"Tomato potato psyllid inevitable on Australian east coast"
The tomato potato psyllid feeds on tomato, potato, capsicum, chilli, eggplant and sweet potato crops, and was first found in Western Australia in February.
Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture PhD candidate Raylea Rowbottom coordinated workshops in Queensland to raise awareness about the pest.
"The biggest problem is that they still don't know how the psyllid got into the Western Australia area so it's possible it could turn up at any time (on the east coast)," she said.
"Especially given they're not even sure if it came across on the wind, so the risk is still there."
She said the nature of the insect meant it could travel east on a variety of hosts.
"It can be easily transported accidentally through someone who's been in a region and is travelling and it jumps off anywhere," she said.
"It can feed on a range of weedy host plants such as nightshades."
Read more at ABC News (Kallee Buchanan)
