RIRDC Completed Projects in 1999-2000 & Research in Progress as at June 2000

To Completed Projects

4.2 RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS  RESEARCH IN PROGRESS


Sustainable production systems development
 

PROJECT No	PROJECT TITLE	RESEARCHER	PHONE	ORGANISATION
ACA-6A	Nova topic on harvesting and ranching wild plants and animals	Nancy Lane	02 6247 5777	Australian Academy of Science
ANU-30A	Soil aggregation, infiltration, fauna and phosphorous in sustainable cropping systems	David Dumaresq	02 6249 0349	ANU
BRR-3A	Incursion management for exotic pests of plant industries	Graeme Evans	02 6271 6368	National Office of Animal and Plant Health
CSE-82A	Biological control of Blue Heliotrope	David Briese	02 6246 4045	CSIRO Entomology
CSE-83A	National weed electronic modellling network for pest, disease and weed management	Robert Sutherst	07 3365 1867	CSIRO Entomology
DAV-130A	Irrigated cropping advance 2000: Industry development and implementation of best practice	David Ugalde	03 5833 5236	DNRE
QDN-7A	Use of fire to control partheniuum weed	Kunjithapatham Dhileepan	02 4787 3300	CRC for Tropical Pest Management
RMI-10A	Re-use potential of agri-industry wastes in the Melbourne/Metropolitan region	Barry Meehan	03 9925 2119	RMIT University
SAR-15A	Development of DNA based diagnostic probes for verticillium	Kathy Ophel-Keller	08 8303 9368	SARDI
SAR-16A	Studies on integrated wasterwater treatment and aquaculture production	Martin Kumar	08 8200 2454	SARDI
UA-48a	Biological control of Serrated Tussock and Chilean Needle Grass	David Briese	02 6246 4045	CSIRO Entomology
UJC-4A	Soil ameliorants from rock quarry by-products	Ross Coventry	07 4781 5745	James Cook University
UQ-68A	Development of routine DNA based diagnostic tests for Phytophthora	Andre Drenth	07 3365 4772	CRC for Tropical Plant Pathology

New and emerging agri-industry systems
 

PROJECT No	PROJECT TITLE	RESEARCHER	PHONE	ORGANISATION
CSE-80A	Strategic R&D waste management and bioremediation: Pyrethroid bioremediation	John Oakeshott	02 6246 4157	CSIRO Entomology
NYP-1A	Distichlis for rehabilitation of highly saline areas for grain, turf and grazing	John Leake	08 8272 8088	NyPa Pty Ltd

Impediments/ Risk management
 

PROJECT No	PROJECT TITLE	RESEARCHER	PHONE	ORGANISATION
CSM-5A	Applying a climate scenario generator to water resource policy issues	Roger Jones	03 9239 4555	CSIRO Atmospheric Research
CST-4A	Impact of climate change on important plant disease in Australia	Sukumar Chakraborty	07 3365 2711	CSIRO Tropical Agriculture

Accreditation systems
 

PROJECT No	PROJECT TITLE	RESEARCHER	PHONE	ORGANISATION
ACL-1A	Environmental Partnerships: combining sustainability and commercial advantage in the commercial sector	Neil Gunningham	02 6249 3397	Gunningham and Associates Pty Ltd

Commissioned projects
 

PROJECT No	PROJECT TITLE	RESEARCHER	PHONE	ORGANISATION
HAS-7A	Review of the farm and resource management issues relating to genetically modified plants	Robert Hudson	02 9241 5655	Hassall & Associates Pty Ltd
RPC-1a	Review of R&D activities in the area of sustainable agri-industry	Warren Mason	02 6363 1249	RPC Solutions
WHP-4A	Preparation of a scoping paper: Potential for Australian agriculture to produce new pharmaceutical, nutra-ceutical and industrial products in the period 2000-2010	David Michael	02 9369 2735	Wondu Holdings Pty Limited

4.2 Resilient Agricultural Systems

Research in Progress 2000

Sustainable production systems development
 

Project Title	Nova topic on harvesting and ranching wild plants and animals
RIRDC Project No.:	ACA-6A
Start Date:	1/08/99
Finish Date:	30/06/2000
Researcher:	Dr. Nancy Lane
Organisation:	Australian Academy of Science GPO Box 783 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone:	02 6247 5777
Fax:	02 6257 4620
Email:	nancy.lane@science.org.au
Objectives	Greater public access to authoritative information on sustainable harvesting through the Australian Academy of Science's Nova: Science in the news Internet site (www.science.org.au/nova) leading to greater media and community awareness and support.
Current Progress	The topic ‘Is Australian Wildlife Fair Game?’ was posted on the Nova: Science in the news website (www.science.org.au/nova/053/053key.htm in March 2000. This site is aimed at secondary school science teachers and students, but it is also very popular with librarians, journalists, scientists and the general public.  The topic includes · key background text of about 1540 words · information boxes on ‘Kangaroo counting’ and ‘Principles relevant to the harvesting of native species’ · a glossary · links to student activities developed by the Academy, the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, the National Museum of Australia, CSIRO’s The Helix magazine; and the Australian Science Teachers' Journal · an annotated bibliography of further reading in Australasian Science (incorporating Search), Ecos, The Helix and New Scientist · a selective, annotated list of other high-quality websites developed by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, the Environment Australia – Biodiversity Group, Australian New Crops Newsletter, Eat Well SA and the Australian National Botanic Gardens. A media release about the topic was sent to science journalists; to New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian regional newspapers, and to education and environment newsletters and journals. It was also distributed to email lists for teachers, science librarians and science communicators.

Project Title	Soil aggregation, infiltration, fauna and phosphorous in sustainable cropping systems
RIRDC Project No.:	ANU-30A
Start Date:	1/07/97
Finish Date:	20/12/00
Researcher:	Mr. David Dumaresq
Organisation:	Australian National University Geography Department CANBERRA ACT 0200
Phone:	02 6249 0349
Fax:	02 6249 3770
Email:	David.Dumaresq@anu.edu.au
Objectives	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 · developing indicators of the effects of these systems on a range of soil physical, chemical and biological properties
Current Progress	The project completed field sampling at the end of the 1999 wheat season and is now consolidating data processing, entry and interpretation. Field collections for fauna, VAM, soil and plant samples have been completed and sample processing for the 5 stages of crop development is now well under way. Work this year has concentrated on the sorting and analysis of soil fauna samples. This work has been greatly aided by the addition to the research team of a Masters student, Ms Sarah Johnstone. Ms Johnstone is working on soil entomology and its ecological functioning. Preliminary results indicate differences in both abundance and diversity of soil faunal groups between the organic and conventional farm management systems being investigated. There appears to be a lower overall abundance, but a greater diversity of soil arthropods in the organic crops compared with the conventional wheat crops. The organic system is dominated by the dipteran, acarina, araneae, colleoptera, and lepidoptera faunal groups. Whilst the conventional system is dominated by the collembolan and hymenoptera groups. Large numbers of entomobryoidea collembola are present on the conventional site. The distribution of the collembolan species may be an important indicator of the farming systems' ecological functioning and degree of disturbance.


 
 

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:	National Office of Animal and Plant Health PO Box 858 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone:	02 6271 6368
Fax:	02 6272 5835
Email:	Graeme.Evans@affa.gov.au
Objectives	To develop a scientifically sound and operationally feasible, management plan for adressing incursions of selected grouping of agricultural pests. The Plan would contain · an industry profile including area under crop, geographic distribution, production and exports · identification of serious exotic arthropod pests and pathogens and dossiers on these pests and pathogens · systematic analysis of possible pathways for entry and opportunites for reducing the risks by attention to the more likely routes for entry · Australia's plant health capability for identifying exotics, gaps in capability and response to these deficiencies · industry awareness / surveillance for exotic pests and pathogens · opportunities for industry action to forestall/mitigate losses that exotic pests and pathogens would cause · roles and responsibilities of Commonwealth and state plant health agencies and industry in addressing new invasions by pests and pathogens
Current Progress	An industry profile has been completed for citrus—details of citrus imports have been included to assist in analysis of possible pathways for pests to enter Australia. List of arthropods and pathogens most likely to enter Australia have been prepared  § staff have consulted with citrus industry specialists on exotic pests and pathogens of most concern to industry;  § dossiers have been produced from information extracted from AQIS Pest Risk Analyses (PRAs), CABI database and scientific literature on more than 20 pathogens and 15 pests;  § a critical review of existing target lists, PRAs and target list methodologies have been made;  § AQIS’s Pest and Disease Interception database has been interrogated for historical evidence of exotic pest and pathogen interceptions;  § information on quarantine import conditions, protocol for citrus budwood importations, biological data, trade and travel matters have been used to determine possible pathways for pests and pathogens;  § a methodology to give transparency to the selection of pests and pathogens for inclusion on the target lists has been developed—this methodology is currently being used to rank pests and pathogens of concern.  Target lists are to be sent to industry specialists and discipline authorities for comment with a series of questions regarding diagnostic capability, surveillance and control management matters. An overview of the general concepts of cost/benefit analysis has been made. The data requirements, limitations and social and political issues of cost/benefit are to be made, as well as a retrospective analysis of past pest eradication campaigns.

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 GPO Box 1700 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone:	02 6246 4045
Fax:	02 6246 4000
Email:	davidb@ento.csiro.au
Objectives	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 1. The introduction and quarantine clearance of previously identified biological control agents  2. 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	A postgraduate student at Cordoba University was contracted to study the impact of the leaf-beetle, Deuterocampta, on blue heliotrope populations during 1999-2000. This study has shown that the beetle can completely defoliate plants, killing some and reducing the biomass and seed production of those that survive attack. Parallel studies on the impact of the flea-beetle, Longitarsus, near Buenos Aires by the locally-engaged entomologist, confirm that this beetle, whose larvae feed on the roots, are also capable of seriously damaging and even killing plants. A final survey was carried out in central Argentina during February 2000, and confirmed that all four candidate agents, the two above plus a cell-sucking bug and a species of thrips, are confined to blue heliotrope and its close relatives within the genus Heliotropium. More distantly related species of Heliotropium did not support populations of these insects. This has been confirmed by an open-field specificity trial being conducted at the University of Buenos Aires. The two priority candidates selected were Deuterocampta and Longitarsus, and in February 2000, eggs of Deuterocampta were imported into quarantine in Australia for formal safety testing. Adults have been successfully reared from these and testing will commence in April 2000.

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 Long Pocket Laboratories PMB 3 INDOOROOPILLY QLD 4068
Phone:	07 3365 1867
Fax:	07 3365 1855
Email:	Robert.Sutherst@ento.csiro.au
Objectives	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 communications 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	Workshops were held on Wheat Stripe Rust (Puccinia striiformis) at Wagga Wagga in January 2000 and on Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella) in Brisbane in February 2000. The workshop attracted 20 and 11 participants respectively, including visitors from New Zealand and China. Participants gaining new insights into the ecology and management of their species, enriched by an exchange ideas in a novel framework that facilitated identification of gaps in knowledge. Reports are available at http://www.ento.csiro.au/research/pestmgmt/ IPMModellingNetwork/index.html A demonstration of DYMEX was made available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/books/ detail.cfm?Key=1550&CID=2&SID=1 and has been well received.  An invitation was extended to DYMEX users to contribute modules to a library for use by others in an attempt to gain leverage and economies by avoiding duplication of effort. Progress is being made on the business plan. The key issues that need to be defined in order to develop a successful, sustainable IPM Modelling Network are: the market; the environment; key success factors; marketing strategy; organisation; financial plan; business strategy and an action plan. An imminent meeting is proposed for a focus group backed up by a supplementary electronic survey, as part of a market analysis. Options for business models are under consideration, with a need to clarify the roles of the public and private sectors in particular.


 
 

Project Title	Irrigated cropping advance 2000: Industry development and implementation of best practice
RIRDC Project No.:	DAV-130A
Start Date:	1/09/97
Finish Date:	30/06/00
Researcher:	Dr. David Ugalde
Organisation:	Department of Natural Resources & Environment Institute for Sustainable Agriculture TATURA VIC 3616
Phone:	03 5833 5236
Fax:	03 5833 5299
Email:	David.Ugalde@nre.vic.gov.au
Objectives	· To increase adoption of best management practice in the irrigated cropping industry. · To provide quality extension material and some field-based agronomic R&D as the technical base for improving production and environmental management in the irrigated cropping industry. · To sustain the Southern Murray-Darling Basin Irrigated Cropping Forum in a manner that continues to develop the outcomes of the Forum's Industry Development Plans.
Current Progress	RIRDC Project DAV-130A is a part of a larger coordinated project between Natural Resources and Environment (Vic), GRDC, MDBC, LWRRDC, and RIRDC. It is also strongly supported by NSW Agriculture, CSIRO, and key sectors of the irrigated cropping industry. The project is assisting to underpin the continual development of the annual-based irrigated industries across the southern areas of the Murray-Darling Basin. It covers summer and winter grains, fodder, some annual vegetables and fruits, and annual pasture based enterprises. A major project output has been increased industry-based coordination of research, industry development, and information-based activities across all sectors of the industry. Most activities revolve around the Irrigated Cropping Forum as a peak body to coordinate and amalgamate activities from each of four major irrigation regions: the Lachlan Valley, the Murrumbidgee Valley, the NSW Murray Valley, and northern Victoria. The ICF, in turn, provides the national focus. The project is advancing knowledge on the principals and processes of managing soil, water, and nutrients within irrigated cropping, and is developing and demonstrating improved production systems that improve both economic and ecological sustainability. The Industry Development Plan of the Irrigated Cropping Forum formulated within Project DAV-130A, and copies of comprehensive progress reports are available.


 
 

Project Title	Use of fire to control parthenium weed
RIRDC Project No.:	QDN-7A
Start Date:	1/08/99
Finish Date:	31/12/02
Researcher:	Dr. Kunjithapatham Dhileepan
Organisation:	CRC for Tropical Pest Management PO Box 187 CHARTERS TOWERS QLD 4820
Phone:	02 4787 3300
Objectives	To evaluate the effectiveness of fire as a management tool to control parthenium weed. Fire, if found to be a successful method of control, will be the most cost-effective weed management option available in pastures and rangelands.
Current Progress	The project is progressing as planned with all treatment applications for 1999/2000 due for completion by mid to late May 2000. During the year a site has been selected and plots marked out, soil seed banks have been sampled pre and post treatment, pasture composition has been assessed, Spring burn and mow treatments have been applied and the number of parthenium plants in each treatment has been assessed. The soil seed bank is currently being grown out and species identified. Differences in the parthenium soil seed bank between treatments are still being assessed. Results to date have been influenced to some extent by a relatively late, poor wet season. This has reduced the number of parthenium plants and amount of grass produced this summer. Observations to date are have revealed two points of interest 1) there is considerably more flowering parthenium plants in burnt plots compared to mown and control plots and  2) the rate of parthenium seedling emergence from soil seed bank samples collected from burnt plots is considerably faster than parthenium seedling emergence from soil seed bank samples collected from all other plots.  Observations is subsequent years will clarify initial observations and enable an improved understanding of the impact of fire on parthenium.


 

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:	30/6/00
Researcher:	Associate Professor Barry Meehan
Organisation:	RMIT University
Phone:	03 9925 2119
Fax:	03 9639 1321
Email:	barry.meehan@rmit.edu.au
Objectives	To utilise wastes from agri-industries in the Melbourne/Metropolitan region by identifying, characterising and developing them as resources
Current Progress	The project has involved the assessment of the reuse potential of a number of wastes generated in the Melbourne Metropolitan area from post farm-gate activities. The waste streams selected for investigation on the basis of surveys conducted over a 12-month period are listed below. Industry Waste Type Ornamental Flower Production Composite of stems, foliage and waste flowers Leather Tanning……………….. Tannery sludges, Hair  Wool Scouring Scour sludge….. Wool Scour sludge , Dirt and Fibres  Food Waste……………………. Potato scraps, Potato sludge, Canned vegetables Based on the analysis most of the wastes were found to have heavy metal contaminant levels below EPA recommended guidelines for landfill disposal. Tannery hair was found to contain a considerable amount of N, however the product may first require pre-treatment to remove traces of chromium before it could be converted into a nutrient source for land application. Tannery sludges were inappropriate for agricultural land application due to chromium contamination. Food production wastes such as potato skins were found to be free from contaminants and could be composted in combination with other green organic wastes. Cut flower waste was found to contain levels of common biocide residues, however composting with other green waste was found to reduce the concentrations of these compounds below detectable levels. Further composting trials are underway blending potato skin wastes with green wastes. The project outcomes have been presented at two Waste Management Conferences in Australia and the project team will participate in a Composting and Organic Waste School in November 2000 with the Composting Team from Maine University in the United States.


 

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 Field Crops Pathology Unit Waite Campus GPO Box 397 URRBRAE SA 5001
Phone:	08 8303 9368
Fax:	08 8303 9393
Email:	Ophelkeller.kathy@saugov.sa.gov.au
Objectives	· 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	Strains of the fungal wilt pathogen Verticillium spp. can cause considerable economic losses in a wide range of crops in Australia. The aim of this project is the development of a PCR-based diagnostic procedure to allow the rapid and sensitive detection of seed and soil-borne Verticillium infections. Molecular techniques will be utilised to differentiate between pathogenic Verticillium spp., utilising variation within the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the ribosomal gene region to design specific primers for PCR. V. albo-atrum and V. dahliae share a number of host species and it is essential to accurately identify these pathogens. ITS gene sequencing of isolates of V. dahliae, from a range of host species, has been completed as well as microsatellite DNA analysis to determine variation between isolates. No clear association between V. dahliae microsatellite group with original host species could be established by this method. V. albo-atrum, a serious pathogen of lucerne, is not present in Australia. Isolates of this fungal strain have been sourced from overseas and will also be sequenced. The ability to identify V. albo-atrum in imported seed will be beneficial for the Australian lucerne industry and certify Australian seed free of the pathogen, while the detection, identification and quantification of soil-borne Verticillium spp. will aid in IPM strategies for cropping areas.

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Last updated: 8 September 2000
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