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Enhancing the detection of Tilletia indica, the cause of Karnal bunt - Final Report

CRC20004: Karnal Bunt Detection

Publication Type		Report
Year of Publication		2009
Authors		Tan, M.; Wright, D.
Prepared for		Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity
Pages		63
Date		06/2009
Institution		NSW Industry & Investment

Diagnosing karnal bunt

Karnal bunt is disease of wheat caused by the fungus Tilletia indica and was first discovered in northern India in 1930.

Simon says...

After over two years of planning, it’s hard to believe the Global Biosecurity 2010 conference is over. The conference was extremely successful, bringing over 450 international delegates together to discuss biosecurity issues across the agricultural and environmental sectors.

Through the comprehensive program, I believe all delegates were able to walk away with an awareness of the diversity of biosecurity research, knowledge and systems being carried out or used worldwide. I would like to thank Dr James Ridsdill-Smith and the program committee for the many hours of work they contributed to developing a program that provided ‘something for everyone’.

The social program enabled unique networking opportunities for those with an interest in agricultural and environmental biosecurity including scientists, regulators and industry representatives. You can read more about the success of the conference in other articles in this edition of The Leaflet.

On another note, I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate the postgraduate curriculum in plant biosecurity project team for bringing the project to delivery phase. After several years of dedicated hard work, I am pleased to let our Leaflet readers know that enrolments for the course are now open. This project has been led by Queensland University of Technology in partnership with Murdoch University, Charles Darwin University, La Trobe University and the University of Adelaide with support from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The postgraduate program equips graduates to begin or extend a career in plant biosecurity. More information on the course and the process for enrolling can be found on the curriculum website.

On the topic of universities, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr Darryl Hardie from the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia on his appointment as an adjunct Associate Professor at Murdoch University. Most readers will remember Darryl as our Surveillance Program Leader. We wish him the best of luck with his appointment.

With every happy news story, there’s also sad news. Since the last edition of The Leaflet, my Executive Assistant, Lauren Searson-Patrick has left the CRC to join a family owned executive recruitment company. Lauren has been a fabulous member of our team and will be missed by everyone at the CRC and other stakeholders. On behalf of everyone, I wish her the best of luck in her new challenges. Fortunate for me, my new EA, Angela Hagedorn started with the CRC this week so I have not had to manage myself for too long! I warmly welcome Angela to the CRC and am sure her years of experience will be of great value to me and the rest of the team.

In addition, our Delivery and Adoption Officer, Cain Roberts has been accepted to undertake a PhD scholarship at the University of Melbourne researching how Australia constructs its foreign policy towards China. We’re privileged to retain Cain’s corporate knowledge as he continues to work part-time for the CRC providing strategic guidance over the delivery frameworks and assisting with the re-bid.

Planning for our re-bid is going well and the taskforce and management are very busy meeting with potential participants and other key stakeholders to discuss our potential new plant biosecurity cooperative research centre. You can keep up-to-date with the re-bid progress through our website and also feel free to access my blog www.talkingplantbiosecurity.com and leave any questions or comments for me.

Now that Global Biosecurity 2010 is over, our focus will be on preparing and submitting a robust re-bid for another term, as well as continuing to deliver the project outputs from our current CRC.

Until next time…

Simon McKirdy Signature

Dr Simon McKirdy
Chief Executive Officer

in this issue...

from the arm of the chair

Chairman, Professor John Lovett talks re-bid and managing biosecurity across borders with his recent visit to Manado. READ MORE

welcome onboard CABI

CABI are the newest Supporting Participants of the CRC. READ MORE

global biosecurity wrap up

The success of the Global Biosecurity conference far exceeded our already high expectations. Delegates were able to listen to informative talks, visit the interactive exhibtion and were also witness to the launch of PHA's National Plant Health Status Report. READ MORE

a backyard dinner

Delegates enjoyed dining under the canopy of a Hills Hoist clothesline during Global Biosecurity 2010. READ MORE

karnal bunt diagnostics

Dr Mui-Keng Tan and her project team's protocol is currently with the Sub-Committee of Plant Health Diagnostic Standards (SPHDS) for validation, and hopefully endorsement as an accepted international diagnostic standard. READ MORE

other news...

2009 Science Exchange award winner for collaboration, PhD student Bobbie Hitchcock discusses her research. READ MORE

Potato Late Blight will be used as a case study to research the impact of climate change on pests and diseases of major crops in the Asian Pacific region. READ MORE

Finance and Contracts Coordinator Scott Baxter's ideal holiday destination is the Gold Coast. READ MORE

Scenario Tree Analysis of Grain Surveillance for Karnal bunt in Western Australia

Education and Training

Student Project Reference:

CRC60041: Surveillance Systems Analysis - PhD

Publication Type		Presentation
Year of Publication		2008
Authors		Hammond, N.
Meeting Name		Australian Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis Project 0703 Combining Disparate Data Sources - Workshop
Meeting Start Date		March 2008
Meeting Location		Canberra

A 5-plex real-time PCR assay for quantitative detection and identification of Tilletia indica

Diagnostics

CRC20004: Karnal Bunt Detection

Publication Type		Conference Proceedings
Year of Publication		2008
Authors		Tan, M.K.; Ghalayini, A.
Conference Name		9th International Congress of Plant Pathology
Series Title		Journal of Plant Pathology
Volume		90 (S2)
Pagination		150
Conference Start Date		24/08/2008
Conference Location		Torino, Italy

This project developed an accurate, reliable and internationally recognised DNA-based protocol to detect Karnal bunt. The methodology was validated by laboratories in Australia and overseas and the resulting Diagnostic Protocol was endorsed by the Subcommittee on Plant Health Diagnostic Standards and the Plant Health Committee. This practical biosecurity tool will support the Plant Health Australia National Karnal Bunt Contingency Plan.

Research outcomes

The development of a one tube, fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the simultaneous detection and unequivocal identification of T. indica and closely related Tilletia spp. when only a few spores have been observed. The key features of the assay are:
- elimination of spore germination step
- direct molecular analysis of a single spore, and
- simultaneous detection of T. indica and related grass bunts resulting in reduced labour and reagent costs.

The development of an enhanced protocol for the quarantine detection of T. indica and other grass bunts in wheat grains. The combination of a microscopy step and direct molecular analysis of single spores in the confirmation stage will give a near zero risk of a false positive in the diagnostic process.
An economic comparison of current and enhanced protocol for quarantine detection and surveillance of T. indica, the cause of Karnal bunt in wheat.

Research implications

The enhanced protocol should be integrated as a beta version in a diagnostic section of a centralised national or state facility for animal and plant biosecurity. This will enable the refinement of the protocol for high throughput diagnosis and the development of a capacity for an emergency response to Karnal bunt.
The enhanced protocol bypasses the germination step in identification and so the number of days elapsing before definitive confirmation is considerably lower than in the current protocol. This is critical in an incursion when huge quantities of wheat grain are being held at ports for export pending an outcome of diagnosis. Use of the enhanced protocol will result in massive savings to the industry.
The savings in cost and time in the enhanced protocol relative to the current protocol make it an economically sustainable tool to be used in a grass bunts surveillance program to ensure continuous freedom of the disease and increase market access.

Acknowledgements

Grains Research and Development Corporation
NSW Department of Primary Industries
Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity
Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia

PROJECT LEADER

Dr Mui-Keng Tan
Project Leader CRC20004: Karnal Bunt Detection

mui-keng.tan@industry.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 4640 6445
Fax: 02 4640 6300

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