The incursion of fire ants into South-East Queensland last year highlighted just how quickly a small foreign organism can turn into an expensive Australian problem. Exotic pests and diseases pow a large and continual threat to our sugar industry. The likely effect these organisms would have on our industry, should they enter Australia, diminishes as we learn more about them and develop appropriate incursion plans. The June-July 2001 Australian Sugarcane reported the progress scientists from BSES --in cooperation with research counterparts in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Indonesia -- were making on assessing and minimising the risk of sugarcane pests and diseases spreading between the three countries. That article reported that BSES scientists -- Peter Allsopp and I -- had recently returned from a survey of Papua New Guinea, where they worked with other international researchers to gather information on the whereabouts, severity and impact of sugarcane pests and diseases. The survey is pan of a project funded by the Australian Centre for International Research (ACIAR).
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