Semisi Pone

Plant Protection in the Pacific Semisi Pone

Some very important issues in Global Biosecurity, banana, vanilla, kava, taro, squash and tree crop disease control in the Pacific are discussed. More than 100 pictures, in color, are provided to help explain and show the disease problems as well as their control. The Global Plant Protection Industry have a lot of experience with Plant Virus Disease Management, when there is an outbreak of an important virus disease, Plant Quarantine and Biosecurity personnel put control measures in place. Border control is just one area of disease management required but it is a crucial first step. The second step would be ensuring the virus does not cross the border, between countries, by testing all plant material and ensuring only 'virus free' material cross the border. Two of the techniques involved are 1. Virus tests such as ELISA/Electron microscopy 2. Growing virus tested plants in vitro for supply of virus free plants between countries. Part of my job as 1. an Expert for the United Nations (FAO) panel on Biosecurity 2. Chief Executive and Advisor for the Plant Protection Organization/SPC in RPPO Technical Consultations is to advise and implement global plant virus disease control in the Pacific Region in cooperation with the other 9 regions of the world in the Plant Protection Industry.