Biosecurity Tasmania has undertaken a review of its Import Risk Analysis (IRA) for Grape Phylloxera, taking into account current information on grape phylloxera biology and its management practices.
Seven recommendations have been released for public comment and include:
- Introduction of the additional requirement for planting material entering Tasmania from all Phylloxera Exclusion Zones (PEZ) (including South Australia) to be subject to hot water treatment.
- Amending the dry heat disinfestation treatment time to a minimum of 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- Amending the requirement for agricultural equipment or machinery out of a PEZ such that it must have been in a PEZ for at least 30 days (from 3 weeks).
The review found that the risk of grape phylloxera entering Tasmania is ‘moderate’ to ‘high’ for all vectors of grape phylloxera, excluding tissue culture. This exceeds Tasmania’s Appropriate Level of Protection (ALOP) of ‘very low’. Therefore, phytosanitary measures will continue to be required to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of grape phylloxera in Tasmania.
There are seven recommendations from this review, which can be found in the Draft Import Risk Analysis. The recommendations were based on:
- The biology of the pest – especially the ability of a single individual to reproduce asexually.
- A vast presence of grapevines on ungrafted, susceptible roots throughout Tasmania.
- The climatic conditions of Tasmania impacting on the pest’s ability to establish and spread. This analysis also takes into consideration climate change trends, including projected climate change for the State until 2050.
- The ability of the pest to spread easily via human-assisted movement of vectors.
- The economic, social and environmental consequences of grape phylloxera presence, particularly at a regional level.
- The inability to eradicate grape phylloxera completely except by extensive removal of infected grapevines.
Biosecurity Tasmania is now inviting public comment on the Draft Import Risk Analysis for Import Requirement 10 – Grape Phylloxera (Hosts and Vectors) and its recommendations. More information about the consultation can be found here.