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The project aimed to increase

knowledge on the role of non-

crop host plants in the life cycle

and ecology of TPP and CLso,

with the results to be used for

biosecurity preparedness and to

develop effective Integrated Pest

Management (IPM) programs in

Australia and New Zealand.

“If that psyllid comes to

Australia, and we have an IPM

system in Australia in potatoes,

where are the knowledge gaps

that need to be addressed in

order to keep that IPM system,

or to further inform and develop

that IPM system?” Dr Dohmen-

Vereijssen said.

“One of the gaps that was

identified had to do with where

the psyllids go when the crop

is gone, because some growers

think that when the crop is here

all of a sudden the psyllids just

TPP could have in Australia.

Meanwhile, Dr Vivian-Smith

gave an insight into the

decision-making process that

occurs when dealing with

emergency responses to a

plant pest incursion.

TPP is a tiny sap-sucking insect

that is currently widespread

across New Zealand. It vectors

the plant-pathogenic bacterium

Candidatus

Liberibacter

solanacearum (CLso), which

causes Zebra chip disease in

potato tubers. This devastating

complex also attacks

solanaceous crops such as

tomatoes, capsicums, tamarillos

and eggplant (see page 16 for

more information).

Ten years ago, TPP was

THE 2016 PLANT BIOSECURITY COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE (PBCRC) SCIENCE

EXCHANGE GAVE RESEARCHERS THE CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE

AND DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF THEIR WORK ON END-USERS. THIS YEAR, A JOINT

PRESENTATION FOCUSED ON THE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES THE AUSTRALIAN POTATO

AND VEGETABLE INDUSTRY COULD IMPLEMENT TO RESPOND TO A PEST INCURSION,

SUCH AS TOMATO-POTATO PSYLLID.

Improving incursion response using

Tomato-potato psyllid as a case study

A

USVEG National Manager

– Science and Extension Dr

Jessica Lye joined Plant & Food

Research New Zealand scientist

Dr Jessica Dohmen-Vereijssen

and Agriculture Victoria Chief

Plant Health Officer Dr Gabrielle

Vivian-Smith to present at

the 2016 Plant Biosecurity

Cooperative Research Centre

(PBCRC) Science Exchange

in October.

The trio spoke about the

various aspects of their

research and the impact it

has on growers and the wider

vegetable and potato industry.

Dr Dohmen-Vereijssen reported

on a three-year research project

that Plant & Food Research

recently completed on the

Tomato-potato psyllid (TPP),

while Dr Lye’s presentation

focused on the impact that

detected close to Auckland.

Two years later, a new-to-

science pathogen – CLso – was

found in a capsicum crop also

close to Auckland. Later in that

year, the first Zebra chip disease

in potatoes was discovered in

the Auckland region.

“After that, the spread over

the whole of New Zealand has

grown rapidly and basically

the psyllid is everywhere – in

all the growing regions. I think

that potato and tamarillo are

probably the worst-affected

crops, yield- and quality-wise,”

Dr Dohmen-Vereijssen said.

Discussions to start a research

project on TPP commenced

four years ago between Plant

& Food Research and PBCRC.

PBCRC Science Exchange

Psyllid nymphs on African boxthorn leaves. Image courtesy of PBCRC.