Current Research 

Optimising Phosphite Application Regimes

Objectives to be achieved:
Identify best surfactants;

Determine most effective frequency of application and any other factors that will improve the efficacy of phosphite in a range of vegetation types.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Increased efficiency of penetration, longevity of protection and improved efficiency and economics of application.

Reduction of Autonomous Spread using Phosphite

Objectives to be achieved:
To ascertain the suitability of phosphite to reduce the rate of autonomous spread across a range of native plant community types.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Demonstrable outcome on whether the fungicide can be used 'safely' in the long-term to reduce the rate of autonomous spread in native plant communities.

Management prescriptions defining application regimes and techniques.

Improving the Effectiveness of Hygiene or Quarantine Protocols

Objectives to be achieved:
Develop a practical monitoring protocol to evaluate the effectiveness of existing hygiene and quarantine measures on reducing disease spread.

Where appropriate, develop better, practical hygiene and quarantine measures.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Continued or improved implementation of appropriate hygiene or quarantine protocols

Monitoring protocols and hygiene/quarantine prescriptions for managers.

Fire-Phosphite Interactions

Objectives to be achieved:
An understanding of how the timing of fire, pre- and post-phosphite application, affects the efficacy of phosphite in a range of vegetation types.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Management prescriptions defining the optimal regimes for phosphite application and fire frequency for a range of vegetation types.

Predictive (Expert) Systems to Describe or Quantify Disease Risk, Rate of Disease Development and Level of Impact

Objectives to be achieved:
The use of predictive models to describe the risk of infection in different plant communities and subsequent disease development.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Predictive models in place and being used by land managers and researchers.

Ex Situ Conservation and Germplasm Storage of Phytophthora dieback Susceptible Threatened Flora

Objectives to be achieved:
The development of suitable germplasm storage methods for plant taxa threatened by Phytophthora.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Adequate germplasm storage of all plant taxa threatened by Phytophthora particularly those taxa considered to be critically endangered.

The role of fire in managing species susceptible to Phytophthora dieback

Objectives: to be achieved:
Investigate whether fire regimes can be devised to manage the regeneration and population dynamics of specified threatened flora to enable them to escape Phytophthora disease.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Disease escape fire regime prescriptions for specific threatened taxa.

Long Term Ecological Impacts of Phytophthora dieback

Objectives to be achieved:
An understanding of the long-term impacts of Phytophthora cinnamomi in a range of ecosystems.

Criteria against which achievement of the objectives will be measured:
Documentation of the impact of the disease on flora, fauna and invertebrates in different ecosystems.

Implementation of strategies (research and management) to reduce any long-term impacts.