Plant Health & Environment Laboratory

Glasshouse flowers

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand's Plant Health & Environment Laboratory (PHEL) is responsible for the identification of new pests and diseases affecting plants and the environment. A leaflet describing PHEL's activities is available here.

The laboratory is based at two sites (Auckland and Christchurch) and employs more than thirty scientists and technical staff. We identify a broad range of pests and diseases including insects, mites, fungi, bacteria, phytoplasmas and viruses, and subcontract nematode identification. The laboratory is accredited to ISO 17025 (see the IANZ website (offsite link to secure.ianz.govt.nz) for the scope of accreditation).

We have specialist facilities and equipment including:

  • containment laboratories (physical containment 2 and 3);
  • glasshouses (Level 3 transitional facility)
  • transmission electron microscope;
  • equipment for molecular and serological procedures; and
  • reference collections for viruses and arthropods (fungal and bacterial collections are maintained as part of Landcare's International Collection of Micro-organisms from Plants: www.landcareresearch.co.nz/databases/db_details.asp?Database_Collection_ID=6 (offsite link to www.landcareresearch.co.nz)).

Main activities

1. Diagnosis of pests & diseases in plant samples collected from:

  • surveillance programmes, e.g. for fruit flies and pests of honey bees;
  • submissions of suspected exotic pests and diseases from the general public, regional councils, crop consultants and the scientific community; and
  • incursion responses, e.g. red imported fire ant, varroa bee mite and Phytophthora kernoviae.

These activities are all funded by the New Zealand government.

If you have found a pest or disease that you think is a biosecurity risk, call the Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline: 0800 809 966

2. Testing imported and exported plants for freedom from regulated pests & diseases (see: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/plants/standards/high-value-crops)

Entomologist

Some crop plants require specific pre-determined testing to ensure that they are free from damaging pests and diseases. For plants imported into New Zealand the tests are specified in MAF's import health standards. The tests are mandatory and must be done irrespective of whether the plants appear diseased.

PHEL provides a limited amount of Level 3 PEQ space for imported plants and seeds.

These services are provided on a cost-recovered basis, where they are not available from private industry. The price list for these services is available here: MAFBNZ Plant Health and Environment Laboratory costs Link to PDF document (131 KB)

3. Diagnosis of pests & diseases on plants and plant products intercepted at the border (e.g. fresh fruit) or in quarantine (e.g. ornamental and crop plants).

PHEL is responsible for diagnosing the cause of pest and disease symptoms that are observed during MAF’s inspections of plants and plant products at the border or in quarantine (unlike pre-determined tests, diagnostic tests are only required if symptoms are observed). Diagnostic testing is generally more expensive because a broad range of tests is required to identify the cause of the symptoms and more than one pest may be identified. This service is cost-recovered and the price list for diagnostic tests is available here: MAFBNZ Plant Health and Environment Laboratory costs Link to PDF document (131 KB).

4. Research & development to underpin incursion response, surveillance and testing activities:

  • test methods for serious pests and diseases not present in New Zealand, e.g. fruit flies, Plum pox virus and Pierce's diseases (Xylella fastidiosa); and
  • PEQ testing manuals (describing the materials and methods used to test crops for pests and diseases in PEQ, e.g. kiwifruit, potatoes, etc.).

A list of scientific articles recently published by PHEL can be found here.

PHEL is a participant in a number of national and international programmes, e.g. the FRST-funded Better Border Biosecurity programme (see: www.b3nz.org (offsite link to www.b3nz.org)), the Subcommittee on Plant Health Diagnostic Standards (see: www.daffa.gov.au/animal-plant-health/plant/committees/sphds (offsite link to www.daffa.gov.au)) and technical groups developing international standards for phytosanitary measures (see: www.ippc.int/IPP/En/default.jsp (offsite link to www.ippc.int)).

5. Technical advice on biosecurity issues, e.g. MAF standards, test procedures, pest management/eradication, presence of pests and diseases in New Zealand, risk analysis and pest epidemiology.

TEM Examination

Key contacts

§         surveillance programmes, e.g. for fruit flies and pests of honey bees;

§         submissions of suspected exotic pests and diseases from the general public, regional councils, crop consultants and the scientific community; and

§         incursion responses, e.g. red imported fire ant, varroa bee mite and Phytophthora kernoviae.

Page last updated: 5 August 2010