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R&D | THE FRONT LINE | TPP FEATURE
Early in February, the vegetable and potato industries received the news that they had hoped to never hear.
Tomato-potato psyllid had, for the first time, been found in Australia. AUSVEG National Manager – Science
and Extension Dr Jessica Lye has provided this update to readers.
TOMATO-POTATO PSYLL ID DETECT ION:
WHAT HAPPENS FROM HERE ?
Many had been expecting the arrival of tomato-potato psyllid
(TPP) in the eastern states of Australia, possibly deposited by
easterly wind currents, or brought in by one of the millions of
international travellers who land in eastern seaboard airports each
year. However, when it comes to pest incursions, sometimes risk-
based analyses will only take you so far. The psyllid was, in fact,
found in a Perth vegetable garden.
This detection comes following a swathe of unfortunate
biosecurity events for horticultural industries since 2014. Only last
year Varroa jacobsoni (cousin to the dreaded Varroa destructor)
was found in Townsville, representing a significant threat to
industries that rely on pollination.
In 2014, I found myself in the thick of the cucumber green
mottle mosaic virus incursion – an outbreak where over 20
cucurbit growers in the Northern Territory were placed under
strict quarantine for two growing seasons. Government and
industry learnt hard lessons during the virus outbreak and it was a
very low point in our recent biosecurity history.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION
Government and agricultural industries represent the two
biggest players in our biosecurity system. However, there are
other players (and beneficiaries) – for example, bushwalkers
and natural resource management groups have an important
role to play in maintaining the health of our natural environments,
and travellers can have significant impacts on spreading harmful
pests if proper biosecurity precautions are not followed. As a
traveller, are you aware of fruit fly-free regions in your state, or
around the country? Do you dump your strawberries before
entering Tasmania?
Throughout the lifetime of the biosecurity program, growers
have commented to me about the change in paradigm, from
one that embraced a culture of farm hygiene and community
awareness/knowledge to one of disconnect on the part of
community, and apathy on the part of plant industries. It is during
crisis situations when biosecurity best practices become topics of
discussion once again. It seems logical to take steps to promote a
culture of investment in preparedness and education, rather than
reaction and response.
CURRENT TPP RESPONSE
The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
(DAFWA) is undertaking surveillance in commercial crops and
backyard gardens in the Perth area, following the confirmed
detection of TPP. Apart from attempting to determine the spread
of the pest from the Perth metropolitan area, DAFWA officers are
conducting proof of freedom surveillance in priority production
areas. This is one such activity that could be undertaken now in the
eastern states as a preparedness measure.
Working under the guidelines of the Emergency Plant Pest
Response Deed, the Western Australian government has heeded
industry advice. After an incident definition phase lasting six weeks,
this incursion is now in the response phase. As of 22 March, the
National Management Group (NMG) for TPP (comprising all
Australian governments, affected industry representatives and
Plant Health Australia) agreed to a short-term national response
plan. The NMG will consider the appropriateness of the initial
response after 30 days. This period will allow critical information
on the nature and spread of the pest to be collected.
A Quarantine Area Notice has been declared for the Perth
metropolitan area and other local government districts until
30 October 2017. The quarantine area includes a control zone
and suppression zone. DAFWA has also developed a detailed
surveillance plan targeting commercial and residential growers in
the Perth metropolitan and regional areas of Western Australia.
The surveillance plan will guide detection, eradication, suppression
and control efforts, and establishes a watch zone covering non-
quarantine areas of Western Australia with a view to proving an
area of freedom to support continued trade in solanaceous plants
and produce. At the time of writing, Candidatus Liberibacter
solanacearum, which causes zebra chip disease in potatoes, had
not been detected in Australia.
AUSVEG is extremely aware of the hardship faced by Western
Australian growers if this incursion expands in size and severity. From
an industry perspective, the AUSVEG Crisis Management Team, in
partnership with Potato Growers Association of Western Australia,
vegetablesWA and Horticulture Innovation Australia, has been
working to ensure that the TPP outbreak is responded to effectively.
During the first emergency teleconference to discuss the
detection of tomato-potato psyllid (TPP) in Western Australia,
AUSVEG offered to send its Biosecurity Coordinator Callum
Fletcher to Perth to aid in the response. The Department of
Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA), which led
the response efforts, accepted this offer and Callum relocated
to Perth from 9 February to 9 March. Financial support
covering the additional costs were provided by the Department
of Agriculture and Water Resources.
CRISIS SUPPORT
Immediately after the detection of the psyllid, DAFWA set up
an Incident Response Centre at its South Perth campus, where
Callum was based. The Centre contained over 50 DAFWA staff
who coordinated and implemented the state’s response efforts
from a centralised location.
There were two purposes for Callum’s presence in Western
Australia. The first was to provide a permanent industry voice
and presence at the heart of the Incident Response Centre,
alongside regular attendance at daily meetings and updates
from vegetablesWA Chief Executive Officer John Shannon
and Potato Growers Association of Western Australia Executive
Officer Simon Moltoni.
AUSVEG PROVIDES ON-THE-GROUND ASSISTANCE DURING EMERGENCY PEST INCURSION
The second was to provide technical advice to aid the response,
based on Callum’s prior experience with TPP in New Zealand.
From the initial detection of TPP in New Zealand in 2008 until
his move to Australia to work for AUSVEG in 2016, Callum has
worked on research and surveillance of the psyllid in his former
roles at Plant & Food Research New Zealand and as an
industry consultant.
FURTHER WORK
While based at the Incident Response Centre, Callum
contributed to training DAFWA staff and developing surveillance
methods, as well as developing suppression and eradication
plans. He also facilitated the information transfer of New
Zealand-based expertise to aid in the effective detection,
destruction and management of the psyllid and its host plants.
During the month that Callum was in Western Australia,
a range of grower meetings were held in Perth, Bunbury,
Manjimup, Albany, Geraldton and Carnarvon and consisted
of presentations and question and answer sessions conducted
by Callum and DAFWA staff. During these visits, regional
DAFWA staff were also given further instruction on the
effective surveillance of the psyllid.
Any unusual plant pest should be reported immediately to the relevant
state or territory agriculture agency through the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline
(1800 084 881).
For further information, contact AUSVEG National Manager – Science
and Extension Dr Jessica Lye or AUSVEG Biosecurity Coordinator Callum
Fletcher on 03 9882 0277 or or
.
The Vegetable and Potato Biosecurity Program is funded by the Plant
Health Levy.
This communication has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia
Limited using the research and development Fresh Potato Levy and funds
from the Australian Government.
Project Number: PT15007
INFO
Tomato-potato psyllid nymphs. Image courtesy of
Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, .
African Boxthorn Lycium ferocissimum, a
non-crop host plant of tomato-potato psyllid.
Foliar symptoms in potato as a result of infection with Candidatus
Liberibacter solanacearum. Image courtesy of Plant & Food Research
New Zealand.