Horticulture is Australia’s third-largest agricultural industry. It includes fruit, vegetables, nuts, flowers, turf and nursery products.
Pests that damage horticultural crops include species of:
- bacteria
- viruses
- fungi
- insects
- nematodes.
The National Action Plan for Pests of Horticultural Crops is under development.
The plan will be a nationally agreed approach to:
- prevent the introduction of pests of horticultural crops
- prepare for a response if a pest is detected in Australia.
Success of the plan depends on cooperation and collaboration between stakeholders. These include:
- importers
- shipping businesses
- agricultural industries
- all levels of government
- non-government organisations
- individuals
- experts and research agencies.
What it covers
The National Action Plan for Pests of Horticultural Crops will cover these pests and diseases:
Banana phytoplasma diseases
- Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris
- Candidatus Phytoplasma novoguineense.
Citrus canker
- Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri
Exotic begomovirus and vectors
- Bemisia tabaci (exotic vector)
Fire blight
- Erwinia amylovora
Grape phylloxera
- Daktulosphaira vitifoliae
Grapevine leaf rust
- Phakopsora euvitis
Huanglongbing and vectors
- Candidatus Liberibacter africanus
- Candidatus Liberibacter americanus
- Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
- Diaphorina citri (vector)
- Trioza erytreae (vector).
Leaf miners
- Liriomyza bryoniae
- Liriomyza cicerina
- Liriomyza huidobrensis
- Liriomyza sativae
- Liriomyza trifolii.
Panama disease Tropical Race 4
- Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense (Tropical Race 4)
Plum pox virus
Phytoplasmas 16Srl group (Aster yellows disease)
Potato cyst nematode
- Globodera spp., including Globoderapallida (exotic strains) and Globodera rostochiensis (exotic strains)
Potato late blight
- Phytophthora infestans (exotic strains)
Tobamoviruses
- Cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus
- Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus
- Cucumber mottle virus
- Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus
- Potato 14R virus
- Ribgrass mosaic virus
- Tobacco mosaic virus (potato strain)
- Tomato brown rugose fruit virus
- Tomato mottle mosaic virus
- Turnip-vein clearing virus
- Wasabi mottle virus
- Youcai mosaic virus
- Zucchini green mottle mosaic virus.
Zebra chip
- Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum haplotypes
- Bactericera cockerelli (vector of Haplotype A and B, exotic)
- Bactericera trigonica (vector of Haplotype D and E)
- Trioza apicalis (vector of Haplotype C).
Pest and disease details
Implementation schedule
The plan’s implementation schedule will include activities and projects from 4 action areas:
- prevention
- detection
- response
- cross-cutting (actions that fit into 2 or more of the first 3 areas).
We will review activities annually and document progress.
Get involved
Are you a researcher, industry member or interested person? If you’d like to get involved email us at plantpestpreparedness@aff.gov.au.
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