Alerts
Change to the Xylella fastidiosa high risk countries
Effective from 6 July 2019The National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of Israel has recently confirmed the first detection of Xylella fastidiosa on plant material in its territory, for details visit the EPPO Global database. Under Australia’s existing emergency measures for Xylella fastidiosa, the change in pest risk country status means that Israel is now considered a high risk Xylella fastidiosa country, and subject to the existing measures for high risk material.
For any plant species considered to be a risk for Xylella, then:
Tissue cultures will require mandatory PCR testing and found free from Xylella
Other nursery stock will require growth and disease screening in post entry quarantine (including testing for Xylella) or hot water treatment.
This change does not impact on seed for sowing. Xylella is not considered to be seed borne or transmitted.
Who does this alert affect?
Importers of nursery stock who import plant material (excluding seeds) from Israel.
Background
Xylella is a dangerous bacteria that can damage and even kill more than 400 different plant species in 95 different plant families. The number of plants affected by the bacteria is increasing every year. It is the number one pest threat to Australian horticultural and agricultural industries. It is also a pest threat to the environment.
Xylella can be transmitted by insects that feed on the sap of plants. It can also be transmitted with propagation of infected plants. Xylella can infect many horticultural, agricultural, ornamental and Australian species grown overseas (such as Eucalyptus and Acacia spp.).
In 2015, the Australian Government strengthened the import requirements through emergency phytosanitary measures for imported nursery stock to reduce the risk to Australia against Xylella.
The department has also announced the commencement of a pest risk analysis for Xylella bacterial pathogens, further details are available on the department’s website.
Import Permits
The department will notify clients to vary relevant current permits for nursery stock affected by this change.
Additionally the department will contact existing clients who currently have imported material from Israel undergoing post entry quarantine.
Further information
Please contact Plant Import Operations at
imports@agriculture.gov.au
or on 1800 900 090.
This Alert applies to the following Cases:
- Guava rust hosts for use as nursery stock
- Ananas comosus for use as nursery stock
- Coffea spp. for use as nursery stock
- Xylella fastidiosa and Ceratocystis spp. hosts for use as nursery stock
- Dianthus caryophyllus for use as nursery stock
- Dracaena sanderiana for use as nursery stock
- Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (Chinese jujube) for use as nursery stock
- Allium ampeloprasum for use as nursery stock
- Allium porrum for use as nursery stock
- Rosa spp. for use as nursery stock
- Cyphomandra species for use as nursery stock
- Rhapis spp. for use as nursery stock
- Methyl bromide sensitive nursery stock that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa
- Tropical and temperate species that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa for use as nursery stock
- Tropical and temperate species that are hosts of Xylella and Ceratocystis for use as nursery stock
- Guava rust, Xylella fastidiosa and Ceratocystis spp. hosts for use as nursery stock
- Xylella fastidiosa, Sudden Oak Death and Ceratocystis spp. hosts for use as nursery stock
- Phoenix dactylifera for use as nursery stock
- Cannabis spp. as nursery stock
- Daylily rust hosts for use as nursery stock
- Chrysanthemum x morifolium for use as nursery stock
- Camellia spp. for use as nursery stock
- Mentha spp. for use as nursery stock
- Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum and Xylella fastidiosa hosts for use as nursery stock
- Ornamental virus hosts and Xylella fastidiosa hosts for use as nursery stock
- Lavandula spp. for use as nursery stock
- Allium sativum for use as nursery stock
- Chrysoporthe hosts for use as nursery stock
- Punica spp. for use as nursery stock
- Xylella fastidiosa hosts for use as nursery stock
- Bromeliads for use as nursery stock
- Xylella fastidiosa and Sudden Oak Death hosts for use as nursery stock
- Forestry or amenity species that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa and Sudden Oak Death
- Forestry or amenity species that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa
- Aquatic plants that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa for use as nursery stock
- Bulbs that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa for growth in open quarantine
- Ornamental virus, Sudden Oak Death and Xylella fastidiosa hosts for use as nursery stock
- Forestry or amenity species that are hosts of Xylella fastidiosa, Sudden Oak Death and Ceratocystis
- Hoya kerrii rooted leaves for display purposes