Shakira Johnson

Communications & Extension for iMapPESTS

Plant pest surveillance takes to the sky with iMapPESTS

Shakira joined AUSVEG in July 2018 to investigate the application of a draft area freedom framework policy in relation to the Tomato Potato Psyllid. Shakira’s current role involves communicating and translating research outcomes to industry stakeholders for the national plant pest surveillance program, iMapPESTS. An active member of the research and extension community, she sits on the stakeholder engagement committee of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network, and is close to completing her Ph.D. thesis on pear scab disease, supported by La Trobe University and the Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre.

Shakira will present a demonstration of one of the mobile plant pest surveillance units developed for the iMapPESTS program. The demonstration will outline the cutting edge technology used to develop the unit, the downstream identification of high-priority pests and diseases and how industry can use this information to support their on-farm pest management decisions.