15 July 2011
Biosecurity Australia Advice 2011/09 - Draft pest risk analysis report for Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae associated with Actinidia propagative material
This Biosecurity Australia Advice (BAA) invites stakeholders to provide comments on the ‘Draft pest risk analysis report for Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae associated with Actinidia propagative material’ by 15 August 2011.
This draft report reviews the existing policy and proposes additional measures to import kiwifruit propagative material from all sources.
Biosecurity Australia initiated this pest risk analysis (PRA) after the detection of Pseudomon`as syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) in New Zealand. Following the detection in New Zealand, Australia suspended the importation of kiwifruit propagative material from all sources, pending the outcome of the PRA. Subsequently, a less aggressive strain of this bacterium was detected in Australia. This PRA focuses on all Psa strains not present in Australia.
The PRA identified that strains of Psa could enter Australia with kiwifruit propagative material (dormant cuttings, tissue cultures and pollen) and that the current import conditions require strengthening. The PRA proposes strengthening of the existing policy for all countries and withdrawing New Zealand specific conditions. The existing conditions are strengthened by the introduction of the following measures:
- For dormant cuttings: introduction of hot water and surface sterilization treatments; increased post entry quarantine (PEQ) period (12 months instead of three months); introduction of specific climatic conditions for growth in PEQ (for disease expression); and disease screening, including the introduction of molecular testing techniques (PCR);
- For tissue cultures: increased PEQ period (six months instead of three months) and disease screening, including using molecular testing (PCR); and
- For pollen: pollen must be sourced from countries or areas demonstrated to be free of Psa.
Biosecurity Australia invites comments on the technical aspects of the proposed risk management measures for kiwifruit propagative material from all sources. In particular, comments are sought on their appropriateness and any other measures stakeholders consider would provide equivalent risk management outcomes.
Comments on the draft report should be submitted by 15 August 2011 to:
Plant Biosecurity
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Telephone: +61 2 6272 5094
Facsimile: +61 2 6272 3307
E-mail: Plant Biosecurity
All submissions received on the draft report will be carefully considered by Plant Biosecurity in finalising the pest risk analysis.
Please pass this notice to other interested parties. If those parties wish to be included in future communications on this matter they should contact Plant Biosecurity.
Dr Colin J Grant
Chief Executive
Confidentiality
Stakeholders are advised that, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, all submissions received in response to Biosecurity Australia Advices will be publicly available and may be listed or referred to in any papers or reports prepared on the subject matter.
The Commonwealth of Australia reserves the right to reveal the identity of a respondent unless a request for anonymity accompanies the submission. Where a request for anonymity does not accompany the submission the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of his or her identity for the purposes of Information Privacy Principle 11 of the Privacy Act. The contents of the submission will only be treated as confidential if they are marked ‘confidential’ and they can be classified as such in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.
Dr Colin J Grant
Chief Executive