Draft risk analysis report for the release of Dactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype for the biological control of Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata
July2015
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Cataloguing data
Australian Government Department of Agriculture 2015,Draft risk analysis report for the release of Dactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype for the biological control of Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata, Department of Agriculture, Canberra.
This publication is available at agriculture.gov.au.
Australian Government Department of Agriculture
Postal address: GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601
Switchboard: +61 2 6272 3933 or 1800 900 090
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The Australian Government acting through the Department of Agriculture has exercised due care and skill in preparing and compiling the information and data in this publication. Notwithstanding, the Department of Agriculture, its employees and advisers disclaim all liability, including liability for negligence and for any loss, damage, injury, expense or cost incurred by any person as a result of accessing, using or relying upon any of the information or data in this publication to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Submissions
This draft report has been issued to give all interested parties an opportunity to comment and draw attention to any scientific, technical, or other gaps in the data, misinterpretations and errors. Any comments should be submitted to the Australian Department of Agriculture within the comment period stated in the related Biosecurity Advice on the website. The draft report will then be revised as necessary to take account of the comments received and a final report prepared.
Comments on the draft report should be submitted to:
Plant Biosecurity
Australian Government Department of Agriculture
GPO Box 858, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
Telephone:+61 2 6272 5094
Facsimile: +61 2 6272 3307
Email:
Internet: agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity
Dactylopius tomentosus draft risk analysisContents
Contents
Acronyms and abbreviations......
Summary......
1Introduction......
1.1Australia’s biosecurity policy framework......
1.2This risk analysis......
2Method for risk analysis......
2.1Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP)......
3Assessment of off-target risks......
3.1Stage 1: Initiation......
3.2Stage 2: Risk assessment......
4Draft recommendation on release......
5Attachment......
Appendix A: Method for pest risk analysis......
Stage 1: Initiation......
Stage 2: Pest risk assessment......
Stage 3: Pest risk management......
Appendix B: Biosecurity framework......
Glossary......
References......
Tables
Table 1 Nomenclature of qualitative likelihoods......
Table 2 Matrix of rules for combining qualitative likelihoods......
Table 3 Decision rules for determining the consequence impact score based on the magnitude of consequences at four geographic scales
Table 4 Decision rules for determining the overall consequence rating for each pest......
Table 5 Risk estimation matrix......
Maps
Map 1 Map of Australia......
Map 2 A guide to Australia’s bio-climatic zones......
Australian Government Department of Agriculture1
Dactylopius tomentosus draft risk analysisMaps of Australia
Map 1 Map of Australia
Map 2 A guide to Australia’s bio-climatic zones
Australian Government Department of Agriculture1
Dactylopius tomentosus draft risk analysisAcronyms and abbreviations
Acronyms and abbreviations
Term or abbreviation / DefinitionACT / Australian Capital Territory
ALOP / Appropriate level of protection
BA / Biosecurity Advice
BCA / Biological Control Agent
CSIRO / Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
EP / Existing policy
FAO / Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
ICON / The Australian Department of Agriculture Import Conditions database
IPC / International Phytosanitary Certificate
IPPC / International Plant Protection Convention
IRA / Import risk analysis
ISPM / International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures
NSW / New South Wales
NPPO / National Plant Protection Organisation
NT / Northern Territory
PRA / Pest risk assessment
Qld / Queensland
SA / South Australia
SPS / Sanitary and Phytosanitary
Tas. / Tasmania
Vic. / Victoria
WA / Western Australia
WTO / World Trade Organization
Australian Government Department of Agriculture1
Dactylopius tomentosus draft risk analysisSummary
Summary
The Australian Government Department of Agriculture has prepared this draft report based on an assessment of the proposal by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland and the NSW Department of Primary Industriesto release the cochineal insectDactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype for the biological control of coral cactus(Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata).
The conclusion of the assessment contained in this draft reportsupports the release of Dactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype,subject to standard quarantine conditions associated with the import and release of biological control agents.
It has been determined that the probability of off-target effects and potential consequences that would be associated with the release of Dactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype are negligible. A risk estimate of negligible meets Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP).
The assessment of risk to off-target plants included consideration of testing methodology; the state of knowledge of the biology of the proposed biological control agent; the biology of the proposed biological control agent; the list of non-target species tested in the current set of experiments as well as those tested previously and the results of the experiments.
The Department of the Environment also has an approval process for the import and release of biological control agents under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.
This draft report contains details of the risk assessment for potential off-target effects associated with the proposed release of Dactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype. The application for release of Dactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype (Attachment 1) is attached to assist interested parties in providing comments and submissions to the Department of Agriculture within the consultation period.
Australian Government Department of Agriculture1
Dactylopius tomentosus draft risk analysisIntroduction
1Introduction
1.1Australia’s biosecurity policy framework
Australia's biosecurity policies aim to protect Australia against the risks that may arise from exotic pests entering, establishing and spreading in Australia, thereby threatening Australia's unique flora and fauna, as well as those agricultural industries that are relatively free from serious pests.
The risk analysis process is an important part of Australia's biosecurity policies. It enables the Australian Government to formally consider the risks that could be associated with proposals to release a new organism into Australia. If the risks are found to exceed Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP) then release will not be allowed.
Successive Australian Governments have maintained a conservative, but not a zero risk, approach to the management of biosecurity risks. This approach is expressed in terms of Australia's ALOP, which reflects community expectations through government policy and is currently described as providing a high level of protection aimed at reducing risk to a very low level, but not to zero.
Australia’s risk analyses are undertaken by the Department of Agriculture using technical and scientific experts in relevant fields, and involve consultation with stakeholders at various stages during the process.
The Department of Agriculture’s assessment may take the form of an import risk analysis (IRA), a non-regulated analysis of existing policy, or technical advice.
Further information about Australia’s biosecurity framework is provided in Appendix B of this report and in the Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2011 located on the Department of Agriculture website.
1.2This risk analysis
1.2.1Background
A joint application has been submitted by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland and the NSW Department of Primary Industries to release a biological control agent (Attachment 1). The biological control agent, Dactylopius tomentosus ‘fulgida’ biotype is a cochineal scale insect proposed for the biological control of Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata (coral cactus). The applicant has followed the steps outlined in the BiosecurityGuidelines for the Introduction of Exotic Biological Control Agents for the Control of Weeds and Plant Pests.
1.2.2Scope
The scope of this risk analysis is to consider the biosecurity risk that may be associated with the release of an exotic biological control agent into the Australian environment. The primary risk with a release of this nature is the possibility of unwanted off-target effects on other species already present in Australia. The Department of Agriculture assesses the risk under the Quarantine Act 1908. The Department of the Environment also has an approval process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This risk analysis report may be used by the responsible Minister in making a determination to include the item on the List of Specimens taken to be suitable for live import (live import list).
Plants that are considered weeds are sometimes considered to have value. For example, as ornamental species, traditional medicine, feed for stock etc. Consideration of the benefits and therefore any concerns about eradication of the target weed species are out of the scope of this analysis. These considerations are undertaken by the Invasive Plants and Animals Committee (IPAC) and previously by the Australian Weeds Committee (AWC).
The Department of Agriculture will not commence an assessment to release a biological control agent unless the target has been approved by an appropriate government body. All Cylindropuntia spp.were approved by the Australian Weeds Committee on behalf of the Natural Resource Management and Primary Industries Standing Committeeson13 June 2013.
1.2.3Contaminating pests
There are other organisms that may arrive with imported exotic biological control agents. These organisms may include parasitoids, mites or fungi. The Department of Agriculture considers these organisms to be contaminating pests that could pose sanitary and phytosanitary risks. Should this application to release be approved, these risks will be addressed by existing operational procedures that apply to the importation and final release of biological control agents. These procedures include detailed examination of imported material, confirmation of identity and breeding through one generation before release. For this reason, contaminating pests are not considered in this risk analysis.
1.2.4Consultation
In December 2014, a preliminary draft of this report was distributed to state and territory departments of primary industry and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) through the Plant Health Committee (PHC) as well as the Department of the Environment. Comments received via this consultation process were incorporated into this draft risk analysis report. All comments endorsed the preliminary draft and its recommendations.
1.2.5Next Steps
This draft report gives stakeholders the opportunity to comment and draw attention to any scientific, technical, or other gaps in the data, misinterpretations and errors.
The Department of Agriculture will consider submissions received on the draft report and may consult informally with stakeholders. The department will revise the draft report as appropriate. The department will then prepare a final report, taking into account stakeholder comments.
The final report will be published on the department website along with a notice advising stakeholders of the release. The department will also notify the proposer and the registered stakeholders about the release of the final report. Publication of the final report represents the end of the process. Following the risk analysis process, if the Department of Agriculture approves release of the biological control agent, then a letter will be sent to the applicant providing conditions of release.
Australian Government Department of Agriculture1
Dactylopius tomentosus draft risk analysisMethod & assessment
2Method for risk analysis
Biological control agents (BCAs) intended for release are deliberately introduced, distributed, aided to establish and spread. Therefore it would be inappropriate to assess the probability of entry, establishment and spread using the processes described in ISPM 11(FAO 2013). This BCA risk analysis will focus only on off-target effects, as this is the only concern with regard to the release of biological control agents.
2.1Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP)
The SPS Agreement defines the concept of an ‘appropriate level of sanitary or phytosanitary protection (ALOP)’ as the level of protection deemed appropriate by the WTO Member establishing a sanitary or phytosanitary measure to protect human, animal or plant life or health within its territory.
Like many other countries, Australia expresses its ALOP in qualitative terms. Australia’s ALOP, which reflects community expectations through government policy, is currently expressed as providing a high level of sanitary or phytosanitary protection aimed at reducing risk to a very low level, but not to zero. The band of cells in Table 5 marked ‘very low risk’ represents Australia’s ALOP.
3Assessment of off-target risks
This section sets out the assessment of off-target risks that could be associated with the release of the biological control agent. Where appropriate, the methods followed those used for pest risk analysis (PRA) by the Department of Agriculture in accordance with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs), including ISPM 2: Framework for pest risk analysis(FAO 2007),ISPM 3: Guidelines for the export, shipment, import and release of biological control agents and other beneficial organisms (FAO 2011) and ISPM 11: Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests(FAO 2013) that have been developed under the SPS Agreement (WTO 1995). The methodology for a commodity-based PRA is providedin Appendix A.
The risk associated with release of a biological control agent is a combination of the probability of off-target effects and the potential magnitude of the consequences of any off-target effects.
3.1Stage 1: Initiation
Initiation commences when an applicant provides a submission proposing the release of a biological control agent.
The risk analysis area is defined as all of Australia given that once released there will be no control of spread of the agent other than environmental constraints related to the biology of the organism.
3.2Stage 2: Risk assessment
This assessment evaluates the probability of off-target effects and the potential economic and environmental consequences of these effects.
3.2.1Assessment of the probability of off-target effects
Given that the proposal is for deliberate release, the probability of entry, establishment and spread is assumed to be certain and therefore the assessment relates to the host specificity of the proposed agent.
A qualitative likelihood is assigned to the estimate of probability of off-target effects. Six descriptors are used: high; moderate; low; very low; extremely low; and negligible. Descriptive definitions for these descriptors and their indicative probability ranges are given in Appendix A, Table 1.
Attachment 1 gives details provided by the applicant of the host specificity testing that was carried out.
Background to this application
Five Dactylopius species have been introduced as biological control agents to control various cactusspecies in Australia.Dactylopius tomentosus ‘imbricata’ biotype was introduced in 1925 to control Cylindropuntia imbricata. This biotype has been successful in controlling C. imbricata but does not have any significant impact in controlling C. fulgida var. mamillata. None of the five Dactylopius species previously released have been reported to cause off-target effects. It is noted that with regard to insects, ‘biotype’ has no standard definition and the meaning intendeddepends on the author. Recent research (Mathenge et al. 2014) has demonstrated host-related genetic variation amongst biotypes of Dactylopius tomentosus. This intraspecific genetic variation indicates that the taxonomy of D. tomentosus is unresolved and there may be a species complex rather than a single species. However it should be noted that all the species of the genus Dactylopius as it is currently defined (April 2015) feed exclusivelyon plants in the genus Cylindropuntia as it is currently defined at April 2015.
There are no Australian native species of Cactaceae and the Opuntioid cacti, which include allCylindropuntia spp. have been declared as Weeds of National Significance.
Host specificity testing methodology
The applicant conducted host specificity testing on less plant species than would usually be tested. This was due to the previous release of Dactylopius tomentosus ‘imbricata’ biotype with no off-target effects and the known host specificity of Dactylopiustomentosusto Cylindropuntia species. Mathenge et al carried out extensive work to determine the host specificity of Dactylopius species and its association with Cylindropuntia (Mathenge et al. 2009a; Mathenge et al. 2009b; Mathenge et al. 2010a; Mathenge et al. 2010b; Mathenge et al. 2014). Additionally, Mathenge ( 2009a) developed methodologies for transfer of neonate crawlers of Dactylopius spp.
The list of plant species that were tested was compiled using the widely accepted centrifugal phylogenetic method (Wapshere 1975), which uses more plant species closely related to the target and fewer species of plants less related to the target for testing.
Testing took the form of no-choice larval survival, development and efficacy trials. No-choice testing involved 20 neonate crawlers being transferred to the host test plant, with each trial being accompanied by a control using 20 neonate crawlers placed on the target plant. Five replicates were carried out for each host test plant. The development success rate was recorded for the neonate crawlers on each of eight species of Cylindropuntia naturalised in Australia.