NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development scientists Dr Xiaocheng Zhu and Dr David Gopurenk, barcode insect DNA to develop new pest diagnostic tools at the Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute. Photo: NSW Government

THE NEW South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is leading a new $13.5-million project to create early warning and molecular diagnostic tools to identify and reduce the impact of exotic biosecurity threats in grain crops.

The five-year co-investment through the National Grains Diagnostics and Surveillance Initiative is being led by NSW Government scientists at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, with work also under way at the Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Orange agricultural institutes.

In partnership the with Grains Research and Development Corporation, the project is part of the NSW Government’s $946M investment in protecting the state’s primary industries against biosecurity threats.

It will target 16 exotic grain pathogens and 62 exotic grain pests currently not in Australia and aims to prevent billions of dollars damage to the NSW agriculture sector if there were future domestic outbreaks of these threats.

The work will include the development of new tools which will increase the number of samples that can be tested within a given time, and near-field diagnostics that will speed up pathology results to inform management decisions, such as when and where to spray crops to control pests and disease.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said the investment was evidence of the NSW Government’s commitment to the state’s agricultural industries.

“Keeping these pests and diseases out is our priority, but if they do get in then we need to be prepared,” Ms Moriarty said.

“This key research is essential in supporting the NSW grains industry, assisting grower decisions and strengthening food security.

“NSW has the best food and fibre in the country and our exports are highly sought after in international markets, which is why we continue to expand our capacity to respond in an emergency.”

Targeted pests and pathogens, currently not present in Australia but causing significant damage internationally, include: wheat blast; exotic fusarium wilt diseases, and hessian fly.

Overseas, the exotic wheat blast disease, present in South America, Bangladesh and Zambia, has resulted in devastating crop losses of up to 100 percent when the environmental conditions were conducive.

The possible spread of wheat blast and other diseases to Australia has increased in recent years as a result of the international seed and grain trade, Australia sharing similar environmental conditions, and global warming.

Exotic pathogen and pest incursions can damage crops, increase production costs, and halt exports with the annual cost of control and impacts on trade conservatively estimated to be $100.4M per incursion event.

The National Grains Diagnostics and Surveillance Initiative is a $42.7M national initiative led by the GRDC with a focus on biosecurity .

Source: NSW Government