Plant biosecurity challenges & needs at Australia’s border

Mark WhattamAQIS

Presentation outline…

1. At the front line: AQIS Operational Science Program

2. An interconnected world - the threats are real!

3. Biosecurity challenges at the border

4. Biosecurity R&D needs at the border

1. AQIS Operational Science Program

National network of ~22 scientists (Entomologists and Pathologists) providing services to 3,000 AQIS staff

pest/disease identifications (20,000/yr) technical training (~950hrs/year) on the spot risk management advice adopt new technologies eg. remote diagnostics (RD)

OSP scientists are typically generalists as we deal with a very wide range of crops & diseases

2. An interconnected worldSignificant increase in global trade and people movement Global merchandise trade valued at US$8.9 trillion (2004) c.f. $58 billion in 1948 8+ billion tonnes of cargo traded and increasing (2009) ~4.8 billion PAX travelled to 1,633 international airports in 179 countries (2010)

=> creating a rapid biosecurity risk highway

In Australia, in the last 12 months:- Two million TC plantlets & >1 million medium risk ornamental plants Volumes significantly increasing eg. 40’ containers of Yucca canes New exotic locations -> risk of unknowns - what lies around the corner?

The threats are real!

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Num

ber

Year

Total Interceptions 2005-2009

Animal

Seed

Disease

Inverebrate

~1,500 post border detection reports annually -> approx. 30-40 new incursions annually

OSP identify ~20,000 pests each year (about 25% exotic)

Quarantine pests intercepted inc:-• Chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica)• Citrus canker (X. axonopodis pv. citri)• Angular leaf spot (Xanthomonas fragariae)• Sharka (Plum pox potyvirus)• Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium)• Burnt pine longicorn (Arhopalus ferus)• Asian gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)

Declining specialist science capacity globally but succession an issue since 1960’s - remote diagnostics will help but not the whole answer

Removal of long-established pest control practices eg. MB, phosphineresistance

Expensive to develop diagnostic protocols particularly for low volume turnover and ever expanding Emergency Plant Pest list (SPHDS/DSWG)

Disconnect between researchers and regulatory authorities (eg. importing EPPs for diagnostic/contingency planning)

Escalating costs of managing EPP outbreaks with decreasing budgets & resources likely to lead to establishment of more pest incursions

Climate change leading to changes in pest/host distributions & extreme climatic events => focus on humanitarian efforts overriding biosecurity concerns

3. Biosecurity Challenges

Complex biosecurity policy decision making with- uncertain science (technical, economic and social) - high stakes if wrong decision

=> leads to extended dialogue & risk adversity with decision making and stakeholder frustration

Unrealistic community expectations of zero risk incursions eg. spores on passengers clothing/volume of trade

Public ignorance/awareness and community engagement/compliance eg. internet trading eBay

Silos and replication of funding across Plant Biosecurity eg. NBC, ABIN, ALA, AUSBIOSEC, NCRIS, CRC-NPB, DAFF, PHA, NHRN, SPHDS, PHC, PISC, RIRDC, Governments, Industry associations, Universities, etc, etc

Emergence of ‘new’ (or previously unknown) diseases eg. WSMV & SOD

Pest resistance, strain/pathovar issues & new host records (except for the obvious ones eg. Ug99)

Sample collection - what to sample when asymptomatic?

Molecular tools pick up known risks - what about the unknowns => ongoing reliance on biological systems (time delays)

Finding the needle in the haystack!

4. Biosecurity R&D NeedsBack to basics Up to date records of plant pests & pathogens in Australia in APPD/ALA

(particularly for front line risk assessment & export certification)

Population thresholds for establishment eg. timber pests how many for a population to establish?

Detection efficacy and variation of pests within large consignments using visual inspection - are there other inspection techniques eg. vacuum or biosensors?

International Plant Sentinel Gardens program using overseas botanical garden collections - is there an opportunity to predict what is around the corner before it hits the border?

Treatment efficacy data & need for new treatments at the border including recapture techniques to extend MB use, H-T, controlled atmosphere (CO2/N2) & irradiation

Proactive surveillance across continuum particularly at high risk border sites - what target pests, trapping protocols and treatment options (considering social factors) eg. National Khapra beetle trapping program inc. 600 traps at over 64 sites but NONE at QAP entry points

Implementation from R&D lab to the biosecurity frontline (much money spent & many good ideas but never get implemented - greater focus needed)

Identify Australia’s required plant biosecurity capability and develop/fund national clusters of expertise (PISC Plant Biosecurity RD&E strategy)

Cost benefit analysis of where funds should be spent on plant biosecurity R&D to get the ‘best bang for our $’

Sell message to leaders of importance of plant biosecurity (eg. establishment of karnal bunt impact to grain exports)

Blue sky dreaming????Science R&D needs……..

1. Develop novel multi-target detection systems that:- separate pathogens and abiotic symptoms in plants differentiate plant pathogen groups eg. virus, fungi, bacteria, etc differentiate viral groups eg. nepovirus identify species eg. GFLV

……..that are rapid, reliable, accurate, cheap, sensitive and user friendly systems eg. microarray, next gen sequencers, proteomics, LFD??

2. Automated web based diagnostics using image recognition of morphological features of EPPs (next phase of RD??)

3. Novel treatments to manage plant disease issues at the border??

…………I don’t want much!!!

Many thanks to the APPS organisers for allowing me to present this seminar.

Want to know more?

Mob: 0408 545 526mark.whattam@aqis.gov.au

Visit the DAFF website: www.daff.gov.au

Any Questions?