Nursery growers across the country are taking biosecurity into their own hands by sending thousands of samples to plant scientists for identification so they can quickly respond to any pests and diseases within their business. 

Funded by Hort Innovation through the nursery levy and delivered by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, the program provides every nursery business in the country up to six free diagnostic samples per year. After sending in their sample, a team of experts diagnose the problem and provide personalised feedback on how to manage the pest or disease moving forward.

Participants in the program have reported reduced pest and disease incidence, improved plant health, fewer plant discards and lower management costs, highlighting the value of the offering.

Nurseries are a critical part of the horticulture ecosystem, and this service gives other industries such as avocados and cherries, confidence that they have access to healthy plants, setting orchards up for success at the very start of their lifecycle.

Mila Bristow, General Manager for Trade and Biosecurity R&D at Hort Innovation, said the nursery industry is on front foot when it comes to biosecurity.

“The nursery industry’s approach to biosecurity through initiatives such as this one demonstrates their commitment to plant health and sets a benchmark for other plant-based industries.” 

“This program has been supporting the nursery industry for more than ten years, reflecting what an essential service it provides to nursery businesses across Australia.”

Participating growers were surveyed about the value of the program and the results showed that:
•    89 per cent of participants found the recommendations were relevant to their business
•    84 per cent used the recommendations to resolve the issue and implement changes
•    43 per cent found a reduction in management costs
•    53 found a decrease in pest and disease incidence.

Celeste Cook, Manager Biosecurity RD&E at Greenlife Industry Australia, said the program has equipped growers with the tools they need to manage pests and diseases responsibly.

“Growers are our frontline defence against biosecurity threats, and this program provides an easily accessible avenue to quickly address any potential issues.”

“Supporting the diagnostic service, there is also a suite of resources available, including fact sheets, management plans, webinars, workshops and roadshows, to help educate growers about what options are available to them.”

Callum O’Brien, nursery grower from Shamrock Plants in Queensland, said the program has provided significant value to their business.

“Having access to this program has been incredibly valuable for our business, helping us accurately identify pests and diseases in our crops. As growers, we can usually make an educated guess when something looks wrong, but this takes the guesswork out of it. Knowing exactly what we’re dealing with means we can respond appropriately. That accuracy has saved us time, reduced losses, and potentially prevented significant financial impacts to the business.”

“It has also given us clear, scientific data to confirm that our water treatment system is doing its job by measuring the levels of fungi and bacteria in our water. Without that information, we’d essentially be guessing how clean our water really is.”

Access to the diagnostic testing will continue in a new levy-funded program Resourcing and diagnostic support for the nursery industry (NY24006).

This project Resourcing, supporting and assessing biosecurity in nursery production (NY20000) was funded by Hort Innovation, using the nursery research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.