Dr Mallik Malipatil from Department of Primary Industries Victoria recently travelled to Braunschweig, Germany to attend the annual meeting of the International Plant Protection Convention's Technical Panel on Diagnostic Protocols (TPDP).

The Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN) is a web-based network of data providers including government, non-government, non-profit, educational, and other organisations that have agreed to work together to provide increased access to data and information on invasive alien species (IAS) around the world.

In July 2006 I attended the ‘Biosecurity at the heart of the South Pacific, New Zealand' workshop and seminar. The trip was a chance to liaise with professionals from government and private industry and to compare New Zealand and Australia's approaches to emergency response, risk assessment and public education regarding pests, diseases and weeds.

In some areas both countries are on a par, but the differences I observed could be the basis for mutual improvement.

My first stop was to the CSIRO Laboratory in Montpellier where I met with Mic Julien and went on a tour of the facilities. I met with other staff and discussed their research, in particular the work on Trissolcus basalis and since returning I have identified collections in Australia the largest is at the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC). Head of ANIC, Dr John La Salle, is considering the possibility of extracting DNA from some of this material. It is possible that the CRCNPB may undertake a small pilot study to determine whether this material is useful.

Canola research meeting

On 16 February I attended the meeting of Australian canola pathology researchers at the Metro Inn in Perth, where current research projects in the canola industry were presented. The meeting gave me an insight into canola pathology; I learned how modelling of disease has been used to assist industry and it gave me an appreciation of my co-supervisor's role in this development. Presentations covered breeding, plant pathology and funding allocation.

A third Sudden Oak Death Science (SOD) Symposium was held in Santa Rosa, California in March 2007 to discuss the science surrounding one of the most interesting cases of invasive plant pathogens to

Following the FP7 call  ‘Development of more efficient risk analysis techniques for pests and pathogens of phytosanitary concern'  (Reference: FP7-KBBE-2007-1), a consortium of European institutions formed to develop a bid. The consortium was christened PRATIQUE. The call seeks to develop the science and provision of pest risk analysis and explore the potential for new techniques, and refine existing tools and management approaches that can be applied to enhance existing pest risk analysis schemes.