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Department of Agriculture

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  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Biosecurity
  4. Import risk analyses
  5. Biological control agents
  6. Host test lists

Sidebar first - Biosecurity

  • Biological control agents
    • Risk analyses
      • Completed Risk Analyses
      • Current Risk Analyses
    • Host test lists
    • Protocol for biological control agents

Host Test Lists

​​​​​Host specificity testing

Host specificity testing is carried out to ensure that the proposed biological control agent is specific to the target weed or insect pest.

A host specificity test list is a list of plants/insects closely related to the target weed or insect pest that is developed by a biological control researcher. The species on the list are exposed to the proposed biological control agent in a quarantine containment facility.

Current host test lists open for comment:

The 'Biosecurity guidelines for the introduction of exotic biological control agents', provide that applicants may elect to publish host preference testing lists for comment on the department's website. This allows applicants to receive feedback prior to undertaking research activities supporting an application to import a biocontrol agent.

Important: Comments should be directed to the applicant, not the department, by the closing date.

The published host test list documents may not meet international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 as they have not been prepared by the department.

Host test lists currently open for testing
Opening dateClosing dateDescriptionPagesFile size
     

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Page last updated: 12 August 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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