Reporting emergency plant pests
Suspected plant diseases, exotic pests, or noxious weeds must be reported quickly to prevent a major outbreak.
Failure to report an emergency plant pest is illegal and may result in a fine or prosecution.
Or you can submit a plant pest reporting form.
Plant pests threatening SA
Pests and diseases of such concern that they are considered a national threat, are emergency plant pests. These are either not present in Australia, or under an official containment or eradication program.
Learn about the symptoms of plant pests and diseases to look for in South Australia.
National priority plant pests (NPPP)
National priority plant pests (NPPP)
These pests are exotic to Australia, under eradication or have limited distribution. The following list of national priority plant pests is ordered according to the threat level:
- Xylella fastidiosa
- glassy-winged sharpshooter – vector for Xylella fastidiosa
- khapra beetle
- spotted winged drosophila
- fruit fly
- karnal bunt
- Huanglongbing (HLB)
- Asiatic and African citrus psyllids – vectors for HLB
- exotic invasive ants
- spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth)
- brown marmorated stink bug
- myrtle rust
- exotic invasive snails
- zebra chip (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum)
- citrus canker
- fire blight
- potato cyst nematode
- exotic leaf miners
- tomato brown rugose fruit virus (exotic Tobamovirus)
- exotic long-horned beetles.
Pests and diseases of significant concern
Pests and diseases of significant concern
These pests are present in Australia but under official control:
- Australian plague locust
- blueberry rust
- boil smut of maize
- citrus blight disease
- citrus red mite
- cucumber green mottle mosaic virus
- European house borer
- fusarium wilt of tomato
- giant pine scale
- grape phylloxera
- green snail
- guava root-knot nematode
- melon thrips
- onion smut
- parlatoria date scale
- polyphagous shot-hole borer
- potato spindle tuber viroid
- pyriform scale
- sweet orange stem pitting – caused by citrus tristeza virus
- tomato potato psyllid.
Agricultural and horticultural pests
Agricultural and horticultural pests
These pests are associated with the broad-acre farming system:
- fall armyworm
- Russian wheat aphid – use the action threshold calculator to determine your crop risk.
Learn more in the:
Common seasonal pests
Common seasonal pests
Further information
- Ministerial notices supporting the Plant Quarantine Standard, including all plant pests in SA
- Farm Biosecurity advice to protecting your farm against diseases, pests and weeds
- Insect identification apps – GRDC
