resilient agricultural systems - agrifutures australia · mr cameron archer 02 4939 8888 nsw...

RIRDC Completed Projects in 1998-1999 and

Research in Progress as at June 1999

Sub-Program 4.2

RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL

SYSTEMS

September 1999 RIRDC Publication No 99/112

ii

© 1999 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 0 642 57935 0 ISSN 1440-6845 "RIRDC Completed Projects in 1998-99 and Research in Progress as at June 1999 - 4.2 Resilient Agricultural Systems" Publication No 99/112 The views expressed and the conclusions reached in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of persons consulted. RIRDC shall not be responsible in any way whatsoever to any person who relies in whole or in part on the contents of this report. This publication is copyright. However, RIRDC encourages wide dissemination of its research, providing the Corporation is clearly acknowledged. For any other enquiries concerning reproduction, contact the Publications Manager on phone 02 6272 3186. RIRDC Resilient Agricultural Systems Research Manager Dr George Wilson RIRDC Level 1, AMA House 42 Macquarie Street BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6281 2160 Fax: 02 6285 1195 Email: [email protected] RIRDC Publications Manager Eva Hickman Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 1, AMA House 42 Macquarie Street BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6272 3186 Fax: 02 6272 5877 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.rirdc.gov.au

Published in September 1999 Printed on environmentally friendly paper by Canprint

iii

Foreword

This year RIRDC has produced Research in Progress, June '99, which contains short summaries of continuing projects as well as those that were completed during 1998-99 for all of the Corporation’s 20 program areas. The complete report on all the programs is only available in electronic format on our website at http://www.rirdc.gov.au The following report is a hardcopy extract covering Sub-Program 4.2. It contains all entries from continuing and completed Resilient Agricultural Systems research projects funded by RIRDC. This program aims to enable agricultural production systems that have sufficient diversity, flexibility and robustness to be resilient and respond to challenges and opportunities. This report is the newest addition to our extensive catalogue of almost 400 research reports, videos and CD-Roms of projects supported by RIRDC. Please contact us for the latest publications catalogue or view it on our website: • downloads at www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/Index.htm • purchases at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/cat/contents.html

Peter Core Managing Director Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

iv

Contents

4.3 HUMAN CAPITAL, COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMPLETED PROJECTS

PROJECT

No PROJECT TITLE RESEARCHER PHONE ORGANISATION PAGE

No AAR-1A Development of an accounting standard for self-

generating and regenerating assets Robert Keys 03 9524 3600 Australian Accounting Research

Foundation 1

ABA-3A Using management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Australian agriculture

Ali Abdalla 02 6272 2082 ABARE 2

AQS-2A Standard for the determination of pest status Dr Bob Ikin 02 6272 5250 Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

3

CSE 69A The impact of soil tillage practice on soil fauna in the N.S.W. wheat belt

Dr B.C. Longstaff 02 6246 4181 CSIRO Entomology 4

CSE-70A Bacterial toxin genes for engineering insecticidal viruses

Peter D. East 02 6246 4127 CSIRO Entomology 5

CSE-76A Impact of climate change on pests and pest management

Dr Robert W Sutherst 07 3214 2800 CSIRO Entomology, 6

CSO-8A Sustainable agricultural systems: indicators for rural industry and community use

Dr D J Reuter 08-8303 8409 CSIRO Land and Water 7

CSO-9A New methodology for lime requirements and use in decision support systems

RH Merry and LJ Janik 08 8303 8422; 08 8303 8444

CSIRO Land and Water 8

MS989-22 Emerging opportunities in agriculture – Tamworth 9 October 1998

Gordon Stone 07 4639 3366 the BIG EVENT company 9

UA 31A Nematodes as biocontrol agents of helicid Snails Dr KA Davies 08 8303 7255 Department of Crop Protection, Waite Campus, University of Adelaide,

10

UM-20A The Rural Adjustment Scheme and wool, grain and mixed farming in victoria

Bill Malcolm, and Ed Vandenberg

03 9344 5015 University of Melbourne 11

UQ-48A Managing the plant protection aspects of the rural/urban interface

S G Hallett and J Harden 07 5460 1280; 07 5460 1295

University of Queensland 12

US-26A A new scientist and a new approach to control of nematodes in roots of woody plants

Brian J Deverall 02 9351 2531 Department of Crop Sciences, University of Sydney,

13

v

4.3 HUMAN CAPITAL, COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION SYSTEMS RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

PROJECT

No PROJECT TITLE RESEARCHER PHONE ORGANISATION PAGE

No ACL-1A Environmental partnerships: combining

sustainability and commercial advantage in the commercial sector

Prof Neil Gunningham 02 6249 3397 Australian Centre for Environmental Law (ACEL Consulting)

15

BRR-3A Incursion management for exotic pests of plant industries

Dr Graeme Evans 02 6271 6368 Bureau of Rural Sciences 16

CSE-80A Strategic R&D in waste management and bioremediation: Pyrethroid bioremediation

Dr John Oakeshott 02 6246 4157 CSIRO Entomology 17

CSE-82A Biological Control of Blue Heliotrope Dr David Briese 02 6246 4045 CSIRO Entomology

18

CSE-84A Molecular diagnostic system for soil borne plant pathogens (Formerly CRP-1A)

Dr John Curran 02 6246 4294 CSIRO Entomology 19

DAN-173A Coping with climate - Using Rainman in agricultural education

Mr Cameron Archer 02 4939 8888 NSW Agriculture 19

DCM-1A Agriculture/aquaculture systems integration to enhance farm productivity and water use efficiency

Mr Geoff Gooley 03 5774 2208 Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

20

MFR-1A Farmer operated integrated aquaculture - national R&D planning strategy workshop

Mr Geoff Gooley 03 5774 2208 Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute

21

NYP-1A Distichlis for rehabilitation of highly saline areas for grain, turf and grazing

Mr John Leake 08 8272 8088 Institute for Internationa Development

22

RMI-10A Re-use potential of agri-industry wastes in the Melbourne/Metropolitan Region

Dr Barry Meehan 039925 2119 RMIT University 22

SAR-15A Development of DNA-based diagnostic probes for Verticillium

Dr Kathy Ophel-Keller 08 8303 9368 South Australian Research and Development Institute

23

TAR-3A What makes pyrethrum paddocks good for subsequent cropping?

Dr Leigh Sparrow 03 6336 5379 Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research

24

UA-48A Biological control of serrated tussock and chilean needle grass

Dr David Briese 02 6246 4045 CSIRO Entomology 25

UJC-4A Soil ameliorants from rock quarry by-products: Developing new products for improved plant growth in highly leached tropical soils and testing their efficacy in the laboratory and the field

A/Prof Ross Coventry 07 4781 5745 James Cook University 26

UQ-68A Development of routine DNA based diagnostic tests for Phytophthora

Dr Andre Drenth 07 3365 4772 CRC for Tropical Plant Pathology 27

UWS-9A Impact of climate change on productivity, quality and water use of warm season and sub-tropical pastures

Dr Jann Conroy 02 4570 1311 University of Western Sydney - Hawkesbury

27

CSM-5A Applying climate scenario generator to water resource forecast policy issues

Dr Barry Pittock 03 9592 4527 CSIRO Division of Atmospheric Research

28

US-26A Population changes and biocontrol of Meloidogyne on roots of woody perennial plants

Prof Brian Deverall 02 9351 2531 University of Sydney 29

CSE-83A National electronic modelling network for pest, disease and weed management

Dr Robert Sutherst 07 3365 1867 CSIRO Entomology 30

ANU-30A Soil aggregation, infiltration, fauna and phosphorous in sustainable cropping systems

Mr David Dumaresq 02 6249 0349 Australian National University 31

CSE-79A Strategic R&D in waste management and bioremediation: Policy and priority setting (continuation of CSE-77A)

Dr John Oakeshott 02 6246 4157 CSIRO Entomology 16

CST-4A Impact of climate change on important plant diseases in Australia

Dr Sukumar Chakraborty 07 3365 2711 University of Queensland 32

QDL-1A Community participation in regional land use planning

Ms. Dana Kelly 07 3896 2866 Queensland Department of Natural Resources

32

SAR-16A Studies on integrated wastewater treatment and aquaculture production

Dr Martin Kumar 08 8200 2446 Department of Primary Industries and Resources (SA)

33

1

4.2 Resilient Agricultural Systems Completed Projects

Project Title

Development of an accounting standard for self-generating and regenerating assets

RIRDC Project No.:

AAR-1A

Researcher: Robert Keys Organisation: Australian Accounting Research Foundation

211 Hawthorn Road CAULFIELD VIC 3162

Phone: 03 9524 3600 Objectives

• To develop accounting standards on self-generating and regenerating assets

(SGARAs) that prescribe the recognition, measurement and disclosure rules to be followed in reporting SGARAs and the related revenue in the financial reports of both public and private sector entities.

Background:

Prior to this project being undertaken, there were no accounting standards that dealt specifically with SGARAs. Preliminary research identified how important SGARA related industries are to the Australian economy, and the diverse financial reporting practices that have emerged within those industries. The lack of accounting standards for SGARAs was seen by many as leading to non-comparable reporting resulting in a barrier to investment in SGARA related industries.

Research SGARAs are defined as non-human living assets and include livestock including sheep and cattle); trees in pine planatations, native forests and orchards; vines in vineyards; and other biological assets held for commercial purposes. The are unique in that they change in biological form over their lives. Traditional historical cost accounting was seen as inadequate in dealing with the uniqueness of SGARAs because the value of biological change that occurs naturally as a result of costless inputs (for example rainfall or sunlight) is not adequately reflected in the costs incurred in managing SGARAs. In addressing this, the project concluded that SGARAs should be measured at current values (in particular net market values). The Standards that resulted from the project provide guidance on the determination of net market value whether or not an active and liquid market for the SGARAs exists. Measuring SGARAs at net market value gives rise to the question of how to account for the change in net market value that may occur during a reporting period. The project considered various alternatives, including: • Recognising the entire change directly in equity • Recognising the change attributable to biological change in the profit and loss

statement and recognising the change attributable to price change directly in equity and

• Recognising the entire change in the profit and loss statement.

Outcomes The project resulted in the issue of Australian Accounting Standard AAS 35 and Accounting Standard AASB 1037 “Self Generating and Regenerating Assets”, applicable to reporting periods ending on or after 30 June 2000.

Implications

The project concluded in favour of recognising the entire change in the profit and loss statement on the basis that it provides more relevant information on the financial performance of the SGARAs.

2

Another consequence of measuring SGARAs at net market value is the question of how to account for the non-living produce of SGARAs. Because non-living produce is not an SGARA, it would fall within the scope of existing Standards (particularly those that relate to accounting for inventories) and would be required to be measured at the lower of cost and net realisable value. The project concluded that it would be unreasonable to require SGARAs to be measured at net market value and then to require the non-living produce extracted therefrom to be measured at cost. To address this issue, the project concluded that the net market value of non-living produce immediately after it becomes non-living should be deemed to be the cost of the non-living produce. The Standards also prescribe presentation of and disclosures about SGARAs that provide users of financial reports with relevant and reliable information to enable them to make resource allocation decisions.

Project Title

Using management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Australian agriculture

RIRDC Project No.:

ABA-3A

Researcher: Ali Abdalla Organisation: ABARE

GPO Box 1563 CANBERRA ACT 2601

Phone: 02 6272 2082 Fax: 02 6272 2001 Objectives

• The aim in this study is to assess the potential impacts on farm income and

emissions in broadacre agriculture of adopting some emission reducing management practices. A wide range of farm management practices could potentially contribute to reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture.

Background: The agricultural sector is a contributor to Australia's greenhouse gas emissions

but, through changes in farm management practices, could play a part in reducing the level of national emissions. Variation of agriculture management practices is viewed by many as a promising option for achieving this goal. A foreshadowed obligation to curb emissions has prompted Australian industries to seek ways of abating emissions at minimum cost RIRDC commissioned ABARE to undertake this project to explore this proposition. The impacts on farm income of some farm management practices, known for their capability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, if such practices were more widely adopted by farmers, were explored in this research project.

Research The effects of practices were analysed through simulations of a linear programming model. Estimates for net incomes and emissions were obtained using parameters provided by BRS and data on private costs and benefits of implementation.. First, a reference case scenario using low uptake rates for each practice in the production of broadacre commodities -wheat, summer crops, winter crops, beef cattle, sheep, lambs and wool was simulated to generate emissions and net incomes. Second, a wider adoption scenario was used to generate estimates for income and emissions under the assumption that the practices would be more widely adopted.

3

Third, a constrained emission scenario was estimated with uptake rates of practices the same as those in the reference case but emissions capped at levels obtained from simulation of the wider adoption scenario. Given equal emissions under the two scenarios, resultant incomes were compared to highlight the lower cost of imposing identical emissions if some of the practices were widely adopted.

Outcomes The results from the analysis suggest that application of the practices would be helpful in mitigating losses in farm incomes when a given reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases is to be achieved.

Implications Possible impacts of worldwide adoption of vaccines on broadacre farm incomes through changes in world livestock supply and prices were also examined. The implications of a worldwide uptake of vaccination would be an expansion in world production of livestock products and, consequently, a fall in world prices. This would represent income losses to Australian producers. However, the losses would be much higher if reductions in emissions were to be realised unaided by the wider adoption of the emissions reducing management practices.

Project Title

Standard for the determination of pest status

RIRDC Project No.:

AQS-2A

Researcher: Dr Bob Ikin Organisation: Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service


Phone: 02 6272 5250 Fax: 02 6272 3307 Email: [email protected] Internet: Objectives

• To develop a national standard that provides a consistent framework for

documenting pest (including disease) records and quantifying their reliability as well as providing a framework for categorising pests as present, absent or transient in a given area.

• To evaluate the compliance of existing pest records with this standard.

Background:

Pest records are principally maintained at pest collections held by organisations such as State departments of agriculture and the CSIRO. These pest records form a valuable technical resource for use in compiling market access submissions for Australian agricultural exports and for assessing the quarantine risk associated with agricultural imports. Previously, however, in the absence of an appropriate national standard for pest records, it has been difficult to establish the accuracy and reliability of Australian pest records.

Research The first stage of the project was to develop the national standard, in consultation with the curators of major Australian pest collections. The second stage of the project was to evaluate the conformity of existing pest records with the national standard.

Outcomes The national standard was finalised. Existing pest records at pest collections were found to conform well with the national pest records standard. Difficulties were encountered with the retrieval and collation of pest record information from pest collections, as the collections generally use incompatible electronic databases and one collection uses only a hard copy database. The situation could be improved through the implementation of linked or at least

4

compatible electronic databases at the pest collections. Lack of curation resources at pest collections was also identified as a problem, particularly with some of the nematode collections. This threatens to result in the loss of specimens from collections.

Implications The high degree of compliance of existing pest records will allow the collation of pest information of known reliability for import risk assessments and for the support of export market access proposals. This will facilitate exports and imports of plants and plant products.

Project Title

The impact of soil tillage practice on soil fauna in the N.S.W. wheat belt

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE 69A

Researcher: Dr B.C. Longstaff Organisation: CSIRO Entomology

GPO Box 1700, CANBERRA, ACT 2601

Phone: 02 6246 4181 Fax: 02 6246 4362 Email: [email protected] Objectives

• To produce an account of the effect of tillage and stubble-management

practices on the soil fauna at two long-term wheat-producing trial sites in NSW.

• To assess the role of the fauna in processes leading to changes in soil under reduced tillage.

• To develop further the potential of springtails and mites as bioindicators of soil condition.

Background:

Management of soils is vital to Australian agriculture to ensure both profitability and sustainability. Reduction in tillage and increasing retention of residues or stubble are two practices being advocated for improving soils. Both these practices have effects on the soil biota that can impact on their relative abundance. This project reports investigations of the effect of tillage and residue management on mites and springtails, which are the most abundant of the soil fauna and can have major effects on soils or crop plants.

Research

The soil fauna was sampled from replicated plots under different tillage treatments at Cowra and Harden, NSW, during spring and autumn in each of three years. Diversity, abundance and trophic structure were analysed.

Outcomes

• 33 springtails and 67 mite taxa were identified, mostly to species. Many new

and undescribed species were found. The abundances of all taxa were assessed and possible relationships between abundance of each group and soil biological processes discussed.

• Differences between tillage treatments in the diversity and/or abundance of most trophic groups were found that suggested a shift toward fungal-feeding under the reduced tillage.

• Potentially useful indicator species for demonstrating change in soil condition were identified and an assessment of the implications of this research, together with recommendations for further investigations are presented.

5

Implications

In general, reducing tillage and increasing input of crop residue has a positive effect on beneficial soil animals. The types of residues, and the depth in the soil at which they decompose, may have a major influence on the subsequent mobilization of nutrients.

Project Title

Bacterial toxin genes for engineering insecticidal viruses

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE-70A

Researcher: Peter D. East Organisation: CSIRO Entomology

GPO Box 1700 CANBERRA, ACT 2601


• To support the sustainable production of crops in Australia through the provision

of bacterial toxin genes effective as inserts for recombinant viruses that will be used to replace environmentally damaging synthetic insecticides

Background:

The sustainability of agricultural systems is threatened by our continued reliance on synthetic chemical insecticides and the accompanying problems of resistance development and environmental damage. In the area of insect pest control recombinant DNA technologies have opened the way for development of transgenic crops expressing genes encoding insecticidal proteins and for development of bioinsecticides based on viruses carrying suitable toxin genes. Development of products appropriate to Australian industries requires new toxin proteins effective against Australia’s pest insects.

Research

The research involved the isolation of genes that code for insecticidal proteins using a source material a collection of insect pathogenic bacteria. Bacterial cultures containing cloned DNA fragments were assayed to identify toxin genes. The genes were characterised by DNA sequencing and the activities of the toxins were determined by bioassays with a range of pest insects. Toxin protein produced by recombinant DNA techniques was purified and used for quantitative assays of insecticidal efficacy and cytotoxic activity.

Outcomes

A new toxin gene was cloned from Photorhabdus and the putative toxin protein was identified by sequence analysis. The toxin was approximately 80% identical to one we had previously isolated from Xenorhabdus. Toxins expressed from general purpose cloning vectors were active by injection against both lepidopteran and dipteran insects and were orally active against two sucking insect pests. Recombinant toxins were expressed and purified for quantitative bioassay of two lepidopteran insects, Galleria and Helicoverpa. The Xenorhabdus form of the toxin was almost 100 times more potent against H. armigera compared to the Photorhadus form, whereas the two were almost equipotent against G. mellonella. Preliminary screens suggested that these bacteria might produce more than one class of toxin protein. Additional toxin producing cosmid clones were identified for both genera of bacteria but toxin activity was rapidly lost during serial sub-culturing of the clones. This suggested that the expression cloning strategy originally used to isolate the toxin genes characterised during this project was not likely to be generally applicable.

6

Implications

The new bacterial toxin genes isolated and characterised in this project have potential use as transgenic inserts in at least two different crop protection applications, namely for engineered viral insecticides and for engineering of insect-resistant crop plants. Further work on toxin potency, host range and oral activity is needed to determine the potential of these genes for deployment in crop protection products.

Project Title

Impact of climate change on pests and pest management

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE-76A

Researcher: Dr Robert W Sutherst Organisation: CSIRO Entomology,

Long Pocket Laboratories PMB 3 INDOOROOPILLY QLD 4068

Phone: 07 3214 2800 Fax: 07 3214 2881 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.ento.csiro.au/research/pestmgmt/pestmgmt.html Objectives

• To equip our rural industries to respond to the likely impacts of

climate change on pests and Australian pest management strategies.

Background:

Climate change is uncertain and there is concern that it may have severe socio-economic impacts on Australian rural industries. Proposed approaches for estimating impacts of climate change on pests were to be tested in two case studies.

Research

The report defines the vulnerability of the horticultural industries to changes in production losses and control costs associated with two pest species under a changed climate. The pests were the Queensland fruit fly and the light brown apple moth. It then compares the impacts and adaptation options for each species.

Outcomes

The current cost of Queensland fruit fly was estimated to be $30.2M pa. Costs to growers were estimated to increase by 9-68% with increases of 0.5- 2oC. While growers in infested Queensland fruit fly areas can expect their control costs to increase by 40-50%, costs in the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone are estimated to increase by 24-83%. Climatic warming threatens the sustainability of area freedom in the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone. The current cost of light brown apple moth was estimated to be $21 M pa. Costs to growers were estimated to decrease by 4.5-29% with increases of 0.5 -2.0oC respectively. Australian horticulture should suffer less damage from light brown apple moth under climate change than at present, but the apple industry in Tasmania may suffer increases.

Implications

The southern States of Australia are considered to be very vulnerable to impacts of Queensland fruit fly under modest projected increases in temperatures. The extent of the likely cost increases raises doubts about the willingness of the industries to pay. Australia’s vulnerability will be reduced by appropriate decisions on infrastructure and planned market access in southern States well in advance of significant climate change.

7

A comparison of the two test cases reveals that impact assessments will need to be carried out on a case by case basis for each of the major pest, disease and weed species in Australia. In addition, each assessment will need to be made on a national, industry or at least regional basis to define the different sensitivities of each area.

Publications

Sutherst, R.W., Collyer B. S. and Yonow, T. (submitted). The vulnerability of Australian horticulture to the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera (Dacus) tryoni, under climate change. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research.

Project Title

Sustainable agricultural systems: indicators for rural industry and community use

RIRDC Project No.:

CS0-8A

Researcher: Dr D J Reuter Organisation: CSIRO Land and Water

PMB 2, GLEN OSMOND SA 5064

Phone: 08-8303 8409 Fax: 08-83038550 Email: [email protected] Objectives

− To establish a means for rural communities in dryland agricultural areas to use

indicators for assessing the impact of farm practice on the environment.

Background:

During the 1990s, sustained growth in property and catchment planning, industry education programs (eg. by GRDC’s TOPCROP) and the community-based Landcare programs have occurred These programs are testimony to widespread public interest in the impacts that present systems of landuse are posing on region environments and the viability of farming. There is now an expectation that Australia’s rural industries must adopt practices that are both ecologically sustainable and profitable. Challenging resource management issues and problems needs to be identified and then resolved either by land managers or local community action.

Research

The primary focus of this project has been to provided rural land holders and communities with practical tools for benchmarking and monitoring the condition of their local land and water resources. With RIRDC financial support, the project’s work was tackled in three stages, namely: 1. convening the National Workshop on Indicators of Catchment Health in

Adelaide during early December 1996 (see attached Proceedings). This forum, attended by indicator specialists and leaders of community action groups from across Australia, developed future directions for monitoring resource conditions in catchments. Attendees at the Workshop received a copy of a newly published CSIRO book (attached) entitled: ‘Indicators of Catchment Health: a technical perspective’(CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne).

2. the development of a user-friendly CD-ROM product, called PADDOCKCARE (attached) which provides indicator information on how to monitor and record resource condition on southern Australian farms.

3. a publication describing a perspective for the challenges facing the

8

development and adoption of indicators of catchment health in Australia.

Outcomes & Implications

The above products provide significant outcomes from this project, which involved close collaboration between staff in CSIRO Land and Water, Primary Industries and Resources, South Australia and the University of Adelaide.

Project Title

New methodology for lime requirements and use in decision support systems

RIRDC Project No.:

CSO-9A

Researcher: RH Merry and LJ Janik Organisation: CSIRO Land and Water

PMB No 2 GLEN OSMOND SA 5064

Phone: 08 8303 8422; 08 8303 8444 Fax: 08 8303 8505 Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Objectives

• To investigate the application of infrared spectroscopy to the prediction of a

number of soil chemical and physical properties, particularly properties that are related to soil acidity and lime use.

• It also investigated some aspects of soil preparation, potentially one of the most expensive parts of the methodology, on the results obtained.

Background: Soil analysis is generally considered to be under-utilised in Australian

agriculture, but is likely to develop greater demand with intensification and the introduction of precision agriculture. A major disincentive to its wider use is the cost of individual analyses. Soil “analysis” using infrared spectroscopy is a new technology for many soil chemical and some physical properties, as well as potentially being fast and relatively simple to perform. We used sets of hundreds of soils from different parts of Australia that had been analysed with various laboratory methods to test ways of predicting these properties using infrared analysis. This required soils to be dried, ground, their spectra scanned and then calibrated with conventional soil analysis data. This enabled the prediction of the properties of other soils.

Research

In this research we have confirmed that soil analysis using infrared techniques is capable of simultaneously estimating many soil properties, including some such as lime requirement, pH, cation exchange capacity, carbon content and clay content. The spectrum of a small soil sample can be obtained and stored on a computer in less than one minute. Near infrared and mid infrared were compared and mid infrared found to be superior, though near infrared had the advantage of field portability. The fineness of grinding, has a significant effect on how representative the soil sample is and how well its properties are measured. Soil samples from fields and larger regions were analysed using infrared and their properties mapped spatially.

Outcomes

The main implications from the study are that: • low cost, rapid, simultaneous soil analysis using infrared is capable of

predicting soil properties that range in quality from effectively quantitative,

9

semi-quantitative, or indicator precision, • high spatially-dense soil data is easily acquired leading to practical soil

mapping of often expensive data • field portability has implications for more timely decision support in the

field, especially for precision agriculture, indicator technology or resource inventory.

Publications

Janik, LJ, Merry, RH, and Skjemstad, JO (in press) Can soil analysis make soil analysis redundant? Aust. J. Exp. Agric.

Merry, RH, Janik, LJ, and Aitken RL (1998) The potential of mid infra-red for analysis of acidity-related soil properties. Conference Proceedings, National Soil Acidification Conference, Coolum, Queensland, 15-17 July 1998.

Project Title

Emerging opportunities in agriculture – Tamworth 9 October 1998

RIRDC Project No.:

MS989-22

Researcher: Gordon Stone Organisation: the BIG EVENT company,

PO Box 7642, TOOWOOMBA MAIL CENTRE QLD. 4352


• The objective of the 1998 Emerging Opportunities in Agriculture event was

to showcase new industry opportunities for broad scale rural producers and small scale irrigators in the Tamworth area and encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas.

Background:

The Emerging Opportunities in Agriculture one day event was a Tamworth Irrigators Council initiative, with input from NSW Agriculture. A grower Organising Committee, principally consisting of irrigation and dairy farmers from the Tamworth region, directed the project. The Project Managers for the project were Gordon Stone and Associates of Toowoomba – now known as The Big Event Company. The event was an information exchange (technology transfer) process, targeted at farmers, to provide the results of research and development work on new industry opportunities. The aim of the day was to provide growers with up-to-date information in a “one stop shop” setting, to improve their future business planning.

Research

The Emerging Opportunities in Agriculture event was held in Tamworth on Friday 9 October 1998, at the Carinya Christian School. The Organising Committee developed the program for the event, with input from various researchers and the Project Managers. The Committee identified a detailed list of alternative industries that they expected would be of interest to the farmers in the Tamworth area. From these topics, a program was developed and speakers for each topic were identified, contacted and briefed. The program for the day included a series of concurrent speaker sessions with the majority of time allocated to informal discussion between growers, speakers and exhibitors in a trade show setting. The event was funded by a combination of commercial sponsorship and industry funding. A total of 154 people attended the event.

10

Responses to participant evaluations Participants considered the day very interesting, offering valuable information in an effective format, and were impressed by the enthusiasm of the presenters. Participants were very enthusiastic about the process to actively establish new industries in the region. They indicated a desire to see further workshops conducted on a range of topics, including Boer Goats, Viticulture, Asian Vegetables and Paulownia trees

Outcomes

The Emerging Opportunities in Agriculture event proved to be an effective means for the transfer of information to Tamworth region growers, about new industry options. The opportunity to present R&D results directly to growers, proved an excellent incentive for speakers to attend. The process used to coordinate the event was based on the Project Managers’ prior experience with similar agricultural events and worked well.

However, the event proved not to be commercially viable because of low numbers of attendees, lack of sponsor support and higher than expected workload for the Project Managers to locate and brief suitable presenters.

The general lack of grower participant numbers can be attributed to a number of factors, including poor timing (school holidays), recent poor weather conditions, ineffective use of the grower networks available to publicise the event and incorrect projections of grower interest in new crop options. Sponsors indicated that it was not commercially viable for them to fund such an event, as it featured new and alternative crops which provided an unknown return for their sponsorship dollar. Overall the event must be rated a success for those who attended, whilst recognising the commercially unviable nature of the event.

Implications

Although the overall event was a success, the future funding of the event through sponsorship, is questionable. The Project Managers recommend that if the event was to run again, majority funding should be sought from industry sources. Increased participation in the event might be achieved by having a broader range of industry groups represented on the Committee, in order that grower networks are used more effectively to publicise the event.

Project Title

Nematodes as biocontrol agents of helicid snails

RIRDC Project No.:

UA 31A

Researcher: Dr KA Davies Organisation: Department of Crop Protection,

Waite Campus, University of Adelaide, GLEN OSMOND 5064

Phone: 08/8303 7255 Fax: 08/8379 4095 Email: [email protected] Objectives

• Helicid snails cost the grain industry up to $10 million annually. Present

methods of control are based on the combined use of chemical and physical methods. Biological control would not be cheaper but would provide farmers with an environmentally sound tool. Nematodes have been used successfully as biocontrol agents of various insect pests all over the world. Several rhabditid (bacterial-feeding) nematodes will attack slugs or snails.

11

Background: A survey to identify Australian nematodes with potential for control of helicid snails was carried out in 1994/95. Twenty five nematode isolates were found which would attack snails. Two isolates (a cephalobid and a rhabditid, XM13) showed reasonable levels of pathogenicity in the laboratory at nematode densities suitable for field application. XM13 killed 100% Cochlicella acuta, and up to 80% Cernuella and Theba. Mass culture techniques for the nematodes were established.

Research

The effectiveness of XM13 against Cernuella was tested in mini-plots at Mallala and Warooka, but did not increase snail mortality. XM13 persisted in the field for 5 weeks. Similar results came from a trial in irrigated pastures infected with the conical Cochlicella barbara in the South East.

Outcomes

In the laboratory, XM13 affected breeding of C. virgata, decreasing the number of egg clutches per snail and eggs per clutch. Newly hatched snails are very susceptible to XM13. In a field trial to assess effects of XM13 on snail reproduction, there was no effect on snail mortality, but numbers of young snails found were much lower than expected in both control and treatment plots. A naturally-occurring unknown rhabditid nematode was found attacking young snails, which confounded the results of the trial.

Implications The nematodes tested in this project are unlikely to provide adequate control of adult snails, and the costs of a biomolluscicide would be uneconomic for broad-acre cropping. However, newly-hatched snails are very susceptible to nematodes, and practices which promote numbers of bacterial-feeding nematodes (eg increasing soil organic matter) are likely to increase their mortality.

Project Title

The Rural Adjustment Scheme and wool, grain and mixed farming in Victoria

RIRDC Project No.:

UM-20A

Researcher: Bill Malcolm, and Ed Vandenberg Organisation: University of Melbourne

Department of Food Science and Agribusiness Institute of Land and Food Resources


• The key question investigated in this study was ‘what is the role of the Rural

Adjustment Scheme (RAS) in dealing with farm businesses experiencing difficult financial circumstances?’

• Related questions concern the nature of managing farms in sustainable ways in the risky environment which characterises agriculture in Australia, and

• What does the empirical evidence about agriculture in Victoria tell about the state of the financial affairs of graingrowers in the Wimmera, woolgrowers in the Western District and mixed cropping-grazing operations in North-East Victoria.

Background:

Attempting to answer these questions requires an understanding of questions such ‘what do concepts such as low net incomes, business viability, appropriate gearing, and household net cash flows mean in terms of practical farm business management, in the context of the traditionally relatively small-sized farming operations in much of Victoria?’

12

Research

Contemplating the main question about the role of the Rural Adjustment Scheme (hereafter RAS) involved drawing on the history of low incomes in agriculture, the ‘farm problem’, adjustment, and the RAS in Australian agriculture; the theoretical arguments surrounding the RAS; and the practical application of components of the RAS.

Outcomes

The main conclusion derived from this investigation is that the RAS role in facilitating adjustment is limited. The RAS assists very few farmers. In theory and practice the RAS is likely to hinder the opportunities of at least as many, and maybe more than are helped, and there is little theoretical justification for the existence or continuation of the RAS. Further, apparent low farm net incomes may or may not be of economic and social significance, depending on (i) the significance of off farm income, (ii) the rate of adjustment which is appropriate and which is occurring, and (iii) the opportunity costs of the resources involved. A characteristic of the relatively small scale farming in a relatively small area state such as Victoria, has been the relatively significant off farm income earned by farm households, which reflects the phenomenon of (i) opportunities (ii) resource mobility and (iii) movement over time in an economy towards equilibrium in labour and other factor markets. This phenomenon, along with the imprecision of measurements of farm and non-farm incomes for comparative purposes, plus the net wealth of most farm owners relative to the general population and other small business people, combine to add weight to the conclusion that apparent low income problems in the ‘tail’ of the distribution of farm net incomes is unlikely to be a significant social problem of long term poverty (social inequity), nor a problem of inefficiency of resource use.

Implications

In the relatively small scale farming in a closely settled and relatively densely populated State of Victoria, farm family household cash flow, not net farm income, is a critical determinant of returns to farm family labour and business ‘viability’. And, as in the past, most adjustment in agriculture continues to be in response to commercial forces, and almost all farm families who move out of farming do so with a net worth and lifestyle prospects at least commensurate with most others in society.

Project Title

Managing the plant protection aspects of the rural/urban interface

RIRDC Project No.:

UQ-48 - Jointly funded by Sugar R&D Corporation

Researcher: S G Hallett and J Harden Organisation: University of Queensland

School of Land and Food GATTON COLLEGE QLD 4345

Phone: 07 5460 1280; 07 5460 1295 Fax: 07 5460 1283 Email: [email protected] S [email protected] Objectives

• To develop a user-friendly computer-based package to support decision

makers in the rural/urban interface in the management of pesticide hazards.

13

Background:

Australia is a highly urbanised country whose cities are constantly increasing in size, and encroaching on areas of rural land use. At the fringes of cities, hazards and conflicts occur as a result of plant protection practices, particularly those involving the use of pesticides. Conflicts are fuelled by misinformation and exaggeration by the popular press. It is necessary to provide a tool which can accurately assess pesticide hazards in this rural urban interface.

Research

1. The Hazard Score package was developed as a tool for the assessment

and teaching of the nature and extent of pesticide hazards in the rural/urban interface. Large amounts of data relevant to pesticide parameters (human toxicity, physical properties), human population, weather effects, application equipment and nozzles, buffer zone effects are stored within the programme, and are accessed automatically during hazard assessments.

2. Preliminary validation of the programme parameters has been performed with data collected from site visits to 15 farms in SE Queensland. The ability of the programme to perform complex calculations in a wide range of situations has been established.

Ongoing liaison with the industry/community has been ongoing, and representatives of each sector expect the package to be of direct relevant to their needs in managing pesticide hazards in the rural/urban interface.

Outcomes & Implications

A draft version of Hazard Score will 1) allow land planners to understand the pesticide hazards prior to

subdivision of land in rural areas 2) help producers to find logical ways of reducing the impact of off site

pesticide movement 3) provide regulators with a means of studying pesticide hazards, and 4) provide a tool for resolution of pesticide related conflicts in the

rural/urban interface. The use of Hazard Score will promote the harmonious co-existence of rural and urban land users in the rural/urban interface and assist the steady and sustained growth of Australia's rural industries.

Project Title

A new scientist and a new approach to control of nematodes in roots of woody plants

RIRDC Project No.:

US-26A

Researcher: Brian J Deverall Organisation: Department of Crop Sciences,

University of Sydney, NSW 2006


• To train a research scientist to PhD level in plant nematology and to

investigate relationships between nematode and root activity in woody perennial plants with a view to developing disease management procedures based on biological methods.

Background:

Great concern was held about the small number of trained nematologists in Australia, the decreasing number of scientists with practical experience in nematology and the limited encouragement of young scientists into the discipline. This was heightened when viewed against the evidence of serious

14

nematode problems in Australia and the increasing restrictions against the use of chemical nematicides.

Research

A program was designed to train a research scientist to PhD level in plant nematology through four steps. One was to learn basic techniques from the last remaining plant nematologists at NSW Agriculture before the closure of the laboratories at Rydalmere. A second was to use the controlled environment facilities at Rydalmere for experiments on effects of high temperature on resistance of grapevine roots to nematode infection. Another was for the student to attend an intensive course in plant nematology at Clemson University, USA. The fourth in The University of Sydney was to assess a new procedure of activating resistance throughout plants for its possible benefit in minimising nematode infection of grapevine roots.

Outcomes

Ms K J Owen has been trained to PhD level in plant nematology and is submitting her thesis for examination at The University of Sydney. She will commence work in April 1999 as a plant nematologist in a research project entitled "Cropping Options to Limit Root Lesion Nematodes" under the supervision of Dr John Thompson, Leslie Research Centre, Queensland Department of Primary Industry, Toowoomba, Queensland. High temperature (30oC) did not break the resistance of roots of the grapevine cultivar Ramsey to root knot nematode. Application of the activator benzothiadiazole (CGA 245704, Novartis AG) to the foliage of cuttings of grapevine cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon affected the roots so that root knot nematodes were less able to develop into egg-laying adults. The activator had no direct effect on nematodes, but it caused increases in at least one plant enzyme in leaves and roots. It was concluded that systemic resistance was activated throughout grapevine cuttings and that the development of nematodes in the roots was thereby minimised. Novartis AG filed UK and International Patent Applications for the effects of the activator in minimising nematode development in plants.

Implications

Plant nematology in Australia is strengthened. A new approach for minimising nematode-caused plant disease is available for assessment under field conditions.

15

4.2 Resilient Agricultural Systems

Research in Progress Project Title

Environmental partnerships: combining sustainability and commercial advantage in the commercial sector

RIRDC Project No.:

ACL-1A

Start Date: 3/09/98 Finish Date: 2/09/01 Researcher: Prof Neil Gunningham Organisation: Australian Centre for Environmental Law (ACEL Consulting)

PO Box 142 LYNEHAM ACT 2602


• To provide a policy strategy which will improve the environmental

sustainability of the Australian agricultural sector and its profitability and market share through the development of "environmental parnterships" between producers, retailers, governments and environmental organisations. Key elements will include:

• Identifying the circumstances in which such partnerships might be formed • enhancing environmental performance, commercial prospects and market

share of Australian agriculture; and • preconditions for their success.

Current Progress:

The first stage of the project was to conduct a detailed review of the literature relating to the various alternative strategies for developing environmental partnerships in agriculture. This stage has been completed. This work has gone beyond a conventional desk-bound literature review to establish constructive links with relevant international programs, including the Wharton School of Business, the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association and the World Wide Fund for Nature (low pesticide potatoes), and the LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) program in the United Kingdom (integrated crop management). The second stage of the project was to develop a conceptual framework for the application of environmental partnership in Australia. This stage has been completed. An overview of this work was recently presented at the "Environmental Management Systems in Agriculture" conference in Ballina, NSW, the proceedings of which will soon be widely available. The third stage of the project is to identify industry case studies and conduct preliminary interviews. We are currently holding discussions with three agricultural sectors with a view to their participation as case studies in the project. We expect to finalise these discussions in 1999, and then to begin our first industry case study.

16

Project Title

Incursion management for exotic pests of plant industries

RIRDC Project No.:

BRR-3A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 30/06/00 Researcher: Dr Graeme Evans Organisation: Bureau of Rural Sciences

PO Box E11 KINGSTON ACT 2600


• To develop a scientifically sound and operationally feasible, management

plan for adressing incursions of selected grouping of agricultural pests.

Current Progress:

Establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) provides a new environment for plant health in Australia. Issue to be addressed include: • the apparent low level of understanding among stakeholders of the threats

posed by exotic pests and the opportunities to mitigate future losses by preparedness planning;

• the paucity of resources allocated by plant industries to preparedness planning;

• the haphazard and depleted infrastructure underpinning plant health. • Revitalising plant health infrastructure for addressing threats posed by

exotic pests has emerged as a critical step in improving the management of exotic pests. Engaging stakeholders, including industry, their research and development corporations and the research providers in developing comprehensive incursion management plans is seen as a critical first step. This will be addressed by working with industry to develop an incursion management plan involving, among other things:

• analysis of exotic pests that could seriously damage industry; • surveillance strategies for early detection of exotic pests; • the capacity of plant health scientists to identify new invaders accurately

and quickly; and • pre-emptive approaches to minimise the risks.

The plan will serve as a template for all plant industries that want to minimise risks from exotic pests.

Project Title

Strategic R&D in waste management and bioremediation: Policy and priority setting (continuation of CSE-77A)

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE-79A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 30/05/99 Researcher: Dr John Oakeshott Organisation: CSIRO Entomology

Black Mountain Laboratories GPO Box 1700 CANBERRA ACT 2601

17

Phone: 02 6246 4157 Fax: 02 6246 4173 Objectives • To reduce the trade and environment risks associated with pesticide residues in

commodities and with contaminated waste streams by integrating R&D priorities both across commodities and with government regulatory and policy initiatives.

Current Progress:

In the first stage of the project, 13 Australian rural R&D Corporations, including multi-commodity councils, were surveyed for their research priorities in the areas of pesticide and contaminant issues, and nutrient and problem wastes. The priorities identified by this process included pesticide residues in commodities and wastestreams, nutrient wastes, impact of pesticide use; wastes resulting from agricultural and aquacultural industries; microbial, blue-green algal and marine toxins; and residues of antibiotic substances in foods. Projects conducted in the priority areas of research were reviewed according to the R&D corporation supporting the study, the workplace of the research providers (State Dept, University, CSIRO etc) and the research investment (where available). The main source of this information was the ARRIP database although it was recognised that it was not sufficiently inclusive. In addition, the projects were assigned into monitoring, management, remediation and reuse research subjects. An examination of the research in progress, funded mainly by the R&D corporations, found a predominance of effort (146/294 projects) in management/quality control and monitoring (108/294), with remediation (14/294), reuse (21/294) or replacement (5/294) subject areas having a minor role. The implications of the study are being considered with regard to the commonality of priorities among corporations, levels of investment, the balance of research effort and capacity for technology transfer.

Project Title

Strategic R&D in waste management and bioremediation: Pyrethroid bioremediation

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE-80A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 30/06/00 Researcher: Dr John Oakeshott Organisation: CSIRO Entomology

Black Mountain Laboratories GPO Box 1700 CANBERRA ACT 2601


• To isolate, characterise and transfer to a commercial partner one or more

gene/enzyme systems that can detoxify pyrethroid insecticides. This will be one of a set of enzyme-based pesticide bioremediation capabilities under development at CSIRO. The set will also include enzymes for detoxifying organophosphate and carbamate insecticides and thiocarbamate herbicides. Some of the other enzymes have already been developed to the point of laboratory-scale proof-of-concept.

Current Progress:

The project is on target in reaching its experimental goals. We now have five enzymes with enough pyrethroid hydrolytic activity to be potential commercial products. The best of these is being characterised further, but these results are kept in confidence for commercial and patent reasons.

18

Project Title

Biological control of blue heliotrope

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE-82A

Start Date: 22/06/98 Finish Date: 30/06/01 Researcher: Dr David Briese Organisation: CSIRO Entomology



The final outcome of biological control of blue heliotrope would be a significant reduction in the economic and environmental impact of this toxic noxious weed through environmentally-benign and self-sustaining means. It would also provide an additional tool for the integrated management of the weed. The current project provides the critical initial steps toward achieving this overall outcome. The principal outcomes of this study are: • The introduction and quarantine clearance of previously identified biological

control agents • The identification and development of further candidate biological control

agents (in particular pathogens) to a stage where they can be introduced into quarantine in Australia

Current Progress:

CSIRO Entomology and NSW Agriculture have submitted an application for blue heliotrope to be declared a target weed for biological control. Dr David Briese of CSIRO Entomology visited Argentina in November 1998 to establish a base for the blue heliotrope project, and an agreement was reached to contract Dr Miguel Zapater, of the Agronomy Faculty, Buenos Aires University, to work part time on the project. Drs Briese and Zapater surveyed blue heliotrope sites in the Sierra de Tandil and the Sierra de la Ventana, south west of Buenos Aires and in the region west of Cordoba. Further surveys were made by Dr Zapater January and March. Four species of insect were confirmed as having potential for biological control. The most damaging agents were the defoliating beetle, Deuterocampta quadrijuga, and the cell-sucking bugs, Dictyla spp. The flea-beetle, Longitarsus sp., can cause plant death through larval feeding on roots. The thrips, Haplothrips sp., feeds on growing points causing stunting and deformation of leaves and shoots. Glasshouse cultures of all four insects have been established in Buenos Aires and Dr Zapater is currently undertaking studies of their biology.

19

Project Title

Molecular diagnostic system for soil borne plant pathogens (Formerly CRP-1A)

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE-84A

Start Date: 1/07/98 Finish Date: 30/06/99 Researcher: Dr John Curran Organisation: CSIRO Entomology

PO Box 1700 CANBERRA ACT 2601


• To develop taxon specific probes plant pathogenic fungi for incorporation in

low cost molecular diagnostic system for identifying and quantifying mixed propulations of pathogens in a single assay of a soil or root sample for use in government and private advisory laboratories by 1999.

Current Progress:

A series of diagnostic tests have been designed and tested for the identification of plant pathogenic fungi from soil and root samples. Diagnostic probes have been constructed using DNA sequence data available on the Internet and as well as information derived from fungal isolates provided by plant pathologists from across Australia. This includes a range of species specific and strain specific probes for fungi, including take-all, Bipolaris, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Botrytis, and Ascochyta. These tests are under evaluation by the Root Disease Testing Service at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (RDTS-SARDI), with the Ascochyta probes in commercial use as a seed test this year. It is anticipated that further tests will come on-line next season and be available to growers via RDTS-SARDI. Protocols for the identification and quantification of mixed populations of fungi from soil have been established and are being evaluated by RDTS-SARDI and further refined for inclusion in their high-throughput, automated diagnostic system (that also incorporate tests for plant-pathogenic nematodes developed by CSIRO-Rhone-Poulenc).

Project Title

Coping with Climate - Using Rainman in Agricultural Education

RIRDC Project No.:

DAN-173A

Start Date: 1/10/98 Finish Date: 30/09/99 Researcher: Mr Cameron Archer Organisation: NSW Agriculture

C B Alexander Agricultural College Tocal PATERSON NSW 2421

Phone: 02 4939 8888, 0411 109 542

20

Fax: 02 4939 5549 Email: [email protected] Objectives • To improve the management and long term planning on Australian farms

through the adoption of ‘Australian Rainman’ by Australia’s education providers and the public and private agricultural extension services.

Current Progress: The Coping with the Climate project began with the recruitment of a project officer. A suitable candidate was sought for the position in November 1998. The successful candidate was notified in December 1998 and began on 11 January 1999. Work undertaken includes: 1 Editing the tutorial/educational component of the Australian Rainman

computer software package. The tutorials are designed to: • Help users explore key climatic issues in agriculture • Provide instruction on the use of the data analysis section of the package • Help users learn how to incorporate this information into their decision

making to reduce risk in a variable climate. 2. Attendance of the technical day and conference, which included the official launch of the Australian Rainman program in Brisbane. 3. Completion of the first draft of the National Climate Home Study package. This package showcases the potential of Australian Rainman in examining historical rainfall records and probabiltiies, and its use in farm planning and decision making. Part of this package includes an El Nino Southern Oscillation fact sheet for farmers. 4. Establishment of a key network of referees for the review of the climate home study package.

Project Title

Agriculture/aquaculture systems integration to enhance farm productivity and water use efficiency

RIRDC Project No.:

DCM-1A

Start Date: 1/07/95 Finish Date: 30/06/98 Researcher: Mr Geoff Gooley Organisation: Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

Private Bag 20 ALEXANDRA VIC 3714

Phone: 03 5774 2208 Fax: 03 5774 2659 Objectives • Demonstrate the integration of practical aquaculture into existing

irrigated farming systems to enhance productivity, water-use efficiency and overall sustainability.

• Adapt and develop appropriate husbandry, production and post-harvest handling and marketing methodologies to enable viable, cost-effective, commercial fish production in such integrated systems.

• Promote and facilitate adoption of integrated farming practices, which include aquaculture as a viable component, on the basis of enhancing overall farming system performance.

Current Progress: The draft Final Report for this project has now been completed and

submitted to RIRDC. The Report concludes that the concept of agriculture- aquaculture systems integration, as trialed in the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District of Victoria, is technically feasible for selected species. Furthermore, based on a preliminary bio-economic model developed as part of the Project, the concept also appears to be economically viable, albeit with the need for further development, analysis and validation using more commercially relevant applications and updated market information. Environmental impacts at the experimental scale measured during the field trials were not significant, and based on a preliminary conceptual nutrient mass balance

21

model approach are considered manageable within an ecologically sustainable context. Indeed with enhanced system design and husbandry practices, integration of aquaculture with irrigation farming has the potential to both increase water use efficiency and to capture and retain nutrients to be utilised productively and sustainably on-farm. A regional workshop to extend the final results of the Project to industry is scheduled for July, 1999 in Victoria. A National Integrated Agri-Aquaculture Systems (IAAS) R&D Strategy is now under development by RIRDC, to enable industry to identify strategic, R&D priorities over a five year time-scale for future IAAS developments.

Project Title

Farmer operated integrated aquaculture - National R&D planning strategy workshop

RIRDC Project No.:

MFR-1A

Start Date: 1/06/98 Finish Date: 31/10/98 Researcher: Mr Geoff Gooley Organisation: Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute

Private Bag 20 ALEXANDRA VIC 3714


• To prepare a national 5 year R&D and associated policy and planning

strategy to assist development of an Australia-wide "Farmer Operated Integrated Aquaculture" (FOIA) industry sector

• To establish a national steering committee and collaborative R&D and industry network to develp, promote and implement the Strategy throughout Australia

• Prepare a marketing plan to promote the National FOIA R&D Strategy at a national level within industry, government and the wider community

Current Progress:

A national workshop entitled Farmer-Operated Integrated Aquaculture, National R&D Planning Strategy Workshop was conducted by RIRDC and held at Trawool, Victoria, from 15-16 September, 1998. The Workshop was hosted by the Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute and attended by 16 delegates representing twelve key primary industry stakeholder groups across the Australian aquaculture, irrigated agriculture and land and water industry sectors, including federal policy makers, resource managers and industry peak body representatives. The primary objectives of the Workshop were to: • facilitate the establishment of an Australian Integrated Agri-Aquaculture

Systems ( IAAS) primary industry sector at a national level, and to • identify, synthesise and nationally prioritise the R&D needs of the

developing IAAS sector and to consolidate such needs into a comprehensive, nationally co-ordinated program over an appropriate time frame.

A five year (1999-2004), IAAS R&D strategy, based largely on the outcomes of the Workshop, has now been completed and submitted to RIRDC as the draft Final report for this project. A number of information gaps and associated key tasks are identified in the Plan under the collective headings of i) resource inventory and information, ii) business and economics, iii) policy and planning, iv) biology and technology, and v) education, training and extension.

22

Project Title

Distichlis for Rehabilitation of highly saline areas for grain, turf and grazing

RIRDC Project No.:

NYP-1A

Start Date: 1/07/98 Finish Date: 30/06/01 Researcher: Mr John Leake Organisation: NyPa Pty Ltd

14D Birdwood Street NETHERBY SA 5065

Phone: 08 8272 8088; 0416 02 0101 Fax: 08 8272 8588 Email: [email protected] Objectives

• To study the potential for distichlis species to be used for turf, fodder and

grain in highly saline areas of Australia

Current Progress:

The project has planted about 7 ha at its WA site and has begun greenhouse experiments to test the tolerance of the NyPa plants to waterlogging. Preliminary observations to date show the forage to have a production of about 12 tonne of dry matter per ha at a protein level of between 10%-15% and a digestibility of 92% growing in saline water of about 20,000 pmm salinity. This is without supplementary fertilisation in salted out wheat lands now supporting some Maritime Barley Grass and Samphire. The plants are palatable to sheep and show a positive response to Nitrogen although the level of response has not yet been measured. Roots have been shown to extend one and half meters to access saline ground water and strong growth in the warm season appears to be lowering the Water table under the site with the densest planting. Experiments have been planned to quantify this effect. Test sites in a warmer and a cooler area have been identified and will be planted in July August 1999.

Project Title

Re-use potential of agri-industry wastes in the Melbourne/Metropolitan region

RIRDC Project No.:

RMI-10A

Start Date: 3/08/98 Finish Date: 30/06/00 Researcher: Dr Barry Meehan Organisation: RMIT University

124 LaTrobe St MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Phone: 039925 2119 Fax: 039639 1321 Email: [email protected] Objectives

• To utilise wastes from agri-industries in the Melbourne/Metropolitan region

by indentifying, characterising and developing them as resources.

Current Progress:

The project began in August 1998, with the first major action, an extensive survey to identify the types, sources, volumes and disposal methods of organic agri-industry wastes produced in the Melbourne area.

23

This information was resourced via a variety of methods including EPA prescribed waste transport data and industry groups. From this comprehensive survey, wastes that were identified as having potential for re-use as nutrient and/or organic matter sources, and were not currently being efficiently re-utilised, have been singled out. These include: • Cut flower wastes • Wool scour sludge • Waste wool and dirt • Tannery sludge • Waste Hair (tanneries) • Food Manufacturing waste Other liquid wastes were also identified (from dairy product manufacturing and abattoirs). Several flower waste samples were characterised, and a bio-remediation trial (composting) is currently underway with a large volume of flower wastes, to assess the destruction of pesticides and pathogens before possible reuse. A sampling run of the other agri-industry wastes has also been carried out, with analysis currently in progress.

Project Title

Development of DNA-based diagnostic probes for Verticillium

RIRDC Project No.:

SAR-15A

Start Date: 1/01/99 Finish Date: 31/12/01 Researcher: Dr Kathy Ophel-Keller Organisation: South Australian Research and Development Institute

Waite Precinct URRBRAE SA


• Development of DNA probes specific to Verticillium dahliae and V. albo-atrum • Development of a DNA based diagnostic test to identify and quantify both

species in soil and plants • Strategic IPM approach to cropping using information from monitoring

pathogenic strains

Current Progress:

Belinda Brant has been employed as a Technical Officer. In order to develop a reliable diagnostic test for verticillium wilt of lucerne for quarantine purposes, it is necessary to obtain the lucerne-specific strain of Verticillium albo-atrum from overseas collections. Contact has been made with Bud Platt (Canada), Barbara Pennypacker (US) and John Carder (UK) who have extensive experience with Verticillium. An application for an AQIS permit was submitted and recently approved for importation of Verticillium species from various countries for the duration of the project. Immediate export of isolates from the USA and New Zealand was requested. In Australia, isolates of Verticillium species are being provided by Ian Pascoe (Vic), Bruce Lyon (NSW), Joe Kochman (Qld) and Robin Harding (SA). Ian Pascoe has confirmed reports of V. albo-atrum in Australia. Verticillium isolates from a broad host range, including V. albo-atrum, V. dahliae, V. tricorpus and V. nubileum will be used for molecular and pathogenicity tests. An extensive literature search has been conducted. In addition, primers for the ITS region have been supplied by Bud Platt to differentiate between Verticillium species and the new strains of V. albo-atrum. Once isolates are in culture, molecular and pathogenicity experiments will commence.

24

Project Title

What makes pyrethrum paddocks good for subsequent cropping?

RIRDC Project No.:

TAR-3A

Start Date: 1/07/98 Finish Date: 30/11/99 Researcher: Dr Leigh Sparrow Organisation: Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research

University of Tasmania GPO Box 252-01 HOBART TAS 7001


• Clarification for growers and industry of the benefits of pyrethrum for

subsequent crops. • Benefits will be apportioned to soil physical, chemical and biological

quality, and to disease and weed burdens. • Pyrethrum growers and field staff will be briefed on project outcomes, and

supplied with a booklet which summarises these in relation to other outcomes from our current krasnozem benchmarking project.

Current Progress:

Five pairs of paddocks under green peas and three pairs under processing potatoes were selected for assessment of soil attributes. One paddock in each pair had recently come out of pyrethrum production, the other paddock had never been under pyrethrum. Soil attributes assessed included chemical properties (pH, Colwell phosphorus and potassium concentrations, exchangeable cations, organic carbon and total nitrogen), physical properties (plastic and liquid limits, vane shear strength, aggregate size distribution and water stability and penetrometer resistance) and earthworm counts. Farmers were also surveyed about how they viewed the condition of the paddocks. Yield was measured at the potato paddocks, and grower yield data obtained for the pea paddocks. Preliminary results showed that for yield, for the chemical properties and for most of the physical properties there was no effect due to a history of pyrethrum. However, penetrometer resistance was less in the surface 200mm of the ex-pyrethrum paddocks, which supports claims by farmers that these paddocks are easy to cultivate. At seven of the eight pairs of sites there were less earthworms where pyrethrum had previously been grown, consistent with our previous work which showed almost no worms under existing pyrethrum crops. The latest findings indicate, as expected, that worms are unlikely to recolonise paddocks within a year of pyrethrum removal.

25

Project Title

Biological control of serrated tussock and chilean needle grass

RIRDC Project No.:

UA-48A

Start Date: 1/11/98 Finish Date: 30/10/00 Researcher: Dr David Briese Organisation: CSIRO Entomology



To identify and develop one or more candidate pathogen biological control agents to the stage where they can be introduced into quarantine in Australia by • Carrying out surveys throughout the range of N. trichotoma and N. neesiana

for pathogens with biological control potential and select a short-list of pathogens for more detailed study

• Investigating the specificity of these pathogens against key Australian native and agricultural grasses

• Studying the population dynamics of selected field populations of N. trichotoma infected with the short listed pathogens to determine their impact and epidemiology

• Developing culture methods for these pathogens in the laboratory and studying their biology and life-cycle.

Current Progress:

Initial funding of this project by RIRDC has been a key element in attracting complementary funds from a consortium of State and local governments and non-government organisations. This has permitted the project to get underway. Dr David Briese of CSIRO Entomology visited Argentina in November 1998 to establish a base for the serrated tussock project. As a result, a collaborative agreement has been reached between the Cooperative Research Centre for Weed Management Systems in Australia and CERZOS (Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida) in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, to base an Australian biocontrol scientist there and to contract a locally engaged pathologist (Ms Freda Anderson) from the Universidad Nacional del Sur. Mr Bill Pettit has been selected to go to Argentina and will shift there in August 1999 to work with Ms Anderson. He will initiate field surveys for pathogens, and commence studies on the ecology of the weeds and the impact of natural enemies. Dr Harry Evans, a pathologist with CAB International, has been contracted to revisit sites surveyed by him in 1995 and obtain initial collections of pathogens so that work on pathogen biology can commence. This will be done in October 1999.

26

Project Title

Soil ameliorants from rock quarry by-products

RIRDC Project No.:

UJC-4A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 31/12/00 Researcher: A/Prof Ross Coventry Organisation: James Cook University

James Cook University Post Office TOWNSVILLE QLD 4811


• To develop new products for improved plant growth in highly leached

tropical soils and testing their efficacy in the laboratory and the field. The proposed research has the potential to open up a big market in Australia and the world for soil ameliorants that can improve plant productivity or enhance environmental protection by: − sustaining plant production levels in agriculture, horticulture and

forestry either by allowing a reduction in usage of conventional fertilisers, or by enhancing their effectiveness; and

− supporting the establishment of plant covers in badly degraded ecosystems such as rehabilitating minesites, old tailings dams and strongly eroded soils.

Current Progress:

Research to date has focused largely on understanding how a crushed basaltic soil amendment, marketed by our industry partner as ‘Minplus’, modifies the chemical properties of acidic, iron-rich soils that underlie much of the horticultural land of the humid tropics. Such knowledge is fundamental to achieving the project aims as it underpins the development of soil amendments with improved properties. The project has established an effective soil analytical facility at James Cook University and has supported the activities of 5 research students who produced 1 MSc Qualifying dissertation and 3 BSc Honours theses in 1998. We have established a field trial at the Johnstone College of TAFE, Innisfail, in the heart of the highly weathered soils of the coastal lowlands of humid tropical North Queensland to which our research has particular relevance. We are using shadehouse studies and the field trial (80 plots, 20 x 4 m, in 4 randomised blocks) to understand the processes whereby Minplus, in comparison with other soil amendments (lime, cement), may overcome soil nutrient deficiencies, acidity, and phosphorus fixation problems. Differential plant growth responses to the subsequent application of different phosphatic fertilisers (rock phosphate, superphosphate, diammonium phosphate) to the amended soils are expected to lead to reduced fertiliser requirements for the Minplus-treated soils.

27

Project Title

Development of routine DNA based diagnostic tests for Phytophthora

RIRDC Project No.:

UQ-68A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 30/06/00 Researcher: Dr Andre Drenth Organisation: CRC for Tropical Plant Pathology

Level 5, John Hines Bldg BRISBANE QLD 4072


• To develop a reliable, sensititive, and routine applicable DNA based

diagnostic test for detection and identification in plant, water, and soil samples of Phytophthora species troublesome to plant industries in Australia.

Current Progress:

Phytophthora diseases cause major losses to Agricultural and Horticultural production in Australia. Most Phytophthora diseases are soilborne and difficult to control which makes disease prevention an important disease control strategy. We have developed a specific and sensitive DNA based test which allows detection and identification of Phytophthora species from soil and plant tissue samples. When an unknown plant or soil sample is subjected to the laboratory we first detect the presence of Phytophthora in the sample by subjecting it to our primers specific to the genus Phytophthora in a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The resulting PCR product is then subjected to a restriction digest of which the product can be compared to our molecular key which at current can routinely distinguish 27 Phytophthora species. This process can be completed within a day. Current research is on optimisation of the process from sample collection to species identification and transfer of the technology to diagnostic laboratories within Australia. In February 1999 we conducted the first three day hands-on training workshop in which 14 participants were made familiar with the technology and procedures. As part of this workshop an extensive manual outlining the procedures has been prepared.

Project Title

Impact of climate change on productivity, quality and water use of warm season and sub-tropical pastures

RIRDC Project No.:

UWS-9A

Start Date: 1/07/94 Finish Date: 30/06/97 Researcher: Dr Jann Conroy Organisation: University of Western Sydney - Hawkesbury

Faculty of Horticulture Bourke Street RICHMOND NSW 2753

Phone: 02 4570 1311 Fax: 02 4570 1314 Email: [email protected]

28

Objectives • To assess the likely impact of climate change on the water use, productivity and quality of pasture grasses with different CO2 acquisition strategies.

Current Progress:

Sustainable management of Australia’s vast tropical grasslands is essential for preserving diversity and maintaining profitability for pastoralists. This project aims to understand the mechanisms which influence productivity and survival of these grasses. In particular, we need to know how they respond to stress because poor rainfall and low atmospheric humidity (high VPD) are dominant factors affecting growth. In addition, the influence of rising atmospheric CO2 concentration requires consideration in order to adapt management strategies for the Greenhouse scenarios of the 21st Century. Our research showed that the pasture grasses Panicum coloratum (makarikari panic), P. antidotale (blue panic), P. maximum (green panic) and Cenchrus ciliaris (buffel grass) were more productive under high CO2 and that their tolerance to drought was markedly improved. An important finding was that there was rapid recovery of growth after drought at high CO2. This data was incorporated into GRASP, the model of Dr Greg McKeon from the Queensland Department of Natural Resources which incorporates pasture productivity, water use and animal production. The model, which has been extensively validated for a range of plant communities across Australia, provides pasture management decision support systems and evaluates global change impacts on pastures.

Project Title

Applying climate scenario generator to water resource forecast policy issues

RIRDC Project No.:

CSM-5A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 30/11/00 Researcher: Dr Barry Pittock Organisation: CSIRO Division of Atmospheric Research

PMB 1 ASPENDALE VIC 3195


• A system will be developed enabling ongoing fast assessments of the

implication of varying climate change scenarios for water resources and drought.

Current Progress:

This project has been delayed by factors affecting resourcing, data availability and funding. Significant efforts to secure co-funding for the project to accompany funds allocated by the Cotton RDC have been unsuccessful. However, the project has achieved the following: • A significantly improved technique for calculating climate change patterns

has been devised and applied to seven Global Climate Models, prepared for the Macquarie Catchment and installed in the climate scenario generator, OzClim.

• Evaporation scenarios are currently being prepared and are waiting to be validated with data from the Bureau of Meteorology unavailable until June 1999.

• The rainfall-runoff and river routing models will not be installed in OzClim due to technical difficulties. Instead, OzClim is being coupled to these models.

• Significant advances have been made in developing techniques for risk

29

assessment for hydrology under climate change, and the project is being tailored to incorporate these techniques.

• The communication strategy has been developed and applied by project partners Hassall & Associates. A poster describing the results of the project's precursor, Climate Change Scenarios and Managing the Scarce Water Resources of Macquarie River has been constructed. This poster been accompanied by presentations at a number of conferences and workshops.

Project Title

Population changes and biocontrol of Meloidogyne on roots of woody perennial plants

RIRDC Project No.:

US-26A

Start Date: 1/07/94 Finish Date: 30/12/98 Researcher: Prof Brian Deverall Organisation: University of Sydney

Watt Building, A04 SYDNEY NSW 2006


• To train a research scientist to PhD level in plant nematology. • To investigate relationships between nematode and root activity in woody

perennial plants with a view to developing disease management procedures based on biological methods.

Current Progress:

The project is completed and research scientist Ms K J Owen, trained to PhD level in plant nematology, submitted her thesis in March 1999 to The University of Sydney. She commenced work in April 1999 as a plant nematologist in a research project entitled "Cropping Options to Limit Root Lesion Nematodes" at the Leslie Research Centre, Toowoomba, Queensland. One finding in the thesis is that resistance of roots of grapevine cultivar Ramsey to root-knot nematode is stable to high temperature, 30°C. The major finding is that application of benzothiadiazole (CGA 245704, Novartis AG) to foliage of cuttings of cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon affected the roots so that root-knot nematodes were less able to develop into egg-laying adults. CGA 245704 had no direct effect on nematodes, but caused increases in at least one plant enzyme in leaves and roots. It was concluded that systemic resistance was activated throughout grapevine cuttings thus minimising the development of nematodes in the roots. Novartis AG filed UK and International Patent Applications for the effects of CGA 245704 in minimising nematode development in plants. Plant nematology in Australia is thereby strengthened and a new approach for minimising nematode-caused plant disease is available for assessment under field conditions.

30

Project Title

National electronic modelling network for pest, disease and weed management

RIRDC Project No.:

CSE-83A

Start Date: 3/09/98 Finish Date: 30/06/01 Researcher: Dr Robert Sutherst Organisation: CSIRO Entomology

Centre for Tropical Pest Management University of Qld QUEENSLAND QLD 4072


• To change the current IPM research paradigm in Australia from parochial

and individualistic to national, collaborative and industry oriented by developing a national, collborative modelling network using the latest generic modelling and commun ications technology.

• This will provide industry with a sustainable, national approach to IPM that

will be able to respond rapidly to changing economic or environmental conditions.

Current Progress:

Beth Russell was appointed to the project staff position in January 1999 and has been under-going training in the use of the project software. She has also made good progress with a project website to provide a means of national communication between different interest groups involved in pest modelling. Reports from earlier workshops are being published on the site. Negotiations are continuing on the initial pest, weed and disease targets, with the ‘weeds of national significance’ being targeted for special attention over the next few years. The first weed chosen for a modelling workshop is Bitou Bush. The extensive documentation to support users of the DYMEX software has been submitted to CSIRO for publication so that DYMEX can be made readily accessible to users in Australia. An early spin-off from the project has been the initiation of plans to develop IPMNet Australia to link all users and providers of information relevant to IPM in Australia. A planning meeting was held in Canberra on the 1st June 1999 and Prof Ron Stinner Director of the USA IPMNet has been sponsored by CSIRO Entomology to visit Australia for a month in October 1999. Application has been made for a McMaster Travelling Fellowship to fund local travel.

31

Project Title

Soil aggregation, infiltration, fauna and phosphorous in sustainable cropping systems

RIRDC Project No.:

ANU-30A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 30/06/00 Researcher: Mr David Dumaresq Organisation: Australian National University

Geography Department CANBERRA ACT 0200


The overall objective of the project is to ensure that broadacre agricultural systems are sustainable for the next century by: • investigating alternative primary production systems including organic

farming; and • developing indicators of the effects of these systems on a range of soil

physical, chemical and biological properties.

Current Progress:

Long-term research has revealed major differences in biological and physical outcomes for winter wheat in paired-paddock comparisons of organic and conventional crops in the NSW Riverina. These differences are likely to have major influences on the short, medium and long-term outcomes for the different farming systems. These differences are further confirmed by results for the 1998 wheat season. Comparison crops for 1998 were in paired-paddocks on adjacent farms with the same soil type and similar soil particle distribution. Paddocks had similar cultivation histories including long fallowing. Fertiliser treatment differences were the use of DAP on the conventional crop at sowing and reactive phosphate rock on the organic paddock 4 months prior to sowing. Despite no significant difference in overall biomass at harvest there was a greater than twofold increase in grain yield (4.6 t/ha at 9% protein) for the conventional crop over the organic crop (2.1t/ha at 13% protein). With prices received for the organic crop at 195% of conventional prices, and lower variable costs, there was little difference in economic return between the farming systems. At harvest the organically farmed soils exhibited better aggregate stability and higher steady state infiltration than soils on the conventional farm. Sampling is proceeding for long fallow crops for the 1999 winter wheat season.

32

Project Title

Impact of climate change on important plant diseases in Australia

RIRDC Project No.:

CST-4A

Start Date: 1/07/97 Finish Date: 31/01/01 Researcher: Dr Sukumar Chakraborty Organisation: University of Queensland

c/- CRC for Tropical Plant Pathology (CTPP) John Hines Building THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND QLD 4072

Phone: 07 3365 2711 Fax: 07 3365 4771 Email: [email protected] Internet: Objectives

• To identify opportunities to reduce crop loss by quantifying impacts of

climate change on plant diseases of economic significance to Australia.

Current Progress:

This project is the result of a RIRDC supported workshop. Collaborators in this work are Drs. Gordon Murray of NSW Agriculture, Gavin Ash of Charles Sturt University and Robert Sutherst of CSIRO Entomology. Dr Peter Wilson was appointed as a part-time research officer in February 1998. Changes in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides life stages including aggressiveness and fecundity are being studied at ambient and elevated CO2. Batches of 6-week-old seedlings of two Stylosanthes cultivars are inoculated with three pathogen isolates. Following each inoculation, the pathogen is re-isolated and spores are used as inoculum for subsequent inoculation of a fresh batch of seedlings to mimic a polycylic epidemic. Results from 12-17 infection cycles suggest that impact of elevated CO2 varies with host-pathogen combination and generalisations may be difficult. The generic simulation modelling tool DYMEX, developed by CSIRO Entomology, is being used to construct process-based models linking pathogen and host life cycles through damage functions. A first pass model for Stylosanthes anthracnose has been completed. A model for wheat stripe rust is nearing completion and shall be presented at the Australasian Plant Pathology Society conference in Canberra in September 1999. Models describing disease development under existing climate will be used to predict potential impact under a changed climate.

Project Title

Community participation in regional land use planning

RIRDC Project No.:

QDL-1A

Start Date: 1/01/96 Finish Date: 1/01/99 Researcher: Ms. Dana Kelly Organisation: Queensland Department of Natural Resources

Land Protection Locked Bag 40 Coorparoo Delivery Centre COORPAROO QLD 4151

Phone: 07 3896 2866 Fax: 07 3896 2875

33

Email: [email protected] Objectives

• To assist governments and communities develop and implement effective community consultation in a partnership approach to regional land use planning, ensuring social, cultural and land sustainability issues are addressed in the integrated provision of government services.

Current Progress: The focus of this project is on local and regional community participation in government landuse management programs for extensive grazing systems in rangeland areas of Australia. To date the project has reviewed relevant literature and undertaken field work to assess participation processes in South west Queensland. Over 200 people who participate in government activities and rural producer organisations have been interviewed. Meetings evaluated include: United Grazier Association, BestPrac, FutureProfit, Strategic planning, Water Allocation and Management Planning, Southwest Strategy Board, Landcare, Nature conservation planning and Feral Animal management. Preliminary findings indicate (1) a tendency to use the same approaches regardless of goals, context and (2) a need to use different participation processes in different situations. Local community participation processes such as action learning which attempt to share decision making widely can foster motivation, ownership and continuous learning. At a different scale such as Regional Strategic Planning more representative and consultative processes occur often because of practical issues. These can lose many of the advantages of more intensive and inclusive processes if not well integrated with local level participation and improved feedback mechanisms are recommended. Several conference papers and training workshops have presented the preliminary ideas on participation of local communities with government and research organisations.

Project Title

Studies on Integrated Wastewater treatment and aquaculture production

RIRDC Project No.:

SAR-16A

Start Date: 1/07/98 Finish Date: 30/12/00 Researcher: Dr Martin Kumar Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Resources (SA)

Aquatic Sciences PO Box 120 HENLEY SA 5022


• To design and develop an integrated farming system for fish, livestock and agricultural production and to encourge the uptake of the system developed for application in real farm situations.

Current Progress: • Over 210 relevant references compiled for background on decision making with respect to species of fish/crustacea to be stocked in ponds, methods of testing pond dynamics and other experimental design parameters previous research on integrated aquaculture.

• Recruited new research officer for carrying out project operation. • The project site and other operational facility has been secured under the

way agreement between SARDI, Urrbrae Agriculture School and Flinders University.

• Algae and nutrient relations/dynamics: major experimental design is finalised by conducting successful pilot experiments in laboratory conditions.

• Construction of hardware set up needed for major "algae and nutrients"

34

experiment underway. • Water quality hardware ordered, received and tests performed. • Preparation of international workshop on "Integrated wastewater

treatment and aquaculture production" is underway. Scientists from India, Vietnam, UK and NACA will be attending this workshop. The workshop will provide guidance to farming community, increase awareness of water and nutrient recycling and integrated farming and also provide useful tips to our research program.

• Liaisons with industry to inform the progress of the research program.

resilient agricultural systems - agrifutures australia · mr cameron archer 02 4939 8888 nsw...

Documents