Protecting Western Australia’s biosecurity

Western Australia is known for its breath-taking landscapes, but behind the scenes, strict biosecurity measures protect its agriculture and environment from pests and pathogens. While quarantine bins and detection dogs at the airport may go unnoticed by most, these defences are vital in keeping the state safe.

However, threats can slip through, and when they do, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Diagnostics and Laboratory Services Unit (DDLS) is on the front line. Their mission is to quickly detect and contain diseases and pests that could cause significant damages to WA’s agriculture and environment.

From potato blight to fire ants, shot hole borers to invasive marine pests, the stakes are high. Without the DDLS’s vigilant monitoring and containment efforts, these threats could cost the state a significant amount in damages, not to mention the irreversible harm to endangered species and ecosystems.

A key tool in DDLS’s defense is genetic testing, which AGRF has supported since around 2010. Our Perth lab provides high-quality Sanger Sequencing, with an express service introduced in 2011 to meet urgent needs. To date, we’ve delivered over 38,000 sequences, more than 5,000 of which were processed through our express service.

This ongoing partnership, plays a crucial role in protecting Western Australia’s biosecurity, proving that collaboration and science can have a big impact.