The use of hand-held computers (PDAs) to audit and validate eradication of a post-border detection of Khapra Beetle, Trogoderma granarium, in Western Australia

Most of Australia’s agricultural produce is exported. Demonstrating freedom from certain plant and animal pests and diseases is critical to securing and maintaining market access. Surveillance is an important tool in gaining market access and accordingly exporting countries now need to provide accurate, credible evidence to confirm pest freedom status. In the past nearly all field-collected surveillance information was recorded manually to paper reducing the rate of capture, integrity, conformity as well as security of the data. This paper describes the development of pest surveillance data collection software and hardware using PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) to provide auditing, validation, chain of evidence and increase the volume of data collected as well as its integrity through relational databases and seamless data transfer to corporate systems. The system’s first deployment was during a T. granarium eradication. The khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) is one of the most serious pests of stored grain and is a regulated quarantine pest in most countries around the world. In April 2007, there was a post-border detection of T. granarium larvae and adults in a Western Australian residence. Immediate and uncompromising action was taken to quarantine the home and fumigate it with methyl-bromide at an internationally established rate known to control T. granarium (AQIS T9056). A two-year T. granarium trapping program was undertaken which used PDA software to provide evidence of complete eradication via 1273 trap inspections. This achievement was supported by GPSlocated traps, digital voice navigation itineraries, digital time and date stamps, field printed barcode labels, site imagery, all in a single hand-held unit.