Tackling phylloxera
Tackling Phylloxera project
The Wine Industry Development Strategy 2017–2021 (the strategy) aimed to improve the long-term performance and sustainability of Victoria's wine industry. The purpose of the strategy was to articulate a shared vision with industry, identifying priority areas for improving the long-term performance and sustainability of Victoria's wine industry.
A suite of projects was developed to support the strategy, branded as Tackling Phylloxera. Tackling Phylloxera was funded $1 million through the Agriculture Infrastructure and Jobs Fund (AIJF) Program Stream to deliver biosecurity outcomes articulated within the Wine Industry Development Strategy to address phylloxera and business risk management. An additional $820,000 was provided through the 2018/19 state budget to support the implementation of the strategy.
The AIJF Program Stream invested in initiatives to build resilience in the agriculture sector through programs to support market access development, enhance the traceability of Victorian produce, build business and risk management capabilities and support agribusiness networks to develop products and markets.
Tackling Phylloxera project outcomes
Undertake vineyard inspections (rezoning) to enable declaration of the Mornington Peninsula region as a Phylloxera Exclusion Zone (PEZ) and having the region recognised as such by industry and trading partners
The Mornington Peninsula has been declared a Phylloxera Exclusion Zone (PEZ) after a significant surveillance program that ran over four summers from 2018–2021. The rezoning project was completed in line with the National Phylloxera Management Protocol. Three years of root inspection surveys for phylloxera were undertaken on every commercial property in the region, and surveys of non-commercial vines within the Mornington Peninsula.
The successful completion of the PEZ also included a strong communication and engagement program with Mornington Peninsula Wine, ongoing regulation and trialling of LAMP testing to provide a high level of confidence that the region is phylloxera free.
The project achieved unrestricted market access between the existing Western Victoria PEZ and the Mornington Peninsula. The Mornington Peninsula is protected by a control area Order which legislates the requirement for host materials entering the region to be under permit or certification. This ensures that appropriate treatments such as cleaning and disinfestation are completed and prohibits high-risk hosts from entering.
View a video created prior to the commencement of the project highlighting the benefits to industry.
Development of LAMP in-field phylloxera diagnostics
This project supported the development of the LAMP in-field diagnostic tool for phylloxera identification. Read more about the outcomes of this work on the phylloxera research page.
Explore the barriers to grower, and associated supply chain participants’ adoption of phylloxera management arrangements
View footage highlighting the project outcomes: Phylloxera Management – Do Growers Care?
Undertake a statewide awareness program aimed at improving business adoption of on-farm biosecurity best practice measures and associated material
This project involved the development of a phylloxera management communications and engagement plan for delivery across the state’s wine grape growing regions. It enhanced outcomes from the social research project.