Wednesday, 26 February 2020

Greenlife Industry Australia is pleased to welcome Emma De Landre as its new Plant Protection Officer.

Based in Sydney, New South Wales, Emma’s role will operate across New South Wales and northern Victoria under the levy funded ‘National Nursery Industry Biosecurity Program’ (NY15004).

With experience spanning 25 years in nursery production and retail, Emma brings with her a strong background in quality plant production, project management, and formal training in horticulture.

“I’m excited to join the Greenlife Industry Australia team, and look forward to working closely with growers to protect plant health, achieve efficiencies and foster innovation within individual businesses,” Emma said.

At her previous role as Nursery Manager at Agri Australis, a large-scale hazelnut producer in the NSW Riverina, Emma utilised nursery management systems to improve propagation techniques, increase production and significantly reduce waste.

Emma was also employed as Project Manager at National Arboretum Canberra (NAC), where she was responsible for managing the Water Security Project, the propagation of forest plantings, and the development of biosecurity procedures.

As Plant Protection Officer, she would like to use her experience and encourage more growers to utilise and adopt a holistic approach to plant health and biosecurity, supporting businesses to demonstrate best practice in container and field production. This approach encompasses irrigation, nutrition, plant hygiene, weed control, soil health and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

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In just one week, the greenlife industry will descend on Perth for the Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) national conference.

It’s an action-packed program and delegates are encouraged to plan ahead to make sure they get a chance to tailor a schedule that suits their needs.

2020 is the International Year of Plant Health and the program has been designed along the theme of “Healthy Plants Healthy People”. The event aims to educate and inform the nursery industry on the importance of plant health as well as the positive impact that healthy plants have on the physical and mental health of Australians.

Delegates will be encouraged to become leaders in addressing plant health at their businesses, championing responsible production practices and research adoption and becoming drivers of economic opportunity for greenlife industries.

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Monday, 17 February 2020

The Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is an exotic pest that has been detected on the northern Torres Strait Islands of Saibai and Erub in January 2020, and more recently on the tip of Cape York (Bamaga) in February. This is the first incidence of Fall armyworm being detected in Australia.

This pest poses a significant risk to Australia’s nursery industry, and production nurseries are urged to implement rigorous plant protection protocols to reduce the risk of incursion.

Known to eat and destroy more than 350 plant species when caterpillar population levels are high, the destruction of crops can almost occur overnight.

Detection of this pest in Australia has been in the form of Adult fall armyworms (moths), which were caught in surveillance traps managed by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment’s Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS).

Although detection sites were a significant distance from the nearest commercial production areas in Lakeland

Downs and Atherton Tableland, growers are urged to remain on alert.

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Friday, 14 February 2020

Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) is pleased to announce Kimberley Thomas as its new Plant Protection Officer for Victoria and South Australia, under the levy funded ‘National Nursery Biosecurity Program’ (NY15004).

With a background in plant biosecurity, production and retail horticulture, Kimberley brings over 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry.

Kimberley previously worked as a Plant Biosecurity Officer with the Department of Agriculture for over 15 years, employed as a Supervisor and then Operations Manager of the Plant Quarantine Facility in Knoxfield, Victoria.

“I come from a plant biosecurity background, and I look forward to returning to this arena and sharing my knowledge with growers,” Kimberley said.

“I want to help them implement effective plant protection systems that will benefit their businesses and support the long-term sustainability of the Australian nursery industry.”

Using her experience in NIASA accreditation, Kimberley plans to assist Australian growers with the successful implementation of the NIASA, EcoHort and BioSecure HACCP programs, helping them improve management systems within their businesses, to boost profitability and ensure ongoing market access opportunities.

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Name: Diamond back moth – Plutella xylostella

Hosts of the diamondback moth are buk choy, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables.

Larvae feed on the leaves, stems, flowers and seed pods. Damage is seen as holes in the leaves, or ‘windows’ (‘see-through’ leaf with an unbroken upper leaf layer) where larvae have tunnelled into the leaf. When infestations are high, leaves may be skeletonised.

Eggs: Pale yellow, flattened and ovalshaped, and 0.5 mm in length.

Immatures: Larvae are pale-green or grey-green with a dark head and a darker green stripe running down the body. They are up to 12 mm in length.

Adults: Grey-brown with a white diamond-like pattern along the back where the folded wings meet (viewed when the adult is at rest). Adults are 10 to 12 mm in length.

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