Entries by admin

Myrtle Rust National Symposium: Galvanising Action

The Foundation and friends are pleased to announce a National Myrtle Rust Symposium to galvanise action and conserve native plant species threatened by myrtle rust.  Myrtle Rust is a plant disease caused by the introduced fungal pathogen Austropuccinia psidii and it poses a serious and urgent threat to Australia’s native biodiversity. The Myrtle Rust in Australia: National Action […]

January 18, 2021 by

Indonesia’s Decentralized and Local Responses to COVID-19: Implications for Bilateral Biosecurity Engagement with Australia (PBSF040)

Project Leader Professor Ian Falk, Indonesian Biosecurity Foundation Status Contracting Background This project focuses on plant biosecurity in Indonesia and Australia. Each of its four case studies examines different aspects of effective management of biosecurity so as to generate clear messages for end-users and decision-makers in both countries, aiming to inform a bilateral biosecurity action […]

January 13, 2021 by

Foundation welcomes Dr Olivia Reynolds to the Board …

The Foundation Chair Prof John Lovett was delighted to welcome Dr Olivia Reynolds to the Board of the Foundation. Dr Reynolds, currently working with Cesar Australia, was voted onto the Board by the Members at our recent AGM, following the retirement of Initial Director Robinson. Prof Lovett said “Dr Reynolds has an impressive track record […]

December 23, 2020 by

Engaging the urban and peri-urban community in biosecurity …

Jessica Lye (Cesar Australia) and Helen McGregor (Redefining Agriculture) have just completed a great report outlining how people in the urban per-urban environments can form an integral part of Australia’s biosecurity system. These residents offer a potentially powerful pool of interested individuals if plant health training and engagement is offered in line with major motivators […]

December 17, 2020 by

Proactive pre-border vigilance against exotic strains of myrtle rust (PBSF033)

Project Leader Dr Louise Shuey, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Status Contracting Background Entry of exotic strains of myrtle rust poses a further threat to Australian ecosystems. Preventing arrival of new strains is an ongoing, very-high priority in the Myrtle Rust Action Plan (MRAP, Objective 5.1). Our collaborators in the United States (Colorado State […]

December 16, 2020 by

Impact of myrtle rust infection on community composition and ecological function (PBSF038)

Project Leader Professor Neal Menzies, University of Queensland Status Contracting Background Myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) poses a unique risk to Australian native forests. The host range within the ecologically important Myrtaceae family continues to grow, with populations of highly susceptible species exhibiting rapid decline. Evidence for changed community composition in affected communities is limited to […]

December 16, 2020 by

Can we use metabolites as biomarkers for the identification of innate resistance to myrtle rust across the Myrtaceae

Many species of Myrtaceae exhibit varying sensitivity to infection by Austropuccinia psidii, placing many vulnerable Australian ecosystems at risk of decline. More research is needed to identify the defenses that enable some plants to resist A. psidii infection so that we can survey priority species in the field for resistant populations and prioritise germplasm collection. Small molecules called […]

December 16, 2020 by

Using metabolites as biomarkers for the identification of innate resistance to myrtle rust across the Myrtaceae (PBSF037)

Project Leader Michelle Moffitt, Western Sydney University Status ACTIVE Background Many species of Myrtaceae exhibit varying sensitivity to infection by Austropuccinia psidii, placing many vulnerable Australian ecosystems at risk of decline. More research is needed to identify the defenses that enable some plants to resist A. psidii infection so that we can survey priority species […]

December 16, 2020 by