ABOUT

Austropuccinia psidii, causal agent of myrtle rust, is a globally dispersed pathogen having devastating impacts in the Australasian region.

Collaborative research efforts have improved our understanding of the pathogen and are starting to deliver management tools, while communities are rapidly mobilising to protect and conserve native plants. However, there is an urgent need to do more to prevent extinctions and to strengthen ecosystems.

Join us in Sydney for the Australasian Myrtle Rust Conference to contribute to and learn about the latest research and management approaches. Be part of the conversation as we ask, “where to from here?”

This event will include a poster session and optional field trip to view myrtle rust where it is heavily impacting Australian native plants. Programme outline available and abstract submission now open.

AMRC Conference Organising Committee

Peri Tobias, Research Fellow, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney

Renee Johansen, Project Manager/Communications Leader: Beyond Myrtle Rust, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research

Alyssa Martino, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney

Stuart Fraser, Ecology and Environment Research Group Leader and Forest Pathologist, Scion

Craig Stehn, Senior Threatened Species Officer and myrtle rust expert, NSW Department of Planning and Environment

Angus Carnegie, Senior Principal Research Scientist in the Forest Science Unit, NSW DPI and Adjunct Professor at Southern Cross University

Geoff Pegg, Senior Principal Forest Pathologist, Forest Production & Protection Team Leader, Horticulture & Forestry Science -Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Queensland)

Grant Smith, Principal Scientist & Program Leader - The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd

Bob Makinson, conservation botanist and plant taxonomist, Outreach Delegate and Myrtle Rust Project team member, Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc.

Beccy Ganley, Science Group Leader, Innovative Plant Pathology, The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd

Mahajabeen Padamsee, Senior Researcher – Mycologist, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research

registration

Register to Attend

Registration Open!

Register Here

Submit Your Abstract

Submission closing date is 31 May 2023.

Submit Abstract

Registration Prices are outlined below.

Standard, Student & Unwaged registration includes attendance to conference sessions (3 Days - 21-23 June), catering and welcome reception.

Standard

$200 per person

Student & Unwaged

$50 per person

.

Conference Dinner

$100 per person

Thursday 22nd June at Rydges Sydney Central Hotel and will include a 3 course meal and drinks.

'Full Day' Excursion

$50 per person

Saturday 24th June to include the Northern Beaches and Sydney locations to see impacts to vegetation.

Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS) Travel Bursary

The APPS will make available up to $5,000 to provide bursaries for students and early career researchers to attend the Australasian Myrtle Rust Conference held in Sydney from 21-23 June 2023.

Applications have now closed and all applicants notified.

Link to Guidelines Here Download Bursary Form

Conference program

including Poster Presentations

AMRC 2023 UPDATED Program*

(*Final program to be available week commencing Monday 19 June 2023)

Wednesday 21 June 2023

Day 1

Times	Presentation	Speaker
8:30-9:00am	Arrival and registration
9.00-9.05am	Introduction	Peri Tobias
9:05-9:40am	Welcome to Country and First Nations address	Local MALC representative followed by Māori representative/s
9:40-9:50am	Opening Address Australian Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry	Dr Bertie Hennecke
9:55-10:55am	Update on the status of myrtle rust and response in the Australasian region Australian perspectives (30 minutes) New Zealand perspectives (30 minutes)	Bob Makinson and Geoff Pegg Beccy Ganley and Roanne Sutherland
10:55-11:15am	Morning tea
Morning session	Fundamental science of the pathogen and host	Session Facilitators: Beccy Ganley and Peri Tobias
11:15-11:30am	Perspectives on rust incursions	Robert Park
11:30-11:45am	Working towards understanding the host:pathogen interactions	Peri Tobias
11.45-12.00pm	Comparative genomics to decipher adaptation of the fungal pathogen Austropuccinia psidii to host species in the Myrtaceae family	Thaís Boufleur
12.00-12.15pm	Exploring post-transcriptional modifications during myrtle rust pathogen-plant interactions	Ashley Jones
12.15-12.30pm	Transcript to protein: understanding the early pathology of the Austropuccinia psidii–mānuka interaction	Rebekah Frampton
12:30-1:30pm	Lunch
Afternoon session one	Fundamental science of the pathogen and host	Session Facilitators: Alyssa Martino and Stuart Fraser
1:30-1:45pm	Solving a perennial problem:double-stranded RNA prevents and cures infection by myrtle rust	Rebecca Degnan
1:45-2:00pm	Double-stranded RNA as a sustainable control for myrtle rust	Anne Sawyer
2:15-2.30pm	Metabolomics identifies species-specific biomarkers of resistance to Austropuccinia psidii	Michelle Moffit
2:30 – 3:30pm	Afternoon tea
Afternoon session two	Fundamental science of the pathogen and host	Session Facilitators: Grant Smith and Peri Tobias
3:30-3:45pm	Melalueca quinquenervia; towards a model for myrtle rust research	Alyssa Martino
3:45-4:00pm	Building knowledge infrastructure for the conservation of myrtle rust impacted species	Stephanie Chen
4:00-4:15pm	Associated fungal diversity of the mid-storey tree Lophomyrtus bullata	Mahajabeen Padamsee
4:15-4:30pm	Breeding and genomics as a possible pathway for resistance to myrtle rust in New Zealand Myrtaceae	Heidi Dungey
4:30-4:45pm	Wrap up and summary	Angus Carnegie
4:45 – 6:45pm	Poster session, networking, drinks and canapes

Thursday 22 June 2023

Day 2

Times	Presentation	Speaker
9:00-10:00am	Keynote Invited Speaker: USDA Forest Service, Dorena Genetic Resource Center	Dr Richard Sniezko
Morning session one	Indigenous perspectives	Session Facilitators: Maj Padamsee and Bob Makinson
10:00-10:15am	Queensland/New South Wales indigenous perspectives	Tilly Davis and AJ Perkins
10:15-10:30am	Indigenous responses to taonga impacted on by myrtle rust	Alby Marsh
10:30-10:45am	Significance of aka vines (Metrosideros spp.) to maaroi	Hone Ropata
10:45 -11:05am	Morning tea
Morning session two	Biosecurity	Session Facilitators: Grant Smith and Maj Padamsee
11:05-11:20am	Lessons from Lord Howe Island: An opportunity for eradication	Cristina Venables and Nicola Fuller
11:20-11:35am	How to prepare for novel incursions? Using sexy genes to call lineages in the myrtle rust pathogen	Zhenyan Luo and Austin Bird
11:35-11:50am	Pre-visual and early detection of myrtle rust on rose apple using hyperspectral measurements and thermal imagery	Michael Bartlett
11:50-12:05pm	Using spatial models to identify refugia and guide restoration as part of New Zealand's response to myrtle rust	James McCarthy
12:05-12:20pm	Remote sentinel spore sampling	Benjamin Schwessinger
12:20-12:30pm	Conference Group Photograph
12:30 – 1:30pm	Lunch
Afternoon session one	Environment and Ecology	Session Facilitators: Stuart Fraser and Angus Carnegie
1:30-1:45pm	WA Myrtle Rust Working Group update: A collaborative response to detection in the remote east Kimberley	Mia Townsend
1:45-2:00pm	Myrtle rust infection of an endemic rain forest tree across a forest edge gradient in New Zealand	James McCarthy
2:00-2:15pm	Impacts of myrtle rust induced tree mortality on nutrient cycling in a wet sclerophyll forest	Kristy Stevenson
2:15-2:30pm	A versatile model for assessing climatic risk of myrtle rust	Robert Beresford
2:30-2:45pm	Conservation and restoration of species impacted by myrtle rust: translating genetic data to actions	Jason Bragg
2:45-3:00pm	Seasonal progression of myrtle rust on Lophomyrtus trees in New Zealand leading to declining health and reproductive potential	Michael Bartlett
3:00 – 3:30pm	Afternoon tea
Afternoon session two	Informal Discussions	Facilitator: Geoff Pegg
6:30pm	Conference Dinner at Rydges Sydney Central Hotel

Friday 23 June 2023

Day 3

Times	Presentation	Speaker
8:55 – 9:30am	Conservation Day - Welcome and Introduction	Bob Makinson
Morning session one	Conservation and Applied Science	Session Facilitators: Craig Stehn and Bob Makinson.
9:00-9:15am	Session Keynote: A conservation perspective of managing myrtle rust in Aotearoa New Zealand	Roanne Sutherland
9:15-9:30am	A pilot model for development of dispersed collections (metacollections) affected by Myrtle Rust	Amelia Martyn-Yenson
9:30-9:45am	Conservation programs for two 'emergency' species (Rhodamnia rubescens and Rhodomyrtus psidioides) and projected other activity	Craig Stehn
9:45-10:00am	Saving Queensland's endangered Myrtaceae from myrtle rust	Fiona Giblin
10:00-10:15am	Seed banking options for conservation of species susceptible to myrtle rust	Karen Sommerville
10:15-10:30am	Biotechnology offers an alternate conservation pathway for exceptional Myrctaceae species affected by myrtle rust	Lyndle Hardstaff
10:30-10:40am	Q&A	Session Facilitators
10:40-11:00am	Morning tea
Morning session two	Conservation and Applied Science	Session Facilitators: Craig Stehn and Bob Makinson
11:00-11:15am	Australian Government planning approaches to abating myrtle rust and other key threats to Australia’s threatened species and ecological communities	Ben Alter
11:15-11:30am	Managing living collections in response to a biosecurity incursion	Emma Simpkins
11:30-11:45am	North Queensland impacts and prospects	Darren Crayn
11:45-12:00pm	Developing cryopreservation for endangered Gossia - a genus of plants threatened by Myrtle Rust	Jingyin Bao
12:00-12:15pm	Fighting Myrtle Rust with ex situ collections data	Bradley Desmond
12:15-12:30pm	Q&A	Session Facilitators
12:30–1:30pm	Lunch
Afternoon session	Workshop: Conservation and Applied Science	Session Facilitator: Bob Makinson
1:30-1:50pm	Strategic goals, needs, and options for resistance breeding and related ex situ work	Richard Sniezko
1:50-2:10pm	The Australian perspective: facilities, expertise, and potential species	Geoff Pegg and Karen Sommerville
2:10-2:30pm	The New Zealand perspective: facilities, expertise, and potential species	Grant Smith and James McCarthy
2:30-3:00pm	Afternoon tea
3:00-4:00pm	Workshop: Conservation and Research gaps and the way forward Workshop General Discussion: 1. Goals 2. Expertise 3. Facilities 4. Priority Species	Session Facilitator: Bob Makinson
Conclusion and Wrap Up Summary

Saturday 24 June 2023

Field Day (Optional - advance registration is required)

The bush walking will not be extensive, but please wear suitable attire.

The following items are recommended:

- Comfortable walking shorts/trousers and closed-in walking shoes

- Suitable hat

- Be prepared for possible cold & wet weather (warm/rain jacket or poncho)

- A personal day (back) pack: bottle of water, sunscreen, insect repellent etc

Field Trip on-day contact: Peri Tobias: 0438 428 997. Peri will be meeting attendees in Manly.

PROPOSED AGENDA

TIME	ACTIVITY	VENUE/LOCATION
9:15am (prompt).	Meeting point.	Wharf 3, Circular Quay Purchase return ferry ticket at own expense: https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal/contactless-payments.
9:30am	Manly Ferry	To Manly Wharf
10:00am	Meeting point	In front of Manly Wharf at the ‘shell sculpture’ landmark
10:15am	Bus departure	From Manly
10:30am	Stop 1	South Steyne, Melaleuca quinquenervia with severe infection of myrtle rust
11:00am	Stop 2	Other M. quinquenervia location in Manly Vale
11:15am	Transfer	Travel to Newport area
12:15pm	Stop 3	View dying examples of once abundant Rhodamnia rubescens
12:45pm	Lunch	Venue in Bayview (lunch provided)
1:45pm	Stop 4	Avalon – view healthy 4.2m individual tree
2:00pm	Stop 5	Avalon – grey-headed flying fox colony & powerful owl habitat, once home to mature Rhodamnia rubescens
2:30pm	Return to Manly	Via Ocean Road with stop at Freshwater lookout
3:30/4:00pm	Ferry Transfer	To Circular Quay
4:00/4:30pm	Conclusion	Arrive Circular Quay

Confirmed Poster Presentations

Posters can be viewed during the Welcome Reception on Wednesday 21 June, 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Session Theme	Poster Title	Presenter
Biosecurity	Gauging knowledge and information needs for diverse participation in long term responses to myrtle rust	Andrea Grant.
Biosecurity	High - Throughput identification and Quantification of teh Air-Borne Fungal pathogen, Austropuccinia psidii	Luc Shepherd
Biosecurity	Gum Tree Guardians; A citizen science approach to monitoring the spread of myrtle rust in Australia	Alyssa Martino
Conservation and Applied Science	Getting rust funghi Lab-on-a-chip ready - growth in artificial environments on flat and heterogenous surfaces	Sarah Sale
Conservation and Applied Science	Developing culturally sensitive practices to investigate a taonga plant's physiological responses to drought and heatwaves	Genavee Rhodes.
Environment and Ecology	Natural enemies of myrtle rust in Aotearoa New Zealand	Andrew Pugh
Fundamental Science of the pathogen and host	Defining the role of novel fungal effector protein AP5292 during myrtle rust infections to inform management of Austropuccinia psidii	Nicky Hambrook
Fundamental Science of the pathogen and host	The first investigation into the seed-borne microbial communities of Metrosideros excelsa	Vladislav Kholostiakov
Fundamental Science of the pathogen and host	Austropuccinia psidii in Western Australia: understanding its potential impact through epidemiology and host responses	Eric Asare
Fundamental Science of the pathogen and host	Characterisation of a Novel Effector Protein from Myrtle Rust causing Austropuccinia psidii	Jovarn Sullivan

Venue details

The Conference will be held at the Holme Building within The University of Sydney, Camperdown. The Holme Building was opened as the Union Building in April 1913 as a common meeting ground for the intellectual and social pursuits of students, as well as the provision of services to members. It is conveniently located only minutes from the city centre, close to public transport stops and just 20 minutes’ drive from Sydney Airport.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation is the responsibility of the attendee to make their own arrangements. There are several hotels located near Sydney University that offer accommodation for visitors. Some of the options include:

Parkroyal Darling Harbour

Parkroyal Darling Harbour is offering attendees 20% discount off the best available rate (room only) at the time of booking. Please contact the hotel directly by phoning +61 2 9261 1188 to make a reservation and secure the discount by providing the following reference number 1162267.

The hotel is a 4.5-star hotel located in the heart of Sydney's vibrant Darling Harbour precinct. The hotel is just a short walk from many of Sydney's top attractions. It is a 9 minute drive to Sydney University.

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Veriu Camperdown

This boutique hotel is located in the heart of Camperdown, just a short walk from Sydney University. It offers a range of room types, from standard rooms to loft apartments, and has on-site parking.

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Rydges Sydney Central

This hotel is located in Surry Hills, just a 15-minute walk from Sydney University. The hotel features a rooftop swimming pool and bar.

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Adina Apartment Hotel Chippendale

This hotel is located in the suburb of Chippendale, just a 10-minute walk from Sydney University. The hotel features spacious apartments with fully-equipped kitchens.

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Quality Apartments Camperdown

This hotel offers self-contained apartments that are perfect for longer stays. It is located just a few minutes' walk from Sydney University and features on-site parking and a fitness center.

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Rydges Camperdown

This hotel is located on Missenden Road, just a short distance from Sydney University. It features a restaurant, bar, and outdoor pool, as well as a range of room types.

Select Here

sponsors & supporters

Thank you to our Sponsors and Supporters.

For information relating to sponsorship opportunities, please email AMRC2023@essentialexperiences.com.au and we will be in contact with further details.

Supporters

CONTACT US

Meeting Organisers

Essential Experiences Event Management

P: +61 7 3217 5353 / 0422 671 601

Contact Email
AMRC2023@essentialexperiences.com.au