iMapPESTS: Sentinel Surveillance for Agriculture (ST16010)

What’s it all about?

iMapPESTS is a national program of research, development and extension designed to put actionable information into the hands of Australia’s primary producers to enhance on-farm pest management decision-making. This project is a collaborative piece of work funded through the Australian Government’s Rural R&D for Profit initiative.

Over a five-year period (2017-2023), iMapPESTS will lay the foundations for a national cross-industry surveillance system that can rapidly monitor and report the presence of airborne pests and diseases affecting major agricultural sectors across the country, including grains, cotton, sugar, horticulture, wine, forestry and emerging industries. This will be achieved through a range of surveillance, diagnostics, and engagement and adoption activities.

Once established, the system could enhance pest management decision-making by providing timely information on high-priority, cross-sectoral pest and disease abundance and spread. Such information could be used by industry stakeholders to guide the direction or intensity of scouting efforts and pest control actions. The system could also facilitate a co-ordinated response to biosecurity efforts during exotic pest and disease incursions, including use in delimiting surveys and proof-of-freedom claims.

For more information on the program, visit www.imappests.com.au.