Biosecurity

Biosecurity is fundamental for safeguarding our valuable agricultural resources against the threat and impacts of pests, weeds and diseases (pests).

Biosecurity is the management of the risk of animal and plant pests and diseases entering, emerging, establishing or spreading in Western Australia, to protect our economy, environment and the community.

To protect Western Australian agricultural industries from pests the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia:

  • Works with stakeholders to identify and manage biosecurity risks.
  • Develops legislation.
  • Establishes import controls.
  • Conducts inspections.
  • Provides quarantine services as required.

To find out more about what we do to protect agricultural production and export opportunities within the State please search our website.

See Also

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Articles

  • Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB) tunnells into trunks, stems and branches.

    Polyphagous shot-hole borer

    10 September 2021

    Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB) Euwallacea fornicatus is a beetle native to Southeast Asia. The beetle attacks a wide range of plants by tunnelling into trunks, stems and branches.

  • Polyphagous shot-hole borer

    Be on the lookout for the polyphagous shot-hole borer

    10 January 2024

    Be on the lookout for the polyphagous shot-hole borer

  • Dothistroma needle blight disease banner

    Dothistroma needle blight: declared pest

    23 January 2020

    Dothistroma needle blight (Dothistroma septosporum) causes needle loss, slow growth and sometimes death in many types of pine and some related conifers.

  • Banana freckle disease symptoms

    Banana freckle: biosecurity alert

    18 October 2013

    Banana freckle was detected in Dwarf Cavendish banana fruit in the Northern Territory in May 2022. The Northern Territory Government is responding to this new detection.

  • Plant with purple stems and dark green leaves covered with a bright yellow powder-like fungus.

    Myrtle rust: Biosecurity alert

    8 April 2014

    Myrtle rust is a serious disease that infects and kills many plants belonging to the Myrtaceae family including eucalypts, bottlebrushes, paperbarks and peppermint trees.

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    Blueberry rust

    12 November 2014

    Blueberry rust is a fungal disease that affects blueberries and some relatives in the Ericaceae plant family. The disease was detected in Western Australia in April 2022.

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    Onion smut: declared pest

    20 December 2019

    Onion smut (Urocystis cepulae) is a disease of onions. This disease is absent from Western Australia.

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    Late blight of potato and tomato: declared pest

    4 April 2019

    Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is considered the most devastating disease of potatoes worldwide and caused the Irish potato famine in the 1840s.

  • Null

    Onion rust: declared pest

    11 April 2019

    Onion rust (Puccinia allii) is a disease of plants in the onion family, including onions, garlic, chives, spring onions and leeks.

  • Fruit symptoms of dry rot. Photo courtesy of Dr Roger Shivas, DPIF 2005.

    Dry rot of citrus: pest data sheet

    29 May 2014

    Dry rot (Eremothecium coryli) is an exotic pest to Western Australia.

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