A new Hort Innovation levy - funded project seeks to meliorate the efficiency and effectiveness of virus detection in plant life genetic material in post - entry quarantine deftness , through the borrowing of next - generation sequencing .
Utilisation of this sequence technology will amend current methods and techniques to allow for for quick admittance to young genetic descent . The technology is a cost - good pick which has the potential difference to increase business resiliency , by allowing the import of larger panels of inherited parentage to adjust to local environmental condition .
preceding inquiry has regain utilise next - generation sequence has gravid promise ; powerfully correlating with methods presently used at mail service entryway quarantine ( PEQ ) facilities .
In 2018 , the Australian horticultural sector exported an estimated $ 2.4 billion of produce highlighting the importance of import ‘ clean ’ and true - to - case plant material that improve biosecurity and furnish access code to valuable market .
Run by The Queensland University of Technology ( QUT ) in collaboration with Agriculture Victoria , the Department of Agriculture ( DA ) and New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries ( NZ MPI ) , the project aims to develop a utilitarian tool for plant pathologist , enabling substance abuser to lead shorter , more effective and exact plant pest screenings .
For the nursery industry – quicker and more accurate showing methods for imported nursery planting stock certificate into Australia , is life-sustaining to the debut of new hereditary material , and to preserve a diversity of plants in changing environmental circumstance .
OverviewThe undertaking will perform large - shell side by side comparisons of next - generation sequencing methods and technique with be PEQ protocols ; enhancing authority surrounding the better detection of exotic viruses and bacteria among regulators and manufacture stakeholder .
Although the projection is looking to compare new and pre - existing techniques , it is also an opportunity to distinguish unlike agency to utilise new technologies across the plant symptomatic outer space and develop methods that merge exist and Modern quality control points . This includes :
The task direct to screen up to 200 imported plants using the next generation sequencing technology for viruses and viroids ( small infective atom ) , and half of those plant are also expected to be screened for cardinal alien bacteria .
The labor has lately commenced with the first face - to - face encounter in Melbourne ; establishing strategies and logistics to deliver across each labor milestone and allow for an opportunity to absorb with the unsubtle biotic community including diagnosticians , diligence and regulator groups in Australia and New Zealand . The meeting brought together task members from QUT , cooperator from Agriculture Victoria , and various key stakeholder from across government and diligence .
Outputs and extensionThe labor squad will engage with policy regulator from the start with an objective to ensure all contributing industries are be throughout the length of the program .
To partake in projection findings and insights , the QUT squad will unionize an one-year public shop .
Expected project final stage date : 25 December 2024
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