11 October 2018
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the draft risk analysis report for the proposed release of the fungus Kordyana brasiliensis for the biological control of the weed, Tradescantia fluminensis (wandering trad).
This draft report proposes that the biological control agent should be released, subject to standard import and release conditions associated with exotic biological control agents.
The draft report is being issued for a 30 calendar day public consultation period. Stakeholders are invited to submit written comments by 12 November 2018.
The draft report proposes that the biological control agent, Kordyana brasiliensis, should be released to control the weed, Tradescantia fluminensis. The risk is estimated to be Negligible, which achieves Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP).
The applicant, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), provided a submission in support of their application to release the biological control agent. The submission detailed the results of host-specificity testing, together with other relevant information. This submission is included as an attachment to the draft report.
A preliminary draft of this report was distributed to state and territory government departments for consultation. The state and territory governments support the release of Kordyana brasiliensis to control the weed, Tradescantia fluminensis.
Stakeholders are invited to have their say on the draft report. The closing date to submit comments is 12 November 2018. The department will consider all stakeholder comments received during the public consultation period in preparing a final report.
The public consultation period of 30 days for biological control risk analyses differs from the standard period of 60 calendar days for other risk analyses. This is because the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has consulted extensively with all state and territory governments and the Department of the Environment and Energy, all of whom support the recommendations in the draft report. This approach is consistent with the Revised guidelines for the introduction of exotic biological control agents for the control of weeds and plant pests.
The draft report and information about the risk analysis process are available online. Printed copies of the report are available on request.
Stakeholders interested in receiving information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses are invited to subscribe via the department’s online subscription service. By subscribing to Biosecurity Risk Analysis Plant, you will receive Biosecurity Advices and other notifications relating to plant biosecurity policy, including this risk analysis.
Dr Gabrielle Vivian-Smith
Acting First Assistant Secretary
Biosecurity Plant Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090 (option 1, option 1)
Email: Imports