Xylella bacterial pathogens

Public consultation on the draft report for the pest risk analysis for bacterial pathogens in the genus Xylella has closed.

Risk analysis

When we do a risk analysis, we:

• review the science on pests and diseases of concern
• assess and analyse biosecurity risks
• develop proposed risk management measures, if required
• consult the public on the draft report and then review comments
• publish the final report
• develop import conditions
• publish import conditions in our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON).

About the pest risk analysis

Xylella is an invasive bacterial pathogen that causes significant environmental and economic impacts. Many commercial and ornamental plant species can be killed by this bacterial pathogen, including horticulture, agriculture and Australian plant species that are grown overseas (such as Eucalyptus and Acacia species). The number of plants affected by the bacteria around the world is increasing every year. Fortunately, Australia is free of Xylella bacterial pathogens.

Xylella can be carried by insects that feed on the sap of plants. It can also be spread by the movement of infected plants.

Xylella is the number one pest threat to Australian horticultural and agricultural industries. It is also a pest threat to our environment. To reduce the risk of Xylella entering Australia, we implemented emergency measures in November 2015.

Draft report

We released the draft report on 16 December 2022 for a 75 calendar day public consultation period, which was extended to 3 April 2023.

We initiated this pest risk analysis to assess the biosecurity risks of Xylella, and to determine whether the emergency measures manage the biosecurity risks to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia.

The draft report proposes risk management measures, combined with operational systems, and/or a period of post-entry quarantine in Australia prior to release, to ensure biosecurity standards are met.

Risk management measures

The proposed measures are largely consistent with the current emergency measures, with some amendments. These proposed amendments include changing the taxonomic level of plant regulation from the current target at plant family level to genus level. That is, regulating all plants within a genus that has one or more confirmed natural host species of Xylella instead of regulating all plants within a family that has on or more confirmed natural host species of Xylella.

The draft report also proposes amendments to strengthen the regulation of imported tissue culture pathways by requiring a laboratory test report to accompany the phytosanitary certificate. A program of assurance and verification of selected imported nursery stock and tissue cultures, including by conducting molecular testing for Xylella spp., is also proposed.

Announcement

We announced the commencement of this pest risk analysis on 2 August 2018 (via Biosecurity Advice 2018-18).

Next steps

We are considering all comments we received on the draft report. Your feedback is helping to inform our final report.

We expect to release the final report in mid-late 2023. Please note that this is an indicative timeline and may be subject to change.

Keep informed

Register as a stakeholder

Subscribe to the plant stakeholder register to receive notices about plant biosecurity policies.

Contact us

For more information, email imports or phone 1800 900 090 (option 1, option 1).