Potato mop-top virus: six Infected Premises now confirmed in Tasmania

Response efforts in Tasmania managing the detection of Potato mop-top virus have identified a total of six Infected Premises as of August 28.

Early traceback activities indicate that the virus may have been present in Tasmania for at least two years.

The initial detection of the virus (July 15, confirmed July 18) - the first time it had ever been detected in Australia - was made in infected potato tubers originating from a property in Northwest Tasmania.

A second case was confirmed on August 20 - this detection being made in volunteer potato tubers originating from a research plot in the states South.

Following the initial detection, the National Diagnostic Protocol for PMTV was followed.

Biosecurity Tasmania has established an Incident Management Team and is carrying out emergency response activities in response to the detection of the virus in Tasmania.

Biosecurity Tasmania has also been undertaking tracing activities associated with the detection and, in collaboration with industry, has expanded surveillance efforts to sampling and testing seed potatoes currently held in storage.

These response efforts have identified a total of six Infected Premises.

• Four sites have direct linkages with each other and include the small research plot in states South.

• Two detections have been made in seed lines arising through increased sampling efforts.

  
  

Tracing activities and examination of potential linkages with these two lines are ongoing.

These detections of PMTV span across several potato varieties grown in Tasmania.

All sites identified as Infected Premises are issued a Biosecurity Direction under the Biosecurity Act 2019, restricting the movement of potato material, machinery and equipment, and soil from the sites.

Biosecurity Tasmania continues to work with impacted growers and potato industry bodies to conduct additional surveillance and diagnostics of potato stock. They are also doing trace-forward and trace-back operations to determine the potential distribution of the virus, and possible infection pathway.

The detection has been formally notified under Australia’s national emergency response arrangements and is now under active consideration by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests (CCEPP), operating under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD).

The response continues to focus on surveillance and testing, and next steps including an assessment of the feasibility of eradication, will depend on information gathered.

Updates and further resources are available on Biosecurity Tasmania’s website.