A Perth-based plant pathology lab says it was stripped of its permit to help unearth an effective vaccine for trees infested with shot hole borer, and its lab samples confiscated, after it ran foul of the authority’s narrative that treatment is impossible and infected trees must be removed. Source: WA Today
During a symposium in South Perth on Friday, Bioscience biologist Peter Keating said initially the company was drawn in by an arborist firm, Classic Tree Services to find an effective treatment for trees infested with shot hole borer.
In order to do so, the company obtained a directions permit to move material outside the quarantine area to its Forrestdale lab.
He said very little was known about the lifecycle of the tiny beetle however it appeared to be very active in the hottest summer on record, but much reduced with the wet winter.
“We made some important discoveries about the nature of the pest and its commensal fungi – but this ran foul of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development narrative that no treatment is possible, so despite our efforts and review, re-issue of the permit was refused,” he said.
“We made some important discoveries…but this ran foul of the DPRID narrative that no treatment is possible, so despite our efforts and review, re-issue of the permit was refused.”
Peter Keating, biologist
“Many local government groups are antagonistic to the strategy of removal of trees as the only viable elimination strategy, thus cooperation with DPIRD is steadily waning.
“Many local governments and particularly, their arborists are supportive of developing and testing effective treatments for PSHB [shot hole borer].”
DPIRD chief plant biosecurity officer Vincent Lanoiselet said no chemical treatment options had proven effective in the field anywhere in the world to date.
“Developing an effective treatment is extremely challenging as the borer and its associated fungus damages the tree’s vascular system and prevents chemicals being taken up and distributed within the tree,” he said.
“The department recently conducted its own trials of some insecticides and fungicides, to limited effect – although a topical insecticide has shown some promising results as a preventative measure.”
He said DPIRD was liaising with international experts, including those in South Africa and California, to explore other potential control options alongside a team of more than 160 staff inspecting trees across the Perth metropolitan region.
A network of more than 3000 traps have been installed in the metropolitan area and the regions, which included the South West, Mid West, Wheatbelt and Great Southern.
“Unfortunately, as there currently no effective chemical treatments available and infested trees can die within two years, tree pruning and removal of infested trees is the only way to stop the spread of PSHB to protect our urban tree canopy,” he said.
PSHB has been detected in 25 local government areas across the metropolitan area.
Data obtained by this masthead shows inner-city councils have logged the highest number of premises infected with polyphagous shot-hole borer with Nedlands leading the pack with 345 cases followed by Melville (145) and Claremont (105).
Two years into a $44 million eradication strategy, environmental lawyer Bronwyn Waugh said more needed to be done as shot hole borer devastated inner-city suburbs such as South Perth.
“There has been little done other than imposing quarantine restrictions and removing trees,” she said.
“This clearly is not working. We must put funds into studying this disease.
“We have the experts in WA and must identify how we can treat the disease. Quarantine can slow the disease down but will not eradicate it.”
Waugh said scientists needed the opportunity to research shot hole borer and its symbiotic relationship with the fusarium fungus.
“The fungus is the food source for the beetle, it is not clear why more effort has not been put into studying how we can treat the fungus as a means to controlling the spread of the shot hole borer,” she said.
“Using legislation to mandate occupiers of properties where there are infected trees to remove the tree, or removing trees is not a sustainable answer.”
