The CSIRO has launched a new initiative to decode the genetic blueprints of Australia’s top pests and invasive species to better control or eradicate them.
The Australian Pest Genome Partnership (APGP) will collect genomic data on hundreds of pests and weeds and make it freely available, as well as digital tools to aid in data analysis. The data will aid researchers working on pest and weed species and serve as the foundation for future species-specific solutions.
According to the CSIRO, invasive species have cost Australia $390 billion over the last six decades, with weeds costing the agriculture sector at least $5 billion annually. This substantially strains Australia’s agriculture and livestock industries, in addition to the significant and ongoing environmental impacts caused by these invasive species.
In addition to making public genomic data assets for some of Australia’s top pest and invasive species like mosquitoes, the khapra beetle, cane toad, fall armyworm, fox, feral pig, and cat, as well as weeds like wild radish, rye, and rat’s tail grasses, the APGP has now prepared its first 28 genomic datasets.
CSIRO principal research scientist Tom Walsh stated that data is easy, but the analysis is difficult. APGP aspires to make genomic data more freely accessible and useable to assist industry, government, and the scientific community in pest management.
“This project has the potential to drive new science and digital innovations to safeguard Australia’s environment and biosecurity from existing and growing threats posed by invasive and pest species,” Dr Walsh said.
Dr Walsh added that pest genomes could help us uncover new ways of preserving the environment, agricultural sector, and public health with a swift and targeted reaction, just as genome sequencing has helped guide medical advice.
According to CSIRO senior research consultant Rahul Rane, the APGP-delivered fit-for-purpose genomes database will be a game changer in invasive species prevention and management.
“Genomes and genetic diversity data can tell us all manner of things including where a particular pest species has travelled from, what environments it may thrive in, and whether it has developed resistance to chemicals and pesticides,” Dr Rane said.
Dr Rane stated that the more a pest’s genome traits are understood, the better it is to make informed judgements to control or eliminate it safely.
“Ultimately research based on these new datasets will benefit all Australians by reducing public health risks and the impact of these pest species on our environment and agricultural production,” Dr Rane added.
This year, hundreds more pests are being sequenced, including jellyfish, ticks, head lice, invasive ants and beetles, termites, African boxthorn, and crown of thorns starfish.
APGP seeks to collaborate with companies, government departments, and other research institutions to continue sequencing and compiling the genomes of pests threatening Australia’s biosecurity.
The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) funded the research, which was co-funded by Australian BioCommons and the Australian National University. Genomic datasets were created in conjunction with Macquarie University, the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the University of Queensland, the University of Western Australia, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the South Australian Research and Development Institute.
