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 […]
Project Leader, Organisation Jordan Bailey, NSW DPI Status Complete Background For the International Year of Plant Health, and National Science Week, NSW DPI celebrated plant health and biosecurity with their mascot the Biosecurity Warrior. A custom webpage and free activity pack were developed to engage kids across the state on the importance of plants and […]
Project Leader, Organisation Geoff Pegg, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Status ACTIVE 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 […]
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 […]
Project Leader, Organisation Michelle Moffitt, University of Western Sydney Status ACTIVE 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 […]
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 […]
Project Leader, Organisation Kerrie Rubie, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Status Contracting Background The Queensland DAF Hermitage Research Facility Schools Plant Science Competition offers engaging ways for students to gain understanding and skills in key areas identified within the Australian Science Curriculum. Encouraging the next generation of people who will be involved in agriculture […]
Project Leader, Organisation Dr Angus Carnegie, NSW DPI Status Contracting. Background Myrtle rust has had significant impacts on native ecosystems in NSW and Queensland, causing localised extinction of species (Rhodomyrtus psidioides) and severe decline of others (Syzygium hodgkinsoniae). A completed DEE project recording impact of myrtle rust EPBC-listed species ‘Lowland Rainforests of Subtropical Australia’ identified […]
Project Leader, Organisation Katharina Belt, CSIRO Status COMPLETE Objectives Australia is one of few countries where biosecurity has played a major role in helping to keep agriculture and the environment free from some of the world’s most severe pests. However, new solutions for pest/disease incursion control are needed as foreign pathogens are becoming increasingly resistant […]
Project Leader, Organisation Alistair McTaggart, University of Queensland Status Active. Background A very high priority in the Myrtle Rust Action Plan is to prevent arrival of new strains of Austropuccinia psidii (Objective 5.1). The project collaborators in the United States, led by Ned Klopfenstein, are developing much-needed, high-throughput sequencing tools to distinguish strains of myrtle […]