Issue 5 | September 2023

Updated Reference Standards for National Surveillance Protocols (NSPs)

The National Surveillance Protocols (NSP) Reference Standard was recently updated by the Subcommittee on National Plant Health Surveillance (SNPHS).

The Reference Standard is used to guide authors in developing national surveillance protocols, ensuring that relevant, consistent and up-to-date information is included. The Reference Standard also describes the approval workflow protocols need to go through prior to endorsement by SNPHS.

NSPs serve as the first point of reference for developing surveillance plans, and include information on:

• surveillance methodology
• pest/pathogen biology
• pest/pathogen taxonomy
• pest/pathogen identification
• sample processing.

By following the Reference Standard, NSPs contribute significantly to achieving a coordinated plant health surveillance system that meets national and international requirements.

Three NSPs have been endorsed by SNPHS thus far to support and enhance ongoing surveillance activities. Visit the website for more information. 

For further information on NSPs or for developing a new protocol, please contact nspcoordinator@phau.com.au.

Image left: Citrus canker on lime (source: NSW DPI).  Image top right: Brown marmorated stink bug adult (source: Source: David R. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org). Image bottom right: Asian spongy moth (source: Karla Salp, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org).

Biosecurity Surveillance: Protecting Australia's Forests (eLearning course)

Plant Health Australia (PHA) recently introduced a free, one-hour eLearning course called Biosecurity Surveillance: Protecting Australia’s Forests.

This eLearning course explains the role biosecurity plays in keeping Australia’s forests healthy and how surveillance activities act as an early-warning system to help minimise the impact of pests and diseases on the forest industry.

The course is available on PHA’s Biosecurity Online Training (BOLT) platform and was developed with funding provided by Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) and the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Visit the PSNAP website for more information.

Remember: Report any unusual forest pests or symptoms to the Emergency Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 or by using the MyPestGuide^TM Trees application (available from the google play and apple app stores).

PhD scholarship opportunities

Four exciting PhD scholarships in Queensland or Victoria are currently advertised on the PSNAP website.

One of the PhD projects is being offered by The University of Queensland (UQ) and will investigate the biology and epidemiology of foliar diseases of macadamia, including the effects of climate change and anomalous weather trends on disease prevalence and impact. Visit our website for more information.

Three PhD scholarships are available at AgriBio (La Trobe University in Melbourne), and applications will remain open until filled. These include one mushroom industry linked PhD and two Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) linked PhD projects. Visit the PSNAP website for more information.

Careers in surveillance

Be sure to visit the careers page on the PSNAP website to keep up to date with current career opportunities.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) are currently advertising the following positions:

• Plant Pathologist in the Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division (closing date: 27 September 2023)
• Community Liaison Officer in the Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division (closing date: 27 September 2023)
• Data Analysts / Modellers. Four positions are being advertised based in Brisbane, Cairns, Queensland and Melbourne (closing date: 29 September 2023) 
• Entomologist in the in the Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division (closing date: 4 October 2023).

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries QLD is also advertising the following position:

• Technical Officer, Protected Cropping to work in a new research infrastructure at the Gatton site of the Queensland Smart Farms Initiative in Brisbane (closing date: 6 October 2023). 

Registrations open for APPS 2023

Registrations for the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS) Conference 2023 are now open. The conference will be delivered in-person as well as online through pre-recorded presentations that will be made available after the event.

APPS 2023 will be held in Adelaide from 20 – 24 November 2023, themed: Change and adaptation. The program features presentations and workshops relevant to PSNAP members, including:

• sessions and workshops on "Diagnostics, biosecurity and community/industry engagement/extension”
• sessions on “Epidemiology, ecology, modelling and risk analysis”
• workshop 3: “New approaches for surveillance and monitoring of plant pathogens”
• workshop 5: “Xylella”.

Visit the conference website for more information and to register.

Career spotlight

This month we shine the spotlight on Danielle Wiseman, IPMG Coordinator at Industry Plantation Management Group, Bunbury WA.

Danielle has worked in forestry for around 20 years in some diverse locations, from Tasmania to Kununurra!  Read more.

About the Network

The Plant Surveillance Network Australasia-Pacific (PSNAP) enables members to communicate and share skills in plant pest surveillance. It acts as a coordination point for surveillance professionals and practitioners to strengthen surveillance capacity and capability across Australia, New Zealand and the nearby region. 

The National Plant Biosecurity Surveillance Professional Development and Protocols Projects are coordinated and delivered by Plant Health Australia and are funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.