Session 2: Diagnostics in Africa

SESSION 2: MORE ACCURATE AND TIMELY DIAGNOSTICS TO BETTER INFORM BIOSECURITY DECISIONS

Diagnostics in Africa

Bill Magee

biosecurity built on science

Diagnostics in AfricaBill Magee

Project Leader (Australia)Australia – Africa Plant Biosecurity

Partnership

Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre


The Australia-Africa Plant Biosecurity Partnership (AAPBP) is a capacity development program using Australian expertise to strengthen skills and capacity of professionals within sub-Saharan African plant biosecurity agencies and private sector organisations. The project is funded by ACIAR and is being delivered by a consortium led by PBCRC, the Crawford Fund and CAB International (CABI).


In 2015, fifteen Senior Fellows from East and Southern Africa were selected to participate in an intensive six week study program with Australian biosecurity institutions.

Another thirty Associate Fellows were selected for training in Africa

Project team: Bill Magee, Roger Day, Dennis Bittisnich, Naomi Thomson.


Australian host organisations AgriBio (Victoria) Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Murdoch University Plant Health Australia Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of

Queensland Queensland University of Technology South Australia Research and Development Institute University of Western Australia


THROUGH THE AAPBP, AUSTRALIAN DIAGNOSTICIANS AND PLANT BIOSECURITY SPECIALISTS ARE HELPING SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN NATIONS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF TARGET PESTS AND DISEASES THREATENING PRODUCTION AND MARKET ACCESS.

DIAGNOSTICS – A PRIORITY THEME FOR THE PARTNERSHIP


High Level Diagnostics lectures & practicals (Dr Sabine T Perrone, Dr Brendan Rodoni, Dr Fiona Constable, Dr Linda Zheng and Dr Rachel Mann)

Morphological tools: keys, key builders, visual libraries (PaDIL, Lucid etc…)

Serological and molecular tools (PCR, qPCR, RT-PCR), field deployable options andpoint-of-care, (latest lateral flow devices, LAMP etc….)

A practical hands-on exercise on thrips identification

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT


Panama disease

Fruit flies

Seed-borne diseases

Tomato leaf miner

PLANT BIOSECURITY THREATS AND CHALLENGES


Senior Fellows with hosts at Biosecurity Queensland


Large monoculture Two Senior AAPBP Fellows hosted

by the Panama program in Biosecurity Queensland (Mable, Zambia and Antonia, Mozambique)

Panama disease in Mozambique

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Mentoring and diagnostic support provided by Rebecca Sapuppo, Suzy Perry and Mike Ashton.

Also working with panama expert in South Africa, Professor Altus Viljoen. Aim is to prevent spread within Mozambique and to neighbouring countries


Widespread production loss and market access loss in many African countries.

Three Senior Fellows, Epitace Bizimungu from Burundi, Katemani Mdili from Tanzania and Armando Marcos Come from Mozambique were hosted in Australia

- a special arrangement between Dr Peter Leach (QDAF) , Dr Peter Crisp (SARDI) and Professor Tony Clarke (QUT)

Diagnostic skills an important component of the training.

Fruit flies


Seed-borne diseases

• Unregulated movement of seed in Africa leading to spread and establishment of disease.

• Dr Andrew Geering, University of Queensland, hosted a Senior Fellow from Malawi, Johnny Masangwa.

• Dr Brendan Rodoni and his team at Agribio also hosted Senior Fellows George Ngundo from Kenya and Doreen Chomba from Zambia.


Seed-borne diseases - continued

•

Doreen Chomba is implementing seed testing procedures in Zambia for imported seed, with an emphasis on fungal, bacterial and viral diseases of maize seed.

George Ngundo is implementing seed testing procedures in Kenya with an emphasis on viruses and viroids of tomato seed. Skills learnt at Agribio and the mentoring support from scientists are integral to

the adoption of improved seed testing in these countries


Micro lepidopteran moth, massive production loss in tomato crops. Originated from South America, has spread to Europe then down to North

Africa and in recent years Eastern and Southern African nations. Dr Kirsty Bayliss and her team from Murdoch University hosted Senior Fellow

Lucien Masabarakiza , Lucien is implementing diagnostics, surveillance and farm management for Tuta absoluta in Burundi.

Tuta absoluta – tomato leaf miner


Senior Fellows and Associate Fellows to work with private sector to adopt action plans.

Incremental steps. What is realistic and achievable in the context of each country? – immediate, short term and long term. Maintain close contact with Australian mentors and specialists.

NEXT STEPS


For more information, please email [email protected]

[email protected]

Session 2: Diagnostics in Africa

Science

Transcript of Session 2: Diagnostics in Africa