This project will develop flexible and statistically robust systems to calibrate and improve sampling strategies where required for the detection of post-harvest grain storage pests, and for demonstrating the absence of EPPs that could impact on market access

What is the biosecurity problem?

There are a number of problems that arise from the presence, or belief of presence, of any EPP at any point in the stored grain supply chain. The presence of an EPP can affect the quality of the product. Endemic EPPs can also be resistant to phosphine or other treatments, and allowing these pests to persist in grain stores has the potential to increase the spread of resistant populations to other areas. Early detection of a range of EPPs is therefore critical. In addition, the presence of, or even the perception that grain products contain EPPs has potentially serious economic and market access implications, and in this case it is crucial to demonstrate on-request area freedom from specific grain EPPs.

The main outputs of this project are to:

• review random and strategic surveillance and sampling strategies currently used within the stored grains industry, and determine their capacity to detect specific domestic grain pests
• identify and prioritise at-risk elements of the supply chain in which improved sampling strategies will maximise efficiency of EPP detection within existing resource constraints
• identify a range of information resources that can be merged with existing or newly developed sampling methods to increase the power of analyses and provide evidence of freedom from specific EPPs, and
• appropriately modify existing sampling methodologies and develop new statistical sampling methodologies as needed that can be appropriately tailored to individual situations.

Who will be the end-users of this research?

The outputs will be used at various levels of the supply chain including some government agencies, grain growers and bulk handlers.