A new national surveillance protocol for Texas root rot has been endorsed and published on the National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostics Network (NPBDN) website. National Diagnostic Protocols (NDPs) are diagnostic protocols for the unambiguous taxonomic identification of plant pests.

The National Diagnostic Protocols (NDPs) are an integral component of Australia’s plant biosecurity system. The process of development is managed by the Subcommittee on Plant Health Diagnostics (SPHD).

NDPs provide the minimum requirements for diagnostic procedures and the detection and identification methods for plant pests. Information is provided on the pest, its host and taxonomic status and the methods to detect and identify it based on the best available information. NDPs may cover a species, an intra-specific taxon, several species within a genus or multiple genera of related pests.

NDPs are developed by plant biosecurity diagnosticians or research scientists in accordance with SPHD reference standards, and includes peer review, verification, and endorsement by SPHD. Following endorsement, NDPs are reviewed on a five-yearly basis to determine whether the protocol allows a taxonomically accurate identification of the organism, to ensure currency and accuracy of the information contained within the protocol, and to provide any recommendations for improvements.

Find out more about the cause of Texas root rot.

The NPBDN and Protocol project is funded under the Priority Pest and Disease Planning and Response Program administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.