Quarantine controls for the cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) in Australia's Northern Territory have been removed, according to a release from Australian vegetable and potato grower body Ausveg.

Austraila's Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries made the announcement Feb. 28.

Ausveg had previously been working with affected growers and other stakeholders to develop a CGMMV Management Plan.

"It was important to implement a plan that effectively managed the risk of CGMMV spread, rather than rely on continued quarantine measures that would burden growers," Ausveg's national manager for scientific affairs Dr. Jessica Lye said in the release.

"While the lifting of quarantine controls for CGMMV is certainly a great outcome for growers in the Northern Territory, they will be required to maintain farm biosecurity plans and monitor crops for symptoms of CGMMV infection on an ongoing basis," she said.

Currently growers are collaborating with the Northern Territory Farmers Association and Plant Biosecurity Officers to secure their farm biosecurity plans and guarantee proper management of equipment from the affected areas.

"The quarantine measures that were put in place to minimise the spread of CGMMV helped to promote good biosecurity practices with growers in the region and, as a result, they have developed specific biosecurity measures for the effective control of CGMMV," said Dr. Lye.

Dr. Lye added that growers should be sufficiently prepared to progress with the growing season considering the effective biosecurity measures enforced. However, they have been advised to test previously infected soil prior to planting to avoid a re-emergence of the vrius.

Currently there is no guarantee the virus will not return, according to Ausveg.

The outbreak of the virus in 2014 forced many growers in the Northern Territory to destroy their crops, while others were impacted by restrictions on domestic trade.

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