EDITION 11   |   AUGUST 2024

IPPC calls for Diagnostic Protocols author nominations

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is seeking nominations for authors for the following IPPC Diagnostic Protocols:

• Oryctes rhinoceros (2023-003)
• Alopecurus myosuroides (2023-010)
• Halyomorpha halys (2023-012).

Nominations are to be provided through the Australian IPPC contact point IPPC.contactpoint@aff.gov.au before Sunday, 15 September 2024.

For details on how to nominate or apply, please visit the website via the button below.

Virus curation guidelines now available on web

Guidelines on the minimum requirements and best practices for vouchered viral specimens in plant pathogen reference collections are now available to download on the NPBDN website.

Developed by Agriculture Victoria Research, the guidelines outline the baseline requirements of VirusCurateAU, the minimum requirements for vouchered viral specimens and their metadata, as well as best practices and standard operating procedures for viral isolate characterisation and characterization.

Visit Reference Collections on the NPBDN website for access to additional resources.

Free Varroa mite resources

The following Varroa mite resources are now publicly available, including:

• a series of free, one-day Varroa mite Management Training Workshops, to be held in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales between 31 August and 26 October 2024, delivered by the National Varroa Mite Management Program
• Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) webinar: National Transition to Management, Business Continuity, Planning and Preparedness
• A Varroa Expert Interview Series of six podcasts produced by AgriFutures and AHBIC.

Honey bee with Varroa mite parasite. (Credit: https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/news-and-events/2023/10/11/varroa-mite-and-bees.html)

Feature: NPBDN residential develops knowledge on eradication of invertebrate plant pest

Asha Thomas (Ministry for Primary Industries, MPI, New Zealand) visited the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) this year to build her diagnostic capabilities in several invertebrates listed as National Priority Plant Pests (NPPPs) in Australia, including Khapra beetle (NPPP #2), exotic and economic fruit flies (NPPP #4), and snails (NPPP #12).

National Biosecurity Week - building resilience for a stronger tomorrow

The inaugural National Biosecurity Week (NBW) takes place from 26–30 August. This annual event highlights the collaborative efforts of government, industry, and the community in protecting our environment, food security, and Australian way of life. By raising awareness and advocating for the adoption of good biosecurity practices, NBW strives to strengthen our biosecurity system for the benefit of all Australians.

“Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility, as we must continue to work together to safeguard Australia from pest, disease and other biosecurity threats,” said Sarah Corcoran, CEO of Plant Health Australia (PHA).

“National Biosecurity Week will provide a valuable educational platform with the aim of fostering a culture of shared responsibility and proactive biosecurity management.”

Led by PHA in partnership with Animal Health Australia (AHA), NBW is an initiative of the Decade of Biosecurity (DoB) with the support of the DoB partners.

Upcoming biosecurity events

• Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium (ASDS) Conference 2024, Kingscliff, NSW | 26 – 30 August 2024
• Australian Biosecurity Symposium, Gold Coast, QLD | 27 – 29 August 2024
• Varroa Management Training Workshops, various locations | 31 August to 26 October 2024
• ALA Webinar: Exploring next-gen biodiversity detection technologies, online | 4 September 2024 (11 am – 12 pm AEST)
• Australasian Plant Virology Workshop 2024, Gold Coast, QLD | 29 – 31 October 2024
• International Advances in Plant Virology 2025, Murica, Spain | 8 – 11 April 2025
• Australasian Plant Pathology Society Conference 2025, Sydney, NSW | 26 – 28 May 2025
• 5th International Congress on Biological Invasions, Perth, WA | 21 – 24 September 2025

Career opportunities

Visit the careers page on the NPBDN website for updates on current vacancies and postgraduate scholarship advertisements.

Job opportunities:

• The Temporary Employment Register has a listing of jobs are available at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
• The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is advertising for a Molecular Technician to join their Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division (BPSSD), based in Cairns, Queensland.

Postgraduate opportunities:

• The ARC Training Centre is seeking PhD applicants to innovate novel approaches to prevent, respond to, and recover from plant pests and diseases that threaten the economy and environment. There are 10 projects now open for expressions of interest from prospective students (closing 30 September 2024).
• La Trobe University is offering a scholarship for a PhD focused on The application of near-field sequencing technology as a triage and surveillance tool to detect pests and pathogens.
• Applied BioSciences at Macquarie University is advertising several scholarships on the research focus Climate change and its effects on vector transmission of plant pathogens.

Career profile

About the Network

The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Professional Development and Protocols Projects are coordinated and delivered by PHA and funded by DAFF. The objectives of the Projects are to enhance and strengthen Australia’s diagnostic and surveillance capacity and capability to identify priority plant pests that impact on plant industries, environment and the community.