Current research

Funding information

The project is titled “Community engagement in release of biocontrol agents”, with the sea spurge sub-project named “From lab to land: strengthening coastal resilience through community-led sea spurge biocontrol”.

It is funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) under the Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program and is being led by the CSIRO.

https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/pest-animals-and-weeds/supporting-communities

Sea spurge infestation at London Bridge, Victoria

Project aims and desired outcomes

This national-scale initiative aims to deploy the foliar blight fungus Venturia paralias as a biocontrol agent against Euphorbia paralias (sea spurge). The project seeks to overcome the fungus’s limited natural dispersal by establishing a mass-culturing pipeline at CSIRO’s plant pathogen laboratory in Canberra. The ultimate goals are to:

  • Achieve widespread establishment of the fungus across coastal regions,
  • Reduce sea spurge infestations,
  • Protect biodiversity and culturally significant sites,
  • Build community capacity for long-term weed management

Project delivery methods

The project will be delivered through two complementary streams:

  • Community-led distribution: CSIRO will produce viable cultures of the fungus and package them into user-friendly release kits. These will be distributed to registered community, government, and industry participants. Workshops will be held to train participants in release and monitoring techniques.

Cultures of Venturia paralias (left) and a release kit (right)

 

  • Controlled experimental release: Fixed monitoring plots will be established in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. These sites will be used to scientifically evaluate the fungus’s establishment, spread, and impacts on sea spurge using standardised monitoring protocols. Data from these plots will inform best-practice guidelines for future biocontrol programs.

Setting up a monitoring site and recording vegetation data

Community Involvement

Community members are central to the success of this project. You can get involved by:

  • Participating in workshops and training sessions,
  • Receiving and releasing the biocontrol fungus at approved sites,
  • Assisting with monitoring activities, including data collection and submission,
  • Collaborating with CSIRO researchers during fieldwork.

If you wish to get involved, please email your expression of interest to seaspurgebiocontrol@csiro.au

Everyone is welcome to participate!

Resources