October 2024 CEBRAnar - Estimating pest and disease consequences: a myrtle rust case study

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) Research & Innovation Section is excited to bring you our next webinar, showcasing leading researchers from the Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis (CEBRA) at the University of Melbourne. CEBRA supports both the department and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries’ (NZ MPI) vital biosecurity activities by providing evidence-based tools, analyses and advice to improve Australia and New Zealand’s biosecurity systems.

This month we present our next CEBRAnar:

‘Estimating pest and disease consequences: a myrtle rust case study’

with Dr Thao P. Le (TK), Research Fellow in Data Science, University of Melbourne

Please join us via Microsoft Teams at 11:00 am (Canberra time) on Thursday, 31 October 2024.

Estimating the consequences of potential establishment and spread of pests and diseases is important for supporting evidence-based decision-making regarding biosecurity risk. The ‘Value model’, developed by CEBRA and DAFF, is a simulation tool that combines spatial data with economic and biological information to measure the dollar value of Australia’s biosecurity system across different assets and predict how different decisions could affect both the environment and the economy.

As part of the Estimating Pest and Disease Consequence project, a plan was developed to update the parameters used in the Value Model, with an increased focus on environmental assets. Twelve new pests and diseases were added to ensure those with potential for high environmental impact were represented as well as developing a novel method for estimating environmental consequences in particular cases with excellent data availability.

Join us as Dr TK Le discusses how this innovative consequence method was used to measure how exotic strains of myrtle rust, a fungal plant disease, can affect a plants ability to capture and store carbon from the atmosphere and the resulting dollar value loss from damage to assets.

Please note that this forum will be recorded. A link to the recording will be sent to registered attendees. For all enquiries, please contact the Research & Innovation Section, Biosecurity Strategy and Reform Division.