The scale of the Australia’s grains industry means that monitoring for incursions of pests is a costly and challenging activity. This project utilises advanced technologies for surveillance of grains pests in the field, including smart spore and insect traps, and use of image sensors.

1. biosecurity built on science
Project 2014
Part A: New tools for field grains surveillance
Jenny Davidson: Senior Plant Pathologist (SARDI)
Rohan Kimber: Plant Pathologist (SARDI)
Greg Baker: Entomologist (SARDI)
Helen De Graaf: Entomologist (SARDI)
Les Zeller: Engineer (USQ)
Paul Kamel: Engineer (USQ)
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre

2. biosecurity built on science
New opportunities for pest & disease surveillance using new technologies & sensing systems
 Broad scale surveillance (coordinated network)
Detect & report endemic or exotic incursions of fungal spores / insects in the field to the decision
maker or grower community
 Local (on farm) outbreaks
 Regional threats (e.g. rusts)
 National interests (biosecurity)
Project 2014 – New tools for field grains surveillance and diagnostics of high priority exotic pests
New technology & opportunities

3. biosecurity built on science
New technology & opportunitiesTechnologies implemented
• Species specific detection – qPCR, Pheromone lures (stacking)
• Sensors - optical, impact & digital to confirm target
• Smart capture – GPS, environment or diurnal triggers
• Wireless / telemetry networked grid & transmission
Systems being developed / evaluated –
A. Smart insect traps (moths) – in field detection and imagery
B. Suction insect traps (aphids) – localized monitoring
― Lab qPCR diagnostics (mixed populations)
C. Smart traps (pathogens) – mobile & fixed systems
— Lab qPCR diagnostics & toward ‘real-time’ sensor detection
Field evaluation, technology adaptation, collaboration
• DAFF/USQ & SARDI – Qld and SA test sites
• Rothamsted & Burkard Manufacturing Co. – UK
Research & opportunities – Surveillance and New technologiesNew technology & platforms
B
C
A

4. biosecurity built on science
Research & opportunities – Surveillance and New technologies
Smart Insect Trap – Pheromone
 Les Zeller & Paul Kamel (USQ)
 Pheromone – targeted (stacking)
 Impact & optical sensors (false triggers,
oversensitive)
 Digital imagery on automated carousel
 Data transmission (telemetry)
 Smart data – time stamped
 Field testing 2016 – SARDI these image (25-80 KB) were
transferred from trap via
telemetry < 1 second
trap
wind
lure attraction range
(pheromone plume)
exotic pest
endemic pest
Non-target pest
Smart trap – surveillance applications
 Single or multiple targets (pheromone stacking)
 Image (time stamp) – computer vision systems
 Near real-time – web interface (smart phone)
 Network of traps – spatial resolution/migration
patterns
New technology & platforms – Insect surveillance

5. biosecurity built on science
PHEROMONE STACKING
Assess potential of “piggy-backing” existing pheromone trap networks.
Need to test pheromones for compatibility.
Field trial at Waterloo, SA, Spring 2015:
• Turnip moth (As) (Exotic)
• Diamond back moth (DBM) (Established)
• Native budworm (Hp) (Native)
Helen DeGraaf – SARDI

6. biosecurity built on science
Research & opportunities – Surveillance and New technologiesNew technology & platforms – Insect surveillance
Mixed Insect Trap – Active Suction (aphid)
 Burkard Manufacturing Co. (UK)
 High sampling rate (>200 l/min)
 240V with 4-8 pot carousel
 1.5m – localised monitoring (aphids)
 Field testing 2015 & 2016 – SARDI
 Proof-of-concept = GPA monitoring
(PCR assay Dr Kelly Hill, SARDI)
 Russian Wheat Aphid (exotic target)
Burkard
Mixed Insect Trap – Smart Active Suction (aphid)
 Les Zeller (USQ) prototype 2016
 12V solar powered fan suction
 Variable speed collection - pressure sensor
 Mixed populations with carousel system (10 pots)
 Field testing 2017 - SARDI

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Research & opportunities – Surveillance and New technologiesNew technology & platforms – Insect surveillance
• Total Aphid capture at 3 sites in SA 2016
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Total numbers of aphids captured at 3
SA sites 2016
Waite (17th Mar) Balaklava (27 May) Kapunda (14 April)
• GPA capture at 3 sites in SA 2016
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Numbers of GPA captured at 3 SA sites 2016
Waite (17th Mar) Balaklava (27 May) Kapunda (14 April)

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Systems being developed/ evaluated – qPCR diagnostics
C
Burkard Manufacturing Co.
Molecular detection - qPCR diagnostics (mixed populations)
• Kelly Hill – GPA* primer design, WFT* published primer
• Helen DeGraaf – GPA & WFT identification & counting
• Molecular Diagnostic Centre – Sample & assay processing
*GPA = Green Peach Aphid WFT = Western Flower Thrip
Target GPA WFT Removed
Mock
mixture
Field
sample
0 nil nil nil nil nil
1 -
5 -
10 -
New technology & platforms – Insect surveillance

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Research & opportunities – Surveillance and New technologiesNew technology & platforms – Insect surveillance
• Russian Wheat Aphid (RWA) capture at 3 sites
• Originally the exotic species target
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
5/4/2016 6/4/2016 7/4/2016 8/4/2016 9/4/2016 10/4/2016
Number of RWA captured at 2 SA sites2016
Balaklava (27 May) Kapunda (14 April)
Diuraphis noxia, alate (H. DeGraaf)

10. biosecurity built on science
Start trap End trap Days trapping Sum of 4 YPTs Kapunda ST Balaklava ST
24/08/2016 1/09/2016 8 0 0 0
1/09/2016 15/09/2016 14 3 2 11
15/09/2016 5/10/2016 20 2 0 16
5/10/2016 19/10/2016 14 2 5 3
Total RWA trapped by yellow pan traps at 4 sites in Tarlee and suction traps at
Kapunda and Balaklava (suction trap data [24-48hr] pooled to match YPT trap
periods)
Approx. 40km between YPTs
and Balaklava ST.
Approx. 12km between YPTs
and Kapunda ST.
Note: YPT clusters are also at
Walkers Flat and Mundulla

11. biosecurity built on science
Insect samples
New Technology – Spore trapping systems
http://www.syngenta-crop.co.uk/brassica-alert/ Courtesy Jon West - Annemarie Justesen, Aarhus University, Dk
New generation technology in spore traps
• High sampling efficiency & automation systems
• Mobility (Ground vehicle, UAV etc.)
• ‘Smart capture’ – GPS, environment or wind velocity triggers
• Compatible or adaptable to rapid down-stream diagnostics
• Lab-based qPCR
• In-field (‘real-time’) detection: LAMP, TwistDX, biosensors, fiber optic
sensing
Systems being developed/evaluated
A. Mobile Jet Spore Sampler (High sampling rate) – GPS capture
B. Smart Spore Traps
• Impactor (adhesive tape) type with smart controller (USQ)
• Miniature Virtual Impactor (8-position carousel to collect in
DNA extraction tubes)
Burkard Manufacturing Co. & USQ - NCEA

12. biosecurity built on science
Air samplers
DNA-specific probes
Highly specific,
multiplex qPCR
Smart air samplers – mixed populations
Insect samplesMulti-vial carousel
Traffic light – Biosecurity alerts
Delivery - Pest / Spore Detection & Reporting
http://www.syngenta-crop.co.uk/brassica-alert/
Image analysis / recognition
Data triage & downstream ID
Spores
Pest/Pathogen species composition
Courtesy Jon West - Annemarie Justesen, Aarhus University, Dk
Endemic pathogen dispersal patterns - Spores

13. biosecurity built on science
Research & opportunities – Surveillance and New technologiesWorkshop Discussion & Activities
Activities and Discussions – entomologists, pathologists, molecular biologists, industry people
Presentation of a range of trapping tools
Trapping research in UK and Europe presented by Prof Jon West (Rothamsted Research)
Trapping research in Australia (limited activity)
Discussions on development of surveillance systems
Challenges and concepts
Lack of knowledge of appropriate tools and deployment
Diagnostic tools
Sharing capture/data/DNA – centralised expertise?
Database for reporting?
New Technology – Trapping Workshop SARDI April 2016

14. biosecurity built on science
Insect samples
New Technology – Trapping Workshop SARDI April 2016
Smart Insect Trap
(pheromone)
Passive Insect Trap (Zellot)
Suction Insect Trap
Spore Liberator
Smart Spore Trap
(tape)
Smart Spore Trap
(MVI) Jet Spore Sampler
Spore Traps (Volumetric
and Rotorods)
Trap selection – one size does not fit all

15. biosecurity built on science
Network for forecasting disease epidemics in Poland: SPEC
L. maculans spores
Region
selected
www.spec.edu.pl
15
Surveillance networks for disease forecasting (Jon West, Rothamsted Research UK)

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Multivial
cyclone
spore
trap
http://www.syngenta-crop.co.uk/brassica-alert/
Example of an existing airborne spore and weather (infection
conditions) – based forecast
This uses multivial cyclone
samplers which sample into tubes
and an antibody test is applied
only on days when infection
conditions are right
(Jon West,
Rothamsted
Research
UK)

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17
Burkard 7-day trap
Rothamsted
Air sampling locations
Adas Starcross
Adas
Rosemaund
Adas High Mowthorpe
Velcourt
Stamford
AHDB - Sclerotinia Real-time monitoring
● Air samples from 5 sites sent to
lab each week (Wednesdays)
● Petal samples from ≈ 6-10 sites
per week also sent to lab
● DNA extracted and qPCR for
Sclerotinia done within 2 days
Report sent out for website on
Friday pm. Website updated
Monday am
(Jon West,
Rothamsted
Research
UK)

18. biosecurity built on science
AHDB - Sclerotinia Real-time monitoring – Web page
Risk at each site:
low, medium or high
Web-based advice on AHDB
monitoring webpage
Weekly updates based on air
samples and petal infection tests
plus a weather-based infection
model (>7°C & >23h high RH)
during canola flowering period.
Infection forecast for 3-day
forecast also included
Spray advice given
(Jon West,
Rothamsted
Research
UK)

19. biosecurity built on science
Research & opportunities – Surveillance and New technologiesWorkshop Discussion
Development of a surveillance system
Target(s) + Platform(s) + Region + Audience + Diagnostic method + Outcome
— Epidemiology, knowledge & informed decision making for grower
— Resource sharing, collaboration & data management
— Efficiency, timeliness & automation
— Placement, platform & finding an individual in the wind
Challenges
— Robust network, engineering access, standardisation, deployment strategies,
capture-archive-sharing data & management, user-friendly, clear objective(s)
and knowing when to stop!

20. biosecurity built on science
Thank you
Burkard
 Jon West (Rothamsted Research)
 Stuart Wili (Burkard Manufacturing Co.)
 Helen DeGraaf (SARDI – Entomology)
 Greg Baker (SARDI – Entomology)
 Dr Kelly Hill (SARDI)
 Les Zeller (USQ - NCEA)
 Paul Kamel (USQ - NCEA)
 Molecular Diagnostics Centre (SARDI)
 John Weiss (Vic DEDJTR)
 Jamus Stonor (SARDI)
 Tracey Brookes (MEA)
 Sarah Noack (Hart Field Site)
 Maarten Van Helden – SARDI visiting scientist
 Tom Heddle
 Jamie Fortune – SARDI intern