The uses of plant disease and insect collections are numerous but most importantly for taxonomic research and comparative biology. From a biosecurity perspective, these collections allow the development of specimen-based pest lists that are critical for resolving quarantine issues related to agricultural trade. Typically, plant disease and insect specimens are stored in a way that helps preserve the organisms' morphology but not necessarily their DNA.

In the age of genomics, DNA sequencing has become one of the most important tools for identifying organisms and for biodiversity studies. This project aims to develop a reference collection of DNA from a range of agriculturally-important plant pathogens and pests for molecular analyses. Where possible, DNA specimens are linked to voucher specimens to allow taxonomic verification.

What is the biosecurity problem?

This project addresses the lack of a national reference collection of plant pest and pathogen DNA for use in diagnostics and biodiversity studies.

The main output of this project is:

The Biosecurity Bank, comprising DNA samples from a range of exotic pathogens and pests, a database for managing information about the accessions and a website for scientists to search the bank to find samples of interest.

Who will be the end-users of this research?

The end-users of this technology will be research and diagnostic plant pathologists and entomologists throughout Australia and also the world.