In this section:
Quarantine
Program Objectives
The Quarantine Unit functions as the 'hub' of quarantine related activity, and management infrastructure, at the Waite Precinct, providing services and guidance to the research community and industry.
The unit supports the Waite Precinct's co-located partner organisations (SARDI, University of Adelaide, CSIRO and AGRF) utilisation of imported products. Their activities cover a diverse range, from the Post Entry Plant Quarantine (PEPQ) of plants for propagation and multiplication for research or release, to laboratory use of plant tissues, biological cultures, soils and nucleic acids. The Quarantine Unit also provides PEPQ facilities and services for low and medium risk crops to industry and private importers nation-wide.
Quarantine Management
The Quarantine Unit aims to foster quarantine awareness and oversee quarantine related activities, ensuring that these activities are conducted in accordance with relevant Commonwealth and State legislation. The unit liases with the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), and coordinates the registration and auditing of over sixty quarantine approved Premises (QAPS) at the Precinct. Guidance is provided to researchers via regular meetings and personal and electronic communication.The unit's PEPQ processes are governed by a 'Compliance Agreement' with AQIS, that stipulates exactly how these processes are to be conducted, and the responsibility of all parties.
Facilities
The Quarantine Unit operates out of state-of-the-art facilities located at the SARDI's Plant Research Centre. These include dedicated quarantine greenhouses and controlled environment temperature rooms (600m2 space). For the greenhouses alone, this equates to an approximate 2000 (200-250 mm) pot capacity. Additionally, quarantine dedicated growth-rooms and cold-rooms, tissue-culture and general laboratories, seed treatment and threshing facilities are also available.
Services
The services that the Quarantine Unit offers include:
- Post-entry Plant Quarantine (PEPQ) of low and medium risk nursery stock and seeds of horticultural ornamentals, pulses, cereals and some grasses. Additional functions, such as access for research or horticultural (e.g.crossing and pollination) purposes may be permitted, on a case-by-case basis (under supervision), or can be conducted by the units' staff.
- Mandatory pathogen screening for significant quarantine pests and diseases.
- Multiplication of plants undergoing quarantine to provide increased plant or seed stocks as they are processed through quarantine.
- Cleaning of seed consignments that have failed AQIS inspection due to soil or prohibited seed contamination (note: certain contaminants may preclude this service).
External linkage
The unit works closely with importers across Australia, and provides sub-samples of imported seed to a number of national germplasm collections, namely:
- The Australian Temperate Field Crops Collection, Horsham, VIC
- The Australian Winter Cereals Collection, Tamworth, NSW.
- The Genetic Resource Centre for Pastures, SARDI, SA.
Contact
Should you wish further details of the services offered, and or to discuss your current or future quarantine requirements, please contact:
Pauline Glocke, Waite Quarantine Officer
