PLANTS AND ENVIRONMENT Plant health surveillance and incursion investigation report: October to December 2020 The Biosecurity Surveillance & Incursion further investigation were 77 fewer than for each positive or inconclusive Investigation Plant Health (BSIIPH) the same period in 2019 (258). investigation where potential harm team and Plant Health and Environment remains after an initial investigation has Laboratory (PHEL), in the Biosecurity Biosecurity response been carried out and management under New Zealand (BNZ) branch of MPI, initiated a Coordinated Incident Management investigate and diagnose suspect System (CIMS) response structure The complexity and biosecurity risk exotic pests and diseases in the plant will be beneficial when implementing associated with some investigations is and environment sectors. Incursion recommendations. In cases where the outside the accountability of the Plant Investigators (IIs) and scientists are biosecurity risk has been effectively Health team to manage the risk under based in Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua addressed during the investigation, urgent measures. In such instances, the and Christchurch. These teams provide the biosecurity issue is reported via an investigations are transferred to the BNZ field investigation, diagnostic testing Investigation Outcome Report (IOR) and Response Group and, with the assistance and technical expertise to detect and reported in Surveillance. of the IIs and PHEL, response options report new pests and diseases affecting are considered to eliminate, reduce or plants and the environment. They Suspect tomato brown rugose contain the threats and manage the support surveillance and response potential impacts. fruit virus in tomatoes, Karaka functions, including carrying out A seed merchant was informed by research and development for better A Rapid Assessment Report (RAR) is his offshore supplier that seeds of the diagnostic tools and processes to manage an output from the investigation stage same lot imported into New Zealand biosecurity risks. of the investigation response process. had tested positive for tomato brown The RAR provides a means for the BNZ The IIs received 291 plant and rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) at the Surveillance & Incursion Investigation environment notifications (Figure 1) Dutch Plant Protection Organisation’s Directorate to recommend actions to during the 3-month period from laboratory. ToBRFV is a serious pathogen the BNZ Response Group following an October to December 2020, 79 fewer of tomato and capsicum plants and has investigation of a post-border biosecurity than the same period in 2019. Of the 291 been declared an unwanted organism in issue that could impact the way MPI notifications, 72 cases were immediately New Zealand. The seeds were produced delivers its strategic plan to grow and stood down as the presence of biological in Israel and imported into New Zealand protect New Zealand. This transition risk was ruled out, and 38 notifications with a phytosanitary certificate declaring enables our Government Industry were redirected to other agencies them to be free of ToBRFV. As the Agreement (GIA) partners to be included responsible for managing the pest certificate complied with the relevant in making decisions about potential concerned. The 181 cases that required Import Health Standard (IHS), the seeds responses to pests. A RAR is completed were given biosecurity clearance and not re-tested on arrival. After they were planted in New Zealand, no symptoms of ToBRFV were observed on the growing plants. The seed importer provided 1,750 seeds to PHEL Virology for testing. The seeds were tested in seven bulk lots of 250 seeds. There was a very weak positive PCR test for ToBRFV in three of the seven samples, close to the positive cut-off threshold for the test, indicating a low viral titre was present. Samples of tomato plants grown from the seeds were also collected and tested for ToBRFV. All plant samples tested negative. About 200 plants from this seed lot were grown at a South Auckland nursery and about 3,600 at two sites in Whenuapai. Owing to the risk posed by ToBRFV, all these plants were destroyed and the ground was steam-sterilised. A GIA response was Figure 1: Plant health notifications, investigations and other outcomes, October – December established to manage the biological risk 2019 and 2020 and liaise with the tomato industry. Surveillance 48 (1) 2021 37 Investigation positive; Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) wrongly believed it was the exporter’s Act and the Biosecurity Act 1993 responsibility to meet the relevant MPI urgent measures prevent are alleged, are referred to the BNZ IHS, and that if the plant was already establishment Compliance Investigations Team (CIT). present in New Zealand then there was These investigations found organisms no restriction on importing it. The II that were not known to be present in Investigations referred to provided the importer with educational New Zealand, under circumstances Compliance Directorate material and details of the IHS 155.02.05 that enabled treatments to be applied Seeds for Sowing. The PBI lists plants and biosecurity mitigation confirmed. Seeds purchased online that are present in New Zealand, but it They typically involved imported goods from China is not exhaustive as only those that have and containers. While scrolling through the Facebook been assessed for import are listed. The group “NZ Rare Fruit Growers” a importer had destroyed legitimate, locally Brown marmorated stink bug member of the public saw an unusual purchased plants to avoid any risk of (BMSB) cases post stating “Seeds from China ... Took cross-contamination from the incorrectly Regardless of whether BMSBs forever to arrive and they’re definitely imported seeds. The importer requested (Halyomorpha halys) are alive or dead, not what are supposed to be (purple assistance with destroying the planted all cases reported to the biosecurity Annona squamosa).” Annona squamosa chilli seeds but when Quarantine Officers hotline are investigated to rule out risk. seeds are classified as “basic” in the (QOs) and IIs visited his home no one During this quarter, BMSBs were found MPI’s Plant Biosecurity Index (PBI) and was there. After multiple attempts to seize with goods from China, Germany, must meet the requirements for “basic” the plants, the case was referred to the Italy and the US. Of the 40 suspect outlined in the Import Health Standard CIT, who eventually met with the notifier. BMSB notifications investigated, only 155.02.05 Seeds for Sowing. However, in By that time he had destroyed the nine cases were positive. In one case, this instance, the seller had misdeclared plants, as confirmed by the Compliance inspection of an imported consignment the seeds as “jewellery” and sent a Inspector, but the visit was still useful as after fumigation with methyl bromide mystery seed. From the photos posted on he provided updated contact information revealed four recently dead bugs. It is Facebook, a BNZ botanist preliminarily and was able to be informed about not known if they were alive before the identified the seeds as belonging to the how biosecurity is important to protect treatment, but if they were, it would family Rosaceae. This family includes New Zealand from unwanted pests vindicate the treatment initiated by the important horticultural crops such as and diseases. II. In another case, the origin of a live pipfruit, stonefruit, berries and roses. BMSB was not established since it was Consequently, the seeds are considered a Suspect Hoya imbricata sold on found close to air cans from Australia, high risk and typically require 6 months Instagram where BMSB is not present. A full site in a post-entry quarantine TF to ensure MPI was contacted by a Hoya collector inspection was undertaken by BNZ staff they are disease-free. The II corresponded after Hoya imbricata was advertised and the BMSB detector dogs deployed with the person of interest (POI) on for sale on Instagram. The Instagram but no more BMSBs were found. There Facebook and asked her to destroy the post showed a POI with H. imbricata were two cases where reported BMSBs unauthorised Rosaceae seeds. After no but advertising it as H. curtisii. Both were subsequently identified as the response, the II emailed an educational species are not listed on the PBI and yellow-spotted stink bug, Erthesina fullo, letter to the POI that identified the risks the import pathway was not known. As another exotic species. Three were found of private seed importation and again no contact details were available for the on goods from China and one on top of a requested her co-operation by destroying POI, the MPI was asked to provide this pallet in a Transitional Facility (TF) with the seeds. There was still no response so information. In a historic Instagram post, consignments from various countries. the II conducted a site visit, but the POI the POI alleged they had been threatened In all cases the biological risk was dealt was not home. The II left an educational with legal action by MPI over the dubious with by tracing the origin of the goods, letter and further instructions to contact importation of plant material (Peperomia inspecting them and the detection site, the II with the parents of the POI, and prostrata). Considering the POI appeared distributing educational material and eventually was informed that she had to be a recidivist offender, the case was notifying the exporter of the find. destroyed the seeds. The case was referred referred to the