Graduate Certificate in Plant Biosecurity

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Graduate Attributes (Expected Learning Outcomes) for Award:

(4 units, 1 semester full-time study)

Technical

Knowledge and understanding of plant biosecurity at levels that are internationally recognised and at the highest level of industry requirement, specifically, the ability to:

• Recognise Regulated Pests and associate them with likely import pathways and hosts;
• Implement surveillance, detection, triage diagnosis and reporting of Regulated Pests;
• Effectively develop and implement plant biosecurity procedures and regulations if delegated to, and/or employed to do so by an appropriate regulatory body;
• Proficiently use appropriate technologies within a plant biosecurity context.

Generic

• Ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from scientific and regulatory sources, and apply effective solutions to problems within changing contexts
• Acquisition of the capacity to learn and maintain commitment to continuous learning in order to maintain the professional standards required for plant biosecurity
• Commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour
• Capacity to communicate effectively and to work both independently and cooperatively

Course Outline:

Pick two from the first three units that cover pest biology:

1. Biosecurity Plant Pests – Invertebrates

• Introduction to major groups of invertebrate pests (insects, mites, molluscs, nematodes) Biology and Life-cycles
• Host/Pest/Environment interactions

Successful students will be able to:

• Recognise broad categories of invertebrate organisms (at various life stages) that may become emergency plant pests;
• Associate key emergency plant pests with their likely import pathways and hosts;
• Explain pest/host/environment interactions and their implications for biosecurity.

2. Biosecurity Plant Pests – Pathogens

• Introduction to major groups of plant pathogens (oomycetes, fungi, phytoplasmas, bacteria, viruses)
• Biology and Life-cycles
• Host/Pathogen/Environment interactions

Successful students will be able to:

• Recognise broad categories of pathogens (at various life stages) that may become emergency plant pests;
• Associate key emergency plant pathogens with their likely import pathways and hosts;
• Explain pathogen/host/environment interactions and their implications for biosecurity.

3. Biosecurity Plant Pests – Weeds

• Definition of ‘weed’
• Biology and Life-cycles
• Weed/Environment interactions

Successful students will be able to:

• Recognise broad categories of weeds (at various life stages) that may become emergency plant pests;
• Associate key weeds with their likely import pathways;
• Explain competitive and environmental interactions and their implications for biosecurity.

4. Detection & Diagnostics

• Decision making tools
• Surveillance Technologies
• Diagnostic Technologies
• Reporting Tools & Information Management
• Pest Free Areas

Successful students will be able to:

• Design appropriate surveillance strategies and select suitable monitoring tools;
• Conduct triage diagnoses;
• Choose the most appropriate test and understand the application of that test for particular emergency plant pests;
• Implement appropriate reporting procedures.

5. Plant Biosecurity in practice

• Plant biosecurity with  reference to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the following:
  • International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM)
  • Phytosanitary Measures
  • The Plant Biosecurity Continuum – Pre-border, Border & Post-border

Successful students will be able to:

• Understand the contextual framework required for effective plant biosecurity practice;
• Have a broad understanding of the biological and practical bases for plant biosecurity.

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