Accurate identification of pests is essential for practically all aspects of agricultural development and is critical to the operations of biosecurity that safeguard agricultural integrity and facilitate trade. Diagnostic capability is at the forefront of and complementary to, activities such as border protection, incursion management, surveillance and pest and disease certification. The efficiency of a biosecurity system therefore depends largely on the feedback between these activities and diagnostics.

Australian scientists will train Thai scientists in diagnostics and surveillance to provide the Thai DOA with skills that will aid in the development of a Thai Diagnostic Network. The skills will be taught using a range of pests, including some which have particular biosecurity importance for both Australia and Thailand such as citrus canker, potato viruses and fruit flies.

What is the biosecurity problem?

The increased global movement of people and produce has led to greater risks in the parallel movement of pests and disease of human and agricultural significance. These risks impose dual problems - those of protecting borders against incursions of exotic pests and diseases and maintaining pest-free status within borders to ensure market access for export produce. The following table identifies industries and pests to be targeted in this project, and their biosecurity relevance to both Thailand and Australia, as either border security or market access issues.

In general, trade-related biosecurity decisions for both Australia and Thailand should be improved through the implementation of better knowledge, surveillance and diagnostic systems. Specifically, Thailand needs to have confidence that seed potatoes sourced from Australia are disease-free and Australia must be satisfied that citrus from Thailand is free of citrus canker and exotic fruit flies of biosecurity significance to Australia.

Notwithstanding the above examples, other pests and diseases will be used throughout this project as training examples because they can be easily and readily accessed during times of training and provide good examples to demonstrate basic principles. For example, black spot and citrus greening will be targeted for hyperspectral analysis.

Responding to possible incursions of exotic organisms is critical to the eradication of such organisms and the protection of the industries they affect. Implicit in the ability of a country to respond is a capability in the appropriate skills, technology and networks in fields that enable detection and identification of exotic pests and pathogens.  The Thai DOA and Plant Quarantine Unit recognise the need to improve their diagnostic capability to secure market access for export and to be vigilant to the growing pressure of global pest and disease movement. The CRC NPB has access to advanced technological capability in the detection and identification of pests and diseases and an extensive biosecurity network and is well positioned to work with Thailand to improve its own biosecurity capability.

The main outputs of this project are to:

• enhance the general and specific skills and knowledge of research workers and scientists in Thailand and Australia in plant pest and disease diagnostics using a range of molecular and traditional diagnostics techniques.
• test and introduce new pathogen detection tools, and to provide selection and training methods for inspection and surveillance staff.
• evelop diagnostic protocols and simple manuals for molecular diagnostics of selected plant pests focusing on citrus canker, potato viruses and fruit flies.
• introduce and train staff in the use of advanced knowledge systems that can be used for on-going training and the establishment of informal networks. For example, databases such as PaDIL, the EPPDD and a remote microscope network.

Who will be the end-users of this research?

Researchers in Thailand's quarantine service will benefit directly from the training. Networks and tests established with Australian scientists throughout the training will engender biosecurity cooperation.