Improving risk prediction & reducing uncertainty pre-release for classical biocontrol agents
Biosecurity outcome
- New decision support tools for host testing and modelling to give EPA and DOC improved assurance and certainty in decision-making on the potential risk of non-target impacts from biocontrol agents (BCAs) prior to their release in New Zealand
- These tools will incorporate new risk assessment data from sources such as improved host testing methods (e.g. olfactory/electrophysical bioassays) in containment and risk probability models
Science outcome
- New knowledge from chemical ecology studies (i.e. olfactory response bioassays, electrophysiology) developed to identify and understand the factors contributing to a BCA’s (i.e. parasitoid) habitat/host preferences
- Areas of uncertainty from previous BCA applications on the potential for non-target impacts of BCAs applications identified, collated and used to inform future research.