Biosecurity Commons^™

Ndp 54 V1 - National Diagnostic Protocol For Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus Spumarius), Melinda Moir

Biosecurity research reports

National Diagnostic Protocols (NDPs) are diagnostic protocols for the unambiguous taxonomic identification of plant pests. NDPs:

• are a verified information resource for plant health diagnosticians
• are consistent with ISPM No. 27 – Diagnostic Protocols for Regulated Pests
• provide a nationally consistent approach to the identification of plant pests enabling transparency when comparing diagnostic results between laboratories; and,
• are endorsed by regulatory jurisdictions for use (either within their own facilities or when commissioning from others) in a pest incursion.

Where an International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) diagnostic protocol exists it should be used in preference to NDPs, unless it is shown …

Consultation Summary For Proposed Declared Pest Rates 2025/2026, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

Under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (BAM Act) the State raises a Declared Pest Rate (DPR) from land or leaseholders (hereafter landholders) in prescribed areas (DPR Areas) and matches the funds raised from the rate dollar-for-dollar.

The combined funds are made available to Recognised Biosecurity Groups (RBGs) who provide support to landholders to fulfil their obligations under the BAM Act to manage widespread and established declared pests on their land. A community-led and coordinated approach is considered the most effective way to support landholders to manage these types of pests.

Each year, the Minister for Agriculture and Food …

Sheep And Goat Industry Funding Scheme 2023-24 Annual Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

I am pleased to present the 2023-24 annual report for the Sheep and Goat Industry Funding Scheme (Sheep and Goat IFS) to our participants, key stakeholders in the Western Australian (WA) sheep and goat industry, and the Minister for Agriculture and Food.

The WA sheep and goat industry has faced a challenging year. After a period of relative stability between 2010 and 2019, the WA flock has continued to decline since 2020, reaching its lowest point since 1952. This downward trend is expected to continue due to local factors such as increased turn-off and seasonal conditions, further compounded by political …

Self-Mustering Yards For Pastoral Livestock Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Self-mustering yards (SMYs) are an important component of effective total grazing management in the pastoral regions. These yards are used to self-muster cattle, sheep and goats, as well as native browsers and feral animals as they enter the yards to access the water point.

An Economic Analysis Of Cell-Fencing In Semi-Arid Rangelands, Stuart Dawson, Tracey L. Kreplins, Malcolm S. Kennedy, Santhi Wicks, Patricia A. Fleming

Biosecurity Research Articles

In Australia, livestock predation by dingoes (Canis familiaris) has contributed to what some livestock producers consider a dire situation for rangeland pastoralism, driving demand for cooperative regional-scale exclusion (‘cell’) fencing (i.e. pest-proof fences that encompass one or more individual properties) and landscape-scale predator control. The present case study predicted the effect of four cell-fences in the state of Western Australia (WA) on the gross margin of sheep (for meat or meat and wool) and cattle pastoral enterprises. We modelled the potential effects of the following four key variables: (1) four levels of commodity prices, (2) five levels of …

Evaluation Of Variable Selection Techniques On The Genetic Architecture Of Flowering Time In Maize, Felix Yeboah

Data Science and Data Mining

In this project, we investigate several variable selection procedures to give an overview of how well they perform on a genomic dataset using three different penalized regression approaches. Comparisons between different methods were performed. These methods include Ridge, lasso, and Elastic Net. We utilized 4494 observations with 7389 SNPs gene scores to predict time to male flowering (dtoa). We assessed the performance of these three models in terms of mean square error. Not surprisingly, Lasso and Elastic Net perform better than Ridge Regression. Overall, Elastic Net performed better in predicting the time of male flowering (dtoa).

Modeling Wild Rice Bed Health: A Dual Metric Approach For Bed Strength And Invasive Impact, Seth Sisneros-Martinez

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Wild rice (mannoomin; Zizania palustris) is an aquatic grain that grows in slow-moving rivers and shallow bays throughout northern Minnesota. In Headquarters Bay on Leech Lake, wild rice has served as a cultural staple for Indigenous communities for centuries. However, its population has declined in recent years due to multiple environmental issues. One potential contributor is Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum; EWM), an invasive species that forms dense mats capable of outcompeting native aquatic vegetation, including wild rice. EWM was first recorded on the southern shoreline of Leech Lake in 2005 and has since become widespread. This study …

Effects Of Round-Up On The Environment, Sandra J. Marcu

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Many people around the world have used and still currently use Roundup but are unaware of the effects it has on the environment. Roundup is a spray on application weedkiller that is widely used around the world today both residentially and commercially. It enables its user to grow a garden or a field of crops with a no-tilling approach to eliminate weeds. It is a well-known and popular choice for killing weeds that has been around since the mid 1970’s (Oca, 2017). John Franz, a Monsanto scientist discovered that glyphosate (main ingredient in Roundup) was an herbicide or weedkiller, and …

Citrus Gall Wasp Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Citrus gall wasp (Bruchophagus fellis) is an Australian native insect from northern NSW and Queensland and is now established in most Perth suburbs. It affects all citrus species, particularly lemons and grapefruit, and will be an ongoing pest to manage for Perth gardeners, like other common pests. It has not been found in commercial citrus orchards in Western Australia yet.

Skeleton Weed In Western Australia: 2025 Management Guide, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity bulletins

Skeleton weed can reduce crop yields by competing for moisture and nutrients (mainly nitrogen).

This guide helps you manage and eradicate skeleton weed infestations on your property, and helps to stop the spread across WA.

Without the coordinated program aimed at controlling the spread, skeleton weed would now be much more abundant and widely established throughout cereal growing areas.

If you find skeleton weed on your property, we can help you get rid of it.

Skeleton weed is unpredictable and can spread over long distances due to wind dispersal, but once identified it can be managed effectively and eradicated

Skeleton Weed In Western Australia: Control Program 2024–2025, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity bulletins

Key program changes

Winter eradication program

New herbicide recommendations for control in crops, legume based annual pastures, plantations and glyphosate tolerant canola.

• The minimum size of ‘squares’ (infested areas) has been reduced from 40 m x 40 m (0.16 ha) to 20 m x 20 m (0.04 ha) to help reduce the winter treatment area.
• Landholders will need to consult with DPIRD/LAG officers to assess the degree of infestation before working or cultivating through squares in Code 1 paddocks.
• Clopyralid (LontrelTM) herbicide will no longer be provided for treatment on heavily infested paddocks. Landholders will still be required to undertake …

The Impact Staphylococcus Aureus Has On Conventional And Organic Dairy Herds In New Hampshire And New York, Jacqueline Rose Holmes

Honors Theses and Capstones

Staphylococcus aureus is a potentially virulent bacterium that causes mastitis in dairy cattle. The toxins produced from S. aureus impact host immunity, damage the mammary gland, and can adapt to cause antimicrobial resistance. It is important to manage both organic and conventional farms correctly by practicing proper hygiene while milking and providing a clean environment. There is a significant increase of S. aureus cases on organic farms compared to conventional, so there may be ways in which organic management and treatment options could be altered to reduce economic loss and animal suffering. The thesis focuses on the involvement S. aureus …

Research On Biosecurity Intelligence Work, Ting Zhang, Hui Li

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]Biosecurity intelligence plays an important role in promoting the development of biomedication industry, and it will contribute to the in-depth development in this field by sorting out the research issues of Biosecurity intelligence. [Method/process]Firstly, the concept and classification of biosecurity intelligence are elucidated. Following this, from the foundational theories of intelligence studies and biosecurity science, the application of these theories in the work of biosecurity intelligence is analyzed. Subsequently, an overview is provided of research on biosecurity intelligence work geared towards biosecurity governance within China, alongside which the challenges faced by such work in our country and corresponding strategies are …

Metagenomic Sequencing For Early Detection Of Future Engineered Pandemics: Foreshadowing The Privacy Challenge, Nir Eyal, Bridget Williams, Kevin M. Esvelt, Jane R. Bambauer

UF Law Faculty Publications

In this commentary, we imagine how a global system of metagenomic sequencing could be governed in order to reap the benefits and manage the risks. Global institutional engineers and their academic partners would need to develop a new governance model to ensure that all partners involved in a global metagenomic surveillance system cooperate as needed.

Rabbit Control: Bait Products, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet is part of the bait and poison directory for vertebrate pests in Western Australia (WA). It provides information on bait, poison, and toxin (bait) products available for use in WA to control rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

For information on how to access bait, poison and toxin (bait) products, training required, animal welfare considerations and legal requirements, refer to the Bait and poison directory for vertebrate pests’ page on the website at dpird.wa.gov.au. Information on bait, poison, and toxin (bait) products available for use in WA for rabbits, is provided below.

Cane Toad, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet provides information about the identification, biology, impact, and management of the cane toad.

The cane toad (Rhinella marina), or giant toad, is native to central and South America. It has been introduced to many countries, including northern and eastern Australia. The cane toad is a declared pest under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (BAM Act) in Western Australia (WA). The Western Australian Organism List (WAOL), available on the website at dpird.wa.gov.au) contains information on the area(s) in which this pest is declared, and the control and keeping categories to which it has been assigned in WA.

Sheep Lice Spread And Detection, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The most common lice affecting sheep are body lice (Bovicola ovis).

Knowledge of the lice life cycle and relevant features of their biology assist in our understanding of how lice survive and spread.

Better understanding and ability to find and monitor lice populations will improve sheep farmer decision making around eradicating lice.

Knowledge of when an infestation may have occurred, or alternatively that lice was not eradicated at the last shearing, is important information that will assist future treatment decisions.

Fallow And Red Deer: Requirements To Keep, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

This factsheet provides information on the requirements for keeping fallow and red deer species in Western Australia.

Fallow (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) are declared pests under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Act 2007 in Western Australia (WA).

The department assists in preventing the establishment of deer in the wild. This means a permit is required to keep fallow and red deer in WA. Animals that escape or become feral must be recaptured or destroyed.

Small populations of feral deer occur in WA from escaped captive stock and deliberate release. Deer damage native plants, crops and plantation …

Lupin Root Diseases - Diagnosis And Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Root, hypocotyl and stem base diseases can be significant problems in lupin crops, reducing stand density, plant vigour and yield. Root disease is present in nearly all narrow leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) paddocks but in the majority of paddocks has only a small impact on crop development. However, in paddocks where high levels of root rot occurs, plant establishment, seedling vigour and crop yield can be significantly affected.

When a root disease is present in a crop very little can be done to manage it in that cropping season. It is therefore vital that the cause is correctly identified to …

Reportable Animal Diseases – Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

In Western Australia, the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 requires that certain diseases must be reported if they are known or suspected to be present.

This table shows which diseases must be reported.

Yellow Crazy Ant, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) are believed to be native to west Africa or Asia. They are not present in Western Australia (WA) and are prohibited.

Yellow crazy ants were first observed in Australia in the early 1900’s on the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island, where they have now caused a massive decline in the population of iconic red crabs. More recently, they have been recorded in Queensland, the Northern Territory (NT), and New South Wales (NSW).

European Wasp Baiting Trial 2020, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

A Western Australian-first baiting program implemented by the department to eradicate European wasps from a 9 km stretch of rugged and largely inaccessible bushland of the Darling Scarp yielded promising results.

Pest Bird Control: Bait / Toxin Products, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet provides information on the bait, poison and toxin (bait) products available for use in Western Australia (WA) to control pest birds.

Mesquite And Its Control: Prosopis Species And Hybrids, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Mesquite (all Prosopis species and hybrids) are declared pests in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements landowners/occupiers must adhere to and pest control methods.

Rubber Vine And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Rubber vine, Palay rubbervine, India rubbervine (Cryptostegia grandiflora) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). Rubber vine chokes river catchment areas and is highly toxic to livestock.

Rabbit Control: Warren And Harbourage Destruction, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

If correctly and appropriately undertaken, the destruction of rabbit warrens, or modification of the habitat so it becomes less favourable to rabbits, can be an important and effective part of reducing the impacts of rabbits.

Destruction of warrens can improve the overall effectiveness of rabbit control programs, even though many rabbits live and shelter above-ground under bushes, and in scrub). If undertaken properly, the ripping of rabbit warrens can often provide a relatively permanent and long-term benefit. Similarly, removing or modifying other forms of rabbit-harbourage (for example, removing rock piles) can help, particularly in semi-urban areas or on smallholdings.

Rabbit Control In Urban And Semi-Urban Areas, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet provides information on control options for rabbits in urban and semi-urban areas in Western Australia (WA).

Rabbits cause considerable losses to agricultural and horticultural industries. They can cause serious environmental problems, such as soil erosion and degradation of native vegetation. Rabbits also compete with native fauna for food and habitat.

Rabbits may be a problem or a nuisance in urban environments where they can damage lawns and gardens, buildings, garages, and sheds. Rabbits can also damage golf courses, sports grounds, and parkland reserves.

The options for control of rabbits in urban areas are more limited than in rural …

Water Lettuce And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements landowners/occupiers must adhere to and pest control methods.

Adopt-A-Trap To Help Detect European Wasps, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Early detection of European wasp is important to prevent the spread and establishment of nests, and the Adopt-a-trap program is a key part of annual European wasp surveillance.

The department intensively traps the highest risk areas of the state, but the Adopt-a-trap program can extend surveillance beyond these areas and into the regions to enhance community surveillance.

The trapping method used in the Adopt-a-trap program is very successful in catching European wasps. They address the wasps’ sense of smell and foraging habits to find food. Trapped wasps are useful in alerting us to the presence of a nearby nest — …

Argentine Ants, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are small, brown, and notorious worldwide for being one of the most difficult and costly ants to control, as it can involve ongoing and repetitive use of residual, contact insecticides. The ants are established in Western Australia (WA).