AU: Passionfruit threats identified
The IBP, developed by PHA and Passionfruit Australia Incorporated (PAI), is the industry’s blueprint for providing the best possible protection against new plant pests.
In all, nine bacterial and viral infections that pose a high risk specifically to passionfruit production were identified, in addition to 12 exotic fruit flies that would affect passionfruit as well as other crops.
According to Greg Fraser, PHA’s executive director and CEO, it is important to identify the worst pests to the industry so that they can be targeted by biosecurity efforts.
“If these pests - including Bacterial blight and Passionfruit ringspot virus - established here they’d cause significant damage to the industry,” he said.
“That’s why our organisation has taken the pre-emptive step of developing the biosecurity plan with PAI, on behalf of the 130 commercial passionfruit growers across Australia, before there’s a significant incursion in the industry.”
PAI executive officer Jann Bonsall said the IBP significantly boosts the passionfruit industry’s capacity to minimise pest threats and rapidly respond to pest detections.
“Australia produces over 3000 tonnes of passionfruit annually. This plan helps us identify and prioritise what we need to do to prepare against incursions by new plant pests so this production can continue,” Jann said.
“It specifies biosecurity roles not just for governments, but also for the industry and the wider community.
"For example, since passionfruit vines have to be replaced every year or two, nursery operators need to have good hygiene practices to make sure they are supplying clean vines. Growers too, have a role to play, by instigating good farm biosecurity practices in plantations.
"Only by working together will we be able to keep these exotic pests at bay.”
The risk assessment of top passionfruit pests was carried out by PAI and State government experts from Queensland, Western Australia and NSW as part of the biosecurity plan’s development.
The assessment was based on the likelihood of each pest entering the country, its ability to establish and spread, and the economic impact if it were to become established in Australian passionfruit plantations.
The majority of passionfruit is grown in plantations in Queensland and NSW with some production in WA and the Northern Territory.
Source: qcl.farmonline.com.au