Improving biosecurity preparedness of the Australian citrus industry (CT17001)

What was it all about?

Building upon the outcomes of earlier levy-funded project Protecting Australia’s citrus industry from biosecurity threats (CT12022), this investment was established in 2018 to improve the industry’s ability to respond to exotic pests, raise industry awareness about the importance of exotic citrus pests, and develop a nationally coordinated program for targeted surveillance activities.

The project acknowledges that the industry faces a number of significant exotic pest threats that have the potential to affect production as well as market access. These include Huanglongbing and its psyllid vectors, citrus canker and citrus variegated chlorosis (Xylella). Its work bolstered biosecurity capacity and technical capability for the Australian citrus industry, and included a range of preparedness, response and awareness activities.

To achieve these objectives, key outputs were delivered under five focus areas:

• Surveillance: Data relating to exotic pests from commercial, urban, and peri-urban locations were collected through the Korea, China, Thailand (KCT) Surveillance Program and the Asian Citrus Psyllid Trapping Program (established in 2019 to trap and survey for Asian citrus psyllid)
• Increased awareness: Communication materials and biosecurity presentations about exotic citrus pests were shared with growers to increase awareness and support surveillance activities
• Capacity building: A National Citrus Surveillance Coordinator was appointed who responsible for working with growers, researchers, industry bodies and the Australian and state government agencies to coordinate citrus surveillance and biosecurity activities across the country. The First Detectors Network (created under Protecting Australia’s citrus industry from biosecurity threats (CT12022)) was also maintained.
• Preparedness: Pesticide control options for high priority exotic pests were identified
• Governance: The Huanglongbing Taskforce was established and then merged with the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee in 2020.

Outcomes were shared with various stakeholders, including growers, researchers and decision makers, to support awareness across the Australian citrus industry of the importance of biosecurity.

ACT NOW

• Access the Citrus Canker Surveillance Information fact sheet to learn more about the disease and surveillance information.
• See the Biosecurity pest practice checklist to learn how to get the best protection against the introduction and spread of new pests.

Read these articles to find out more about this project and Australian citrus biosecurity:

• National Citrus Surveillance Coordinator appointed, Citrus Australia website, 23 August 2018
• Do you have citrus gall wasp in your garden?, extensionAUS website, 1 October 2019
• Look out for this citrus pest at your place as part of the bigger picture, December 2019.