peppers

Industry body Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA) has partnered with Bioseed Research India (BRI) to research the management of tospoviruses in vegetables in both countries.

More than A$1.1m in commissioned research will explore the DNA sequence information of tospoviruses in Australia, as well as tospoviruses that been flagged as potential biosecurity risks to Australian and Indian vegetable growers.

“Tospoviruses infect a broad range of staple and horticultural crops, impacting agriculture in tropical and subtropical areas globally,” HIA chief executive John Lloyd said. “In the long term, the research will be of great benefit to all stakeholders involved in the production of vegetables, including growers in both countries.”

The research will include looking at methods to develop resistance to tospoviruses and will take place at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, the University of Queensland, and BRI in India.