Professor Andre Drenth has just finished and important study into blood disease of bananas, collaborating with key scientists and partners in Indonesia. The disease originated in Indonesia some 100 years ago, but has recently spread widely amongst the archipelago and was recently reported in Malaysia. It’s further spread is a major threat to South East […]
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The Foundation has invested in a new project to enhance urban biosecurity in Australia, contracting Jess Lye at cesar to use a foundational approach to understand emerging risks, support resilient cities and safeguard rural industry (PBSF027). Australian cities are undergoing a high rate of growth. Creating ‘urban forests’ to boost resilience is becoming more common, […]
Alistair McTaggart has wasted no timing in leveraging his Foundation project (PBSF018) by publishing already in the European Journal of Plant Pathology. His paper is ‘Sexual reproduction in populations of Austropuccinia psidii’. The project aims to: 1.Foster collaborations between researchers from Australia, the USDA (United States of America), Scion (New Zealand) and FABI (South Africa), […]
Laura Fernandez-Winzer is a doctor in Biology who successfully finished her PhD in 2018 with the support of the Plant Biosecurity CRC. She focused her thesis on the Impacts of the invasive pathogen myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) on the Australian native communities. She graduated in April 2019, and further developed her teaching skills, tutoring for […]
The Foundation was delighted to support the 2019 Annual Crawford Fund Conference: “Weathering the ‘Perfect Storm’: Addressing the Agriculture, Energy, Water, Climate Change Nexus.” The proceedings are now available on-line and can be downloaded here and individual papers are also available on speaker pages. Individual presentations will also be made available more broadly through CABI […]
The Foundation sponsored Regional Biosecurity Conference (PBSF008) has been cancelled due to the challenges and uncertainties of COVID-19. The Conference was originally to be held last year, but was delayed until last month; following bushfires over summer, it was further delayed. Now, the pragmatic decision has bene to cancel the Conference with the ongoing uncertainties […]
Dr David Murphy et al (PBSF010) explored the use of strontium isotopes as markers of provenance for biosecurity purposes. The work showed some potential and certainly added to our knowledge base. David and his colleagues have now published the work: Murphy DT, Allen CM, Ghidan O, et al. Analysing Sr isotopes in low-Sr samples such […]
Fire is a natural part of Australia’s landscape, but while the recent fires were completely unprecedented, they do allow us an opportunity to examine the impact A. psidii might have on regeneration. A new project (PBSF029) headed by Geoff Pegg from QDAF should give us some answers – see the projects page for more information.
Project leader, Organisation Geoff Pegg, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Status Contracting Background While fire is considered an important selection agent in the development of Australia’s native flora (Gill 1975), the development of new epicormic and young seedlings en-masse are ideal for the development and spread of A. psidii. The impact A. psidii might […]