Plant Health Australia’s Dr Stephen (Steve) Quarrell officially launched new on‑farm biosecurity resources for the sugarcane industry at a Disease Identification Workshop held in Woodford earlier this year, attended by productivity services, SRA staff and commercial agronomic personnel.
“The sugarcane industry is in a strong position when it comes to biosecurity, with research, breeding, productivity services and industry all working closely together,” Dr Quarrell said.
“But on‑farm biosecurity isn’t just about spotting exotic pests – it’s about what’s happening on farms right now. Knowing what’s normal on your farm means you’re more likely to spot something unusual early. The earlier a pest or disease is found, the cheaper it is to manage and the better the chance of eradicating it.”
Growers have access to two new Plant Protection Series guides designed to make biosecurity simple and practical.
Volume 1 – Plan and Protect focuses on everyday on‑farm biosecurity. It acts as a checklist to help growers develop their own farm biosecurity plans. It covers common risk areas such as visitors, vehicles and machinery coming onto the farm, use of clean seed, movement of equipment between blocks, managing feral animals and weeds, and responsibilities beyond the farm gate.
The guide includes practical tips like setting up low‑cost washdown areas for farm equipment, using footbaths (at farm entry and exit points), erecting biosecurity signs on farm gates and keeping basic records such as visitor logs. These records can be important if a pest or disease incursion occurs and a response plan is activated, as they help with contact tracing and potential cost reimbursement.
Volume 2 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds of Sugarcane focuses on what growers are likely to see in the paddock. It helps identify established pests, diseases and weeds using Sugar Research Australia resources, and also includes information on exotic pests so growers know what to look out for if something doesn’t seem right.
The guide also explains growers’ general biosecurity responsibilities under Queensland legislation, outlines what happens during an emergency response, and provides first response contact details for productivity services, SRA and other support. It doesn’t give chemical recommendations, as these change over time and growers should speak to their agronomist.
Together, the two guides are designed to help growers protect yields, reduce costs and manage pests and diseases early – by enacting a plan, knowing what’s normal, keeping good records and acting quickly when something doesn’t look right.
Acknowledgement
This project: 2022/002 Updating the Sugarcane Industry Biosecurity Plan was funded by Sugar Research Australia.
Additional resources:
Sugarcane Biosecurity Essentials
