Alerts

The purpose of this notification is to advise stakeholders that the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the department) is taking further actions to manage the risk of the bacterial pathogen Xylella in imported nursery stock.

The changes will result in regulatory measures being applied to the plant family Hypericaceae

These actions are being carried out under Australia’s emergency measures for Xylella and will commence on 5 November 2021. The emergency measures are in place to safeguard Australia from the entry of Xylella fastidiosa (and all of its sub-species) and X. taiwanensis.

The department will also notify trading partners of this change through a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) notification.

What will change?

The known host range of Xylella is expanding. Under Australia’s emergency measures for Xylella, changes in host status means that measures are required to reduce the likelihood of this pathogen entering Australia.

Due to new published literature showing that Xylella infects new hosts, the emergency measures will be applied to the plant family Hypericaceae. This change affects the Hypericum genus within BICON.

An overview of import conditions that would need to be met for plant propagative material (excluding seeds) are outlined within the department’s website.

What types of material are affected?

These changes affect all permitted Hypericum species, imported as nursery stock. This includes tissue cultures, rooted plants and cuttings.

These requirements do not apply to imports of true botanical seeds.

How will import permits and new permit applications be affected?

The department will contact affected import permit holders to vary existing permits in line with the above changes. As these permit variations will be initiated by the department, there will be no cost to import permit holders.

Background:

Xylella is Australia's top priority plant pathogen as it has the potential to severely impact our agricultural and horticultural industries and the environment. In addition to having a large host range, Xylella is easily spread by sap-feeding insects and the propagation of infected plants.

Emergency measures for Xylella were implemented in November 2015, and expanded in August 2020 and June 2021, to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity requirements that safeguard us against its entry.  The department has commenced a pest risk analysis of Xylella to evaluate these emergency measures and consider ongoing risk management measures to ensure that measures are technically justified.

The department will continue to monitor and assess evidence of new risks posed by Xylella and may amend import conditions again in the future.

Further information:

Enquiries can be directed to 1800 900 090 or via email at imports@agriculture.gov.au (please title the subject line of the email with ‘Plant T2 – Xylella emergency measures’).