Monday, 25th September Science Protecting Plant Health 2017

Date: 25^th September 2017

Cost: $85.00 AUD

Overview: Travel into the countryside along the scenic rim of Queensland’s Main Range National Park to visit the historical Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) 100 year old Research Station situated at Hermitage. Hermitage is the pivotal centre in breeding technologies for crops such as sorghum, barley and mung bean. Enjoy a home baked morning tea provided by the Country Women’s Association and inspect trials involving foliar and soil borne diseases of cereals and chickpea. Departing Hermitage you will head for Australia’s renowned garden city of Toowoomba to visit the University of Southern Queensland Centre for Crop Health to inspect facilities and enjoy a packed lunch whilst taking in the tranquility of the nearby Japanese gardens. The final stop of the day will be at the spectacular Queens Park Botanical Gardens in Toowoomba for a relaxing afternoon.  We will then head down the Great Dividing Range and drive through the “salad bowl” of the south east Lockyer Valley in time for the welcome reception in Brisbane.

Key Destinations/Stops:

• Hermitage Research Station, Warwick, Queensland, Department of Agriculture
• Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland
• Japanese Gardens "Ju Raku En Japanese Gardens", Regent Street, Toowoomba
• Queens Park Botanical gardens, Margaret Street, Toowoomba

Date: 25^th September 2017

Location: Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park

Cost: $400 per attendee or $600 per attendee for both workshops I and II

Max. no of participants: 16

Summary: This 1-day workshop will introduce participants to the principles of experimental design and reinforce the importance of these principles when it comes to the conduct of agricultural trials, with a focus on plant pathology experiments. The course will begin with simple block designs and move to more advanced blocking and treatment structures. Different design solutions will be explored for a range of case studies including field, laboratory and controlled environment experiments. Hands-on practical sessions will also provide participants with the opportunity to develop skills to design their own experiments using two statistical software packages.

Presenter Description:

Dr Alison Kelly is a Principal Biometrician with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries who leads the Northern Node of the Statistics for the Australian Grains Industry project funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation. In this role, Dr Kelly both provides and coordinates statistical support and training for all grains industry research projects across the northern region, including those with a focus on plant pathology. Dr Kelly’s current applied research interests lie in developing novel statistical analysis techniques aimed at the selection of crop varieties with improved traits of resistance and tolerance to the pathogens Fusarium pseudograminearum and Prathylenchus thornei; two pathogens of major concern in the northern growing region of Australia.

Clayton Forknall is a Biometrician with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries who provides statistical support to a range of plant pathology projects both across the northern grains region and nationally. Clayton is currently working on the development of an improved technique for quantifying the economic impact of root, crown and foliar diseases on the Australian grains industry through the development of yield loss response curves.

Date: 25^th September 2017

Location: Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park

Cost: $100 per attendee

Max. no of participants: 25

Summary: This symposium will bring together academia, applied scientists, students, crop consultants and leaders in the various horticulture industries to share knowledge and discuss the latest developments on diseases caused by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi across the industries. The symposium will cover the biology and management of diseases caused by Botryosphaeriaceae and the Amphisphaeriaceae. Species belonging to the two families are often associated as endophytes of woody plants. The endophytic lifestyle of these fungi presents significant challenges for the management of diseases (such as dieback, cankers, leaf spots and fruit rots) they cause on a wide range of horticultural crops worldwide. The mechanisms of infection and disease development have not been well established, but are often associated with plant stress. In addition to the keynote addresses, presentations will provide an overview on the economic significance, pathogen biology and management of diseases caused Botryosphaeriaceae and Amphisphaeriaceae in temperate, subtropical and tropical fruits and tree nut crops, forestry and viticulture horticulture. Opportunities are available for participants to present their current research on specific areas of the taxonomy, biology, epidemiology or management of Botryosphaeriaceae and Amphisphaeriaceae diseases in horticultural crops. (For oral presentations, please contact the symposium organisers).

Keynote Presenters:

Dr Akif Eskalen is an extension specialist at the University of California, Riverside, USA. His research focuses on the identification and epidemiology of branch, trunk, and root pathogens of subtropical plants including avocado, citrus and landscape trees. His research on biotic and abiotic factors driving host-pathogen interactions underpins development of effective control strategies.  His current research interests include the biology, epidemiology and control of fungal pathogens of invasive beetle-diseases complex such as Fusarium Dieback and Shot hole borers (Euwallacea sp.) in California.

Prof. Roger Shivas is a mycologist at the University of Southern Queensland as well as curator of the Queensland Plant Pathology Herbarium, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. He has worked in the biosecurity realm for more than 30 years and published over 200 papers that describe more than 400 new taxa of plant-associated fungi. The importance of correct identification of fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae is the theme of Roger’s talk.

Symposium Organisers: This symposium is organised by Dr Femi Akinsanmi (The University of Queensland, Brisbane) and Dr Rosalie Daniel (NSW Department of Primary Industries, Ourimbah).

Dr Femi Akinsanmi (Email: o.akinsanmi@uq.edu.au) interest in organising the symposium is due to menace of the increasing rate of detection and severity of diseases caused by novel Botryosphaeriaceae and Amphisphaeriaceae taxa in tree nut crop. Femi believes a proactive and cross-industry approach is required to develop an effective disease management strategy including the prediction, prevention and reduction of impact of the diseases caused by these fungi in several horticultural crops.

Dr Rosalie Daniel (Email: Rosalie.daniel@dpi.nsw.gov.au) research interests are in understanding the biology and epidemiology of plant pathogens to develop integrated disease management options for horticultural crops, and effectively communicating these outcomes to industry. Her interest in Botryosphaeriaceae arose from its ever-increasing significance in a range of horticultural crops, and the limited availability of management options.

Date: 25^th September 2017

Time: 9.00am - 12.00pm 

Location: Rydges South Bank

Cost: Free to registered delegates

Max. no of participants: 40

Summary: This half day workshop will update participants on current application of digital tools for diagnostics and surveillance. This will include practical demonstration of remote microscopy hardware and software, including the new and improved Pestpoint. The workshop will include role play and demonstration of diagnostic and surveillance events, and discussion on how these tools are best managed and applied. The workshop will include updates on application in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Pacific Islands and Australia and New Zealand.

Participants should bring their smartphone or tablet (any OS) for practical demonstration and role play of Pestpoint and remote microscopy hardware.

Presenters/workshop leads: Dr Gary Kong and Michael Thompson have been developing and implementing digital tools for diagnostics and surveillance in the Asia Pacific region for over 10 years. Please contact Mike and Gary at mike@pestpoint.org and gary@pestpoint.org for further information.

Date: 25^th September 2017

Time: 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm

Location: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Cost: Free to registered delegates

Max. no of participants: 50

Summary: Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an insect pest that originates from Asia that is currently spreading rapidly throughout the world.  It is now widespread in North America and Europe but no established populations have been recorded in the southern hemisphere. BMSB has an extensive host range and is a major nuisance and plant pest of significant economic importance.   Since 2014, raised awareness of BMSB's potential destructive impact to Australia and New Zealand’s valued plant systems and increasing border interceptions have led to a greater focus on border operations and research required to prevent its establishment and to reduce its potential negative impact.

This workshop will review the potential impact of BMSB in Australia and New Zealand and examine current and planned activities across the biosecurity spectrum to answer key questions about risk assessment, pathway risk management, diagnostics, surveillance and eradication including pro-active consideration of BMSB biological control agents

Keynote:

Dr Tim Haye, Head Arthropod Biological Control, CABI, Switzerland.  Tim has been a central figure in recognising, documenting and seeking solutions for the BMSB outbreaks in Europe since its initial introduction there in 2004.  His research on BMSB includes biological control, climate matching, and invasion dynamics.   He has extensive connections with BMSB researchers in Europe, Asia and North America. 

Please contact Dr David Teulon, Better Border Biosecurity (NZ) (David.Teulon@plantandfood.co.nz) or Dr Rod Turner, Plant Health Australia (rturner@phau.com.au) if you would like to present at this workshop.

This workshop is sponsored by: 

Date: 25^th September 2017

Time: 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm

Location: The Library, Ecosciences Precinct, Boggo Road, Dutton Park, Brisbane

Cost: Free to registered delegates

Max. no of participants: 30

Summary: Complex problems in pest management require multidisciplinary solutions, and this workshop aims to bring together leading international and Australia experts representing multidisciplinary capabilities including ecologists, entomologists, economists, simulation modellers, bioinformaticians and geneticists, in understanding whitefly and the diseases they vector. Our aim is to provide a perspective and engaging discussion on how the latest research into whitefly is improving food security in less developed countries, as well as preparing Australia for threats posed by exotic whitefly and begomoviruses, particularly in the cotton and horticultural industries. 

The workshop will be led by scientists from the PBCRC’s partner CSIRO, who are conducting a major international multidisciplinary project for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Cassava Whitefly in Africa, in collaboration with global research teams including the University of Western Australia, and partners in Africa, UK, France, Israel, China and the USA http://cassavawhitefly.org/. We will begin the workshop by presenting progress in this project, with the African Cassava Whitefly case study as an example of how a multidisciplinary approach can provide novel insights and understanding to prepare agricultural, plant biosecurity industry and research sectors for major global plant pests such as the whitefly, and help solve the food security challenges they pose.

Presenters/workshop leads: Dr Hazel Parry, Dr Paul Mwebaze, Dr Wee Tek Tay, Dr Cate Paull (CSIRO), Mr Tonny Kinnene (UWA), Dr Andrew Kalyebi (National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), Uganda (TBC)), Dr Victoria Ludowici (Plant Health Australia).

Date: 25^th September 2017

Time: 1.30 pm to 5.00 pm

Location: Rydges South Bank

Cost: Free to registered students. This workshop is sponsored by the Plant Biosecurity CRC.

Max. no of participants: 40

Summary: This interactive half day workshop is specifically designed to assist the next generation of scientists protecting plant health in securing employment. It will focus on careers planning and identifying potential career pathways in biosecurity policy, academia and industry. The workshop will be facilitated by a senior consultant from The Agribusiness, specialists in recruitment in agribusiness and agriculture. If you’re a student thinking about your next steps don’t miss out on this great opportunity to hear from the experts.