Jun 30, 2023 | News
The NSW Department of Planning and Environment funded an extension to the ‘Safe Custody for Native Guava’ project for the 2023/24 financial year, with the aim to:
- Continue monitoring already-dispersed Native Guava (R. psidioides) collection.
- Ensure continued integration of Qld’s dispersal and monitoring activities with those in NSW.
- Send new lineages of Native Guava to partner garden dispersed collections.
- Collate monitoring data and suggest updates to monitoring methods.
- Communicate progress and lessons.
- Trial sharing of Scrub Turpentine (Rhodamnia rubescens) lineages to partner gardens.
ANPC Project Manager Chantelle Doyle is coordinating this project and can be contacted on this email.
Read this Botanic Gardens of Sydney blog piece written by Chantelle to find out more about how ‘genetics is helping to save plant species decimated by myrtle rust’ dated 28 July 2023.
The project has facilitated monthly meetings of the Myrtle Rust Consortium, established under the original Native Guava project, where members have been able to present, share information, network, collaborate and report on germplasm collection, propagation, planting, maintenance of the ex situ collections, research findings and any issues or problems.
To further expand communications, the ANPC is collaborating with UNSW and the BGANZ Collections and Records Management group (BCARM) to co-ordinate a quarterly series of informal virtual get togethers, the “Myrtle Rust Management for Practitioners – open series” which commenced in February 2024, focusing on practical aspects of managing and maintaining a conservation collection of Myrtle Rust susceptible species. To date, two sessions have been held:
1/ “Fundamentals of managing a Myrtle Rust sensitive collection” on 22 February 2024. Themed presentations were recorded and are available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqyyjPw0meA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMa9MkvekWc
2/ “Pest and Disease Control – Chemical Use and Permits” on 16 May 2024. A themed presentation was recorded and is available at
https://youtu.be/eEN5WEa-K9I
Thank you to all our partner organisations for their generous support and commitment to this project:
Main image: Members of the Myrtle Rust Project steering committee at the Myrtle Rust Conference in June 2023:
Front (L-R): Amelia Martyn Yenson, Stephanie Chen, Chantelle Doyle, Karen Sommerville, Peter Gould.
Back (L-R): Bob Makinson, Veronica Viler, Geoff Pegg, Craig Stehn, Fiona Giblin, Tracey Menzies.
(Not present: Ian Allen, Tony Auld, Jason Bragg, Damian Butler, Michael Elgey, Chris Fernance, Jo Lynch, Ash Filipovski, Toby Golson, John Hodgon, Phil Hurle, Zoe Knapp, Tex Moon, Ryan Newett, Cathy Offord, Angela Verner, Marion Whitehead, Damian Wrigley, Samantha Yap).
Images: Native Guava ex situ collections at Australian Botanic Garden Mt Annan. Credits: Veronica Viler (L) and Nathan Emery
Jun 30, 2023 | News
More than 90 people, including many from New Zealand, gathered to discuss developments across the rapidly expanding field of Myrtle Rust research and conservation action. Indigenous representation and voice, from both Australia and New Zealand, was the highest of any Australian-based Myrtle Rust conference so far. The conference was followed by a two-day workshop on the screening potential for rust-tolerant genotypes in some of the most severely affected species, as a basis for reinforcing the declining populations. Conference attendee and guest speaker Dr Richard Sniezko (US Department of Agriculture Forest Service), who has a long history in breeding North American trees for disease resistance, has helped take this management option to a firmer level. Recordings from the conference will be available soon!
The next step is to produce a report on the outcomes and achievements of the Conference and workshop. This will help transfer awareness of current research and conservation practice between the countries and Australian states, and will feed into the Commonwealth’s development of a Threat Abatement Plan and parallel work in various states.
Image: Bob Makinson, ANPC Outreach Delegate and Myrtle Rust champion (left), with fellow rust warriors Peri Tobias from University of Sydney and Geoff Pegg from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, at the Australasian Myrtle Rust Conference last week in Sydney. Credit: Chantelle Doyle
May 2, 2023 | News
A recording of the webinar jointly hosted by the Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand (BGANZ) Collections and Records Management group (BCARM), with speakers from the Australian Network for Plant Conservation (ANPC) and the Australian Seed Bank Partnership (ASBP) is now available.
Key takeaways and further information:
Bob Makinson gave an introduction to Myrtle Rust and talked about how Myrtle Rust kills, including its devastating impact on Native Guava (Rhodomyrtus psidioides). He talked through scenarios for different species, including management options, and the long term vision for identification and breeding of resistant genotypes. More info: Myrtle Rust information hub; and Extra slides with key facts, details of host species, and references
Amelia Martyn Yenson shared a new video on the collaborative action providing hope in the face of rapid decline and outlined key project activities to secure collections of Native Guava. Hear about collection of germplasm to preserve genetic variation, propagation of Native Guava collections, and planting of collections in botanic gardens of all scales. Peter Gould and the volunteers of Lismore Rainforest Botanic Garden walked us through their Native Guava collection. Zoe Knapp talked about the benefits of the project including hands-on experience for staff using digital technology, the ability to use living collections for research and education, and the importance of sharing information and using an agreed approach to establish collections. More info: Safe Custody for Native Guava
Bradley Desmond (Acting National Coordinator, Australian Seed Bank Partnership) outlined preliminary results of last year’s stocktake of Myrtaceae collections. The Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens (CHABG) and BGANZ undertook the first country-wide stocktake of Myrtaceae insurance populations, with thanks to the 29 facilities and their staff who shared data. Many facilities are actively monitoring for Myrtle Rust, and respondents shared whether Myrtle Rust had been observed nearby (within 5km). Existing collections of wild sourced species include both whole plants (>13000 accessions) and seed (>8000 accessions). Many priority species identified in the National Action Plan are already established ex situ, with gaps identified to guide future collections. Stay tuned for the final report, via the CHABG website (chabg.org.au) and BGANZ (bganz.org.au).
We’d like to thank our partners for their generous support and commitment to the future of the Native Guava:
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government.
Apr 24, 2023 | Media Releases, News
Native Guava (Rhodomyrtus psidioides) was a common and widespread native plant before Myrtle Rust was introduced to Australia in 2010. However, this native rainforest tree has suffered catastrophic declines as a result of this pathogen.
Few adult trees now survive, and the species is mainly hanging on through old root systems that put up annual suckers, which are also killed by Myrtle Rust.
Because of this, Native Guava is now listed as Critically Endangered under Commonwealth, New South Wales and Queensland legislation. It is one of 30 priority plant species listed in the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan 2021-2026.
The Australian Network for Plant Conservation has led the ‘Safe Custody for Native Guava‘ project over the past 12 months. We wanted to create more robust insurance collections of this species and show how a cross-State response could conserve the species.
Dr Amelia Martyn Yenson, who led this project, believes working together was essential when piloting a dispersed-custody model.
“Sharing the responsibility of caring for Native Guava plants means there is less risk of losing valuable genetic diversity; it’s also been an effective way to share information about Myrtle Rust, its impact and management.”
The ANPC has been at the centre of attempts by concerned scientists and conservation practitioners to develop a coordinated and funded national response to Myrtle Rust.
The recent outbreak of Myrtle Rust on Lord Howe Island, a World Heritage Area, has highlighted the urgency of protecting native plants from extinction.
-ends-
The Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc. (ANPC) is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes and develops plant conservation in Australia.
For more information please contact:
Bob Makinson, ANPC Outreach Delegate and Myrtle Rust team member
Phone number: 0458 411 055
Email: Robert.Makinson@environment.nsw.gov.au
Phil Hurle monitoring plants at the Australian National Botanic Gardens (Credit Zoe Knapp)
Peter Gould with Native Guava at Lismore Rainforest Botanic Garden (Credit Michael Lawrence-Taylor).
Veronica Viler propagating plants at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan (Credit Michael Lawrence-Taylor)
Apr 3, 2023 | News
Weds 21 – Fri 23 June 2023 (field trip 24 June)
Holme Building, University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW
https://eee.eventsair.com/myrtle-rust-conference/We would like to invite you to the Australasian Myrtle Rust Conference. This event will bring together researchers and experts from across Australia to discuss future Myrtle Rust management options and research priorities. Join us in Sydney from 21-23 June to discuss and learn about the latest research and management approaches. Be part of the conversation as we ask, “where to from here?”This event will include a poster session and optional field trip to view Myrtle Rust where it is heavily impacting Australian native plants. The program outline with session themes is now available on the website with more details coming soon. Early bird registrations are open until Friday 31 March and abstract submissions will open soon.Head to the website to find out more. |
The NSW Department of Planning and Environment funded an extension to the ‘Safe Custody for Native Guava’ project for the 2023/24 financial year, with the aim to:
