, Organisation Andrew Geering, University of Queensland Status Contracting Background Many ornamental and Asian vegetable plant species host plant pathogens that are threats to agricultural and native ecosystems in Australia.  Trade of these plants is difficult to regulate, as they can be bought using electronic markets (eBay) or even at school fetes, and illegal […]

November 11, 2019 by

Developing molecular ‘fingerprinting’ of myrtle rust disease to facilitate strategies in monitoring and control (PBSF023)

Project Leader, Organisation Michelle Moffitt, University of Western Sydney Status Contracting Background Before disease symptoms appear, plant pathogens deploy chemical cues, including metabolies and proteins, that impact the speed and degree of pathogenesis.  Some chemical cues act as molecular ‘fingerprints’ as they are pathogen-specific. Plants that are able to recognise these cues are more likely […]

November 11, 2019 by

Strengthening the weakest link in peri-urban Medfly suppression (PBSF022)

Project Leader, Organisation Professor Ben White, University of Western Australia Status Contracting Background This project examines communication and incentives for Medfly management in peri-urban areas. It will be run as a partnership between UWA and Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group (PHBG) and Dr Isabel Arevalo-Vigne (DPIRD). The project builds on research funded by the PBCRC on […]

November 11, 2019 by