Articles
Improved diagnostic testing and on farm biosecurity plan to support Australian strawberry certification programs
Article number
1117_27
Pages
171 – 176
Language
English
Abstract
Certified high health strawberry runners are supplied to strawberry fruit growers across Australia through the Victorian and Queensland strawberry runner certification schemes that maintain high quality nucleus plants.
Nucleus collections are tested annually for the major endemic strawberry viruses as well as bacterial and fungal diseases.
For over 50 years these high health plants have contributed greatly to increased yields for Australian strawberry growers due to the exclusion of the major pathogens from industry.
New strawberry cultivars are imported into Australia as tissue culture plants and these are grown and tested in post entry quarantine (PEQ) for the presence of exotic fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Imported strawberry plants remain in PEQ for a minimum of 12 or 18 months if they originate from approved and non-approved sources, respectively.
Validated molecular diagnostic protocols for endemic and exotic pathogens have been developed under Australian conditions and incorporated into an operational manual alongside traditional biological testing methods to support the biosecurity of the strawberry industry through post entry quarantine testing and certification programs.
An on-farm biosecurity plan is being developed in collaboration with the strawberry industry to protect strawberry runner plants from exotic and endemic pests and diseases that are important to the biosecurity of the certification scheme.
Nucleus collections are tested annually for the major endemic strawberry viruses as well as bacterial and fungal diseases.
For over 50 years these high health plants have contributed greatly to increased yields for Australian strawberry growers due to the exclusion of the major pathogens from industry.
New strawberry cultivars are imported into Australia as tissue culture plants and these are grown and tested in post entry quarantine (PEQ) for the presence of exotic fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Imported strawberry plants remain in PEQ for a minimum of 12 or 18 months if they originate from approved and non-approved sources, respectively.
Validated molecular diagnostic protocols for endemic and exotic pathogens have been developed under Australian conditions and incorporated into an operational manual alongside traditional biological testing methods to support the biosecurity of the strawberry industry through post entry quarantine testing and certification programs.
An on-farm biosecurity plan is being developed in collaboration with the strawberry industry to protect strawberry runner plants from exotic and endemic pests and diseases that are important to the biosecurity of the certification scheme.
Authors
F.E. Constable, N. Nancarrow, G. Kelly, B.C. Rodoni, L. Ko, M. Milinkovic, D. Persley
Keywords
post entry quarantine, nucleus, pathogen-testing, virus, PCR
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