   
  
G/SPS/N/AUS/445/Add.1  
 
12 September 2019  
(19-5866) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication, received on 12 September 2019, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Australia . 
 
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Final review of import conditions for brassicaceous vegetable seeds for sowing  
The Australian Government Department of Agriculture (the department) is undertaking a series of 
seed reviews of the import conditions for four key vegetable families: Apiaceae , Cucurbitaceae , 
Brassicaceae  and Solanaceae  as a result of changes in risks asso ciated with the international 
movement of these seeds.  
This review of brassicaceous vegetable seeds for sowing is the first of the series finalized.  
This review of brassicaceous vegetable seeds for sowing identified two quarantine pests associated 
with the  seeds of several brassicaceous vegetable seeds. The identified quarantine pests are:  
− Colletotrichum  higginsianum (seed -borne in Brassica rapa  and Raphanus sativus ); and  
− Fusarium  oxysporum  f. sp. raphani (seed -borne in Eruca vesicaria and Raphanus  sativus ). 
The unrestricted risks of these quarantine pests exceed Australia's appropriate level of protection 
(ALOP). Consequently, additional pest risk management measures are required to manage the risks 
posed by the quarantine pests to a level that ach ieves Australia's ALOP.  
In addition to the department's standard seeds for sowing import conditions, four pest risk 
management options are recommended for seeds for sowing for the species Brassica rapa, Eruca 
vesicaria and Raphanus sativus:  
− Option 1. Broad -spectrum fungicidal tre atment  - to manage the risk of both Colletotrichum 
higginsianum  and Fusarium oxysporum  f. sp. raphani ; OR 
− Option 2. Heat treatment - to manage the risk of Colletotrichum higginsianum  only; OR  
− Option 3. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test  - to manage the r isk of Fusarium oxysporum  
f. sp. raphani only; OR  
− Option 4. Heat treatment and PCR test combined -to manage the risk of both Colletotrichum 
higginsianum  and Fusarium oxysporum  f. sp. raphani.  If the required treatment or testing is 
undertaken off -shore, phy tosanitary certification is required with the additional declaration that 
the testing or treatment has been conducted in accordance with Australia's requirements.  
Brassica rapa , Eruca vesicaria  and Raphanus sativus  seeds for sprouting or micro -greens produ ction 
for human consumption are exempt from these additional measures if imported directly into Australia 
for germination at a production facility operated under an Approved Arrangement. This is to mitigate 
risks from the diversion of seeds to other end -uses. 
Seeds of most brassicaceous vegetable species reviewed were not found to be hosts of quarantine 
pests for Australia and they will continue to be subject only to the department's standard seeds for 
sowing import conditions.  G/SPS/N/AUS/445/Add.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  The draft report was publishe d on the Department of Agriculture website on 14  February 2018 for a 
60 day stakeholder consultation period (G/SPS/N/AUS/445). Comments raised by stakeholders were 
taken into consideration in the preparation of the final report.  
The key changes made in the  final report are:  
The inclusion of other pest risk management options (heat treatment and PCR testing) that are 
suitable for both organic and non -organic seeds sectors The removal of measures previously proposed 
for Brassica  oleracea  due to insufficient e vidence for Colletotrichum  higginsianum  to be considered 
seed-borne in this host.  
The completed final report is available in English on the Australian Government Department of 
Agriculture website at http://www.agriculture.g ov.au/biosecurity/risk -analysis/plant/brassicaceous -
crop-seeds . 
This addendum concerns a:  
[ ] Modification of final date for comments  
[X] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation  
[ ] Modification of content and/or scope of previously notified draft regulation  
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation  
[ ] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force  
[ ] Other:  
Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scope of the previously notified measure 
in terms of products and/or potentially affected Members, a new deadline for receipt of 
comments should be provided, normally of at least 60 calendar days. Under other 
circumstances, such as extension of originally announced fin al date for comments, the 
comment period provided in the addendum may vary.)  
[ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National  Notification Authority, 
[X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other 
body:  
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. 
Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:  
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
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