PNGOPRA represented by the head of Entomology, Dr Mark Ero, and the head of Plant Pathology, Dr Emad Jaber participated in the final project review workshop & BCS technical committee meeting. The meeting, entitled (Bogia coconut syndrome and related phytoplasma syndromes in Papua New Guinea: developing biological knowledge and a risk management strategy) was held in Madang on the 12th and 13th of February. The meeting focused on the BCS and the related phytoplasma syndromes in PNG.
The meeting brought together scientists from Australia and PNG, stakeholders of the industry and coconut stallholders to discuss the plant disease that had caused severe losses to coconut palms in Madang and threaten the food security in the area. The research conducted in Papua New Guinea in the BCS is part of a project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to gain biological knowledge of BCS and develop a risk management strategy with a view to developing an appropriate and evidence-based response, based on a realistic assessment of the threat to coconut and other crops. All the research findings for the BCS work was presented at the workshop and the recommendations from that workshop were integrated with the project’s findings to generate nine recommendations for BCS management and containment measures.
