12903 research outputs found
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The witch hunt continues – the use of integrated research and treatment approaches to rid Australia of the parasitic plant pest red witchweed
No full textRed witchweed (RWW) was first detected on a sugarcane property in the Mackay region in July 2013. Extensive delimitation surveillance identified a total of eight infested properties (IPs), six cane properties and two cattle enterprises (formally cane), all within close geographic proximity. A nationally cost-shared integrated research and treatment eradication program commenced in 2015 to assess and then apply the most effective control treatments for Mackay conditions to destroy plants and accelerate seedbank decline. At the completion of eight years of regular surveillance and treatment activities, there has been a 99% reduction in the number of detections, a demonstrated 94% decline in the soil seedbank, 51% of paddocks have been released from quarantine and the net infested area has decreased by 24.5% to 5.42ha. This integrated research and collaborative approach (involving industry, State, Territory and Federal governments) provides confidence that the RWW Eradication Program is on track to be the first in the world to eradicate this species
Two independent LAMP assays for rapid identification of the serpentine leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard, 1926) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Australia
Get PDFLiriomyza huidobrensis is a leafminer fly and significant horticultural pest. It is a quarantine listed species in many countries and is now present as an established pest in Australia. Liriomyza huidobrensis uses a broad range of host plants and has potential for spread into various horticultural systems and regions of Australia. Rapid in-field identification of the pest is critically needed to assist efforts to manage this pest. Morphological identification of the pest is effectively limited to specialist examinations of adult males. Generally, molecular methods such as qPCR and DNA barcoding for identification of Liriomyza species require costly laboratory-based hardware. Herein, we developed two independent and rapid LAMP assays targeted to independently inherited mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Both assays are highly sensitive and specific to L. huidobrensis. Positive signals can be detected within 10 min on laboratory and portable real-time amplification fluorometers. Further, we adapted these assays for use with colorimetric master mixes, to allow fluorometer free in-field diagnostics of L. huidobrensis. Our LAMP assays can be used for stand-alone testing of query specimens and are likely to be essential tools used for rapid identification and monitoring of L. huidobrensis
Feral pig management for disease incursions: potential approaches and challenges
No full textIn Australia, feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are overwhelmingly viewed as a devastating agricultural and environmental pest, with increasingly coordinated control efforts conducted by producers or pest managers to manage their impacts. Feral pigs also carry pathogens of human health significance and contribute to the persistence and transmission of a range of endemic diseases or pathogens of livestock and wildlife. Importantly, feral pigs are the invasive species of most concern in Australia as potential vectors of exotic disease. The wide geographic distribution, habitat range and population densities of feral pig populations, together with limitations of control applications, offers considerable challenges to implementing effective disease management strategies. There is a variety of control methods (including shooting, trapping, poisoning, exclusion fencing, recreational and commercial harvesting) currently available, but optimal strategies for their use are often lacking or require field-testing to better inform end-users. More novel solutions, like those currently used or under development in Europe for wild boar may also have a role to manage feral pig movements but require careful consideration for applications under local conditions.
This presentation and paper briefly discusses current and novel methods to manage feral pig population size or movements, and the potential responses of feral pigs to control. This is used to highlight feral pig management challenges in the event of an exotic disease outbreak affecting feral pigs in Australia using African Swine Fever (ASF) as an example
Datasets for DAQ00211 - Quantifying the effectiveness of cover crops to increase water infiltration and reduce evaporation in the northern region
No full textThis collection includes datasets from experiments conducted across multiple sites within the Northern Region. These experiments aim to better understand the effectiveness of different cover cropping strategies on water infiltration and evaporation
Nitrogen cycling and management decision making in Central Queensland farming systems – N availability and recovery across the farming system – N impacts on productivity – implications for management in CQ
Get PDFTake home messages
The nitrogen (N) fertiliser demand for cereal cropping systems can increase due to two factors:
1. A reduction in the amount of soil organic N mineralised due to the continued decline of natural capital (soil organic carbon and total nitrogen) that occurs under cropping; and
2. An increased crop N demand due to higher yield potentials resulting from optimising other components of the cropping system.
The amount of biological N fixation by pulse crops (chickpea/mungbean) is related to the crop yield and biomass and the availability of soil mineral N from mineralisation or carry-over of residual fertiliser. Where deep phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) application increases chickpea biomass (and grain yield), there is generally more N fixed. While some of this is re-exported in grain, the greater residue return means more N is carried forward to the next crop.
Growers have a selection of fertiliser N management practices that have differing strengths and weaknesses – it is not a one-size-fits-all model for CQ (or northern region) farming systems. The 4R framework allows choice of rate, source, time and place for any nutrient applied to be implemented suiting each growers’ preferences, with on-going research addressing several themes in regional Qld
Torres Strait Finfish Fishery: Spanish mackerel stock assessment, with data to June 2022. Year Two Report.
Get PDFThe Torres Strait Spanish mackerel fishery commenced in 1941. The fishery for Spanish mackerel is by line fishing only and managed as a single stock. Spanish mackerel are important to the Torres Strait people and fishing culture. They are an economic and traditional food source.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority commissioned annual updates to the Torres Strait Spanish mackerel stock assessment for three years 2021–2023. This is to support quota management and to monitor spawning biomass estimates.
This stock assessment, the year-two project report, analysed data up to June 2022. The assessment was overseen by the Torres Strait Finfish Fishery Resource Assessment Group (TSFFRAG). Across analyses, the median estimated spawning biomass of Spanish mackerel in the 2021–2022 financial year (labelled the 2022 fishing year) was 31 percent of unfished estimates at the start of the fishery in 1941
Linking Carbendazim Accumulation with Soil and Endophytic Microbial Community Diversities, Compositions, Functions, and Assemblies: Effects of Urea-hydrogen Peroxide and Nitrification Inhibitors
No full textFungicide carbendazim accumulation in soils and plants is a wide concern. Nitrogen (N) is a substantial nutrient limiting crop growth and affecting soil microbial activity and the community in degrading fungicides. We investigated the effects of urea-hydrogen peroxide (UHP) and nitrification inhibitors Dicyandiamide (DCD) and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on carbendazim accumulation and soil and endophytic microbial communities. The UHP application had negligible influences on soil and plant carbendazim accumulation, but the combined UHP and DCD decreased soil carbendazim accumulation by 5.31% and the combined UHP and DMPP decreased plant carbendazim accumulation by 44.36%. The combined UHP and nitrification inhibitor significantly decreased the ratios of soil Firmicutes and endophytic Ascomycota. Soil microbial community assembly was governed by the stochastic process, while the stochastic and deterministic processes governed the endophyte. Our findings could provide considerable methods to reduce fungicide accumulation in soil–plant systems with agricultural N management strategies
The core fungal microbiome of banana (Musa spp.)
No full textHere, we report a metabarcoding (ITS2) study to define the common core fungal microbiome (mycobiome) of healthy Musa spp. (bananas and plantains). To identify a list of 21 core fungal taxa, we first characterised the effects of edaphic conditions and host genotype – two factors that are likely to differ between farms – on the diversity of fungal communities in bulk soil and seven plant compartments. This experiment facilitated shortlisting of core ‘candidates’, which were then elevated to full core status if also found to frequent a wide-range of field-grown Musa spp. and exhibit hub-like characteristics in network analyses. Subsequently, we conducted a meta-analysis of eleven publicly available datasets of Musa spp. associated fungi demonstrating that the core fungi identified in our study have close relatives in other countries. The diversity and composition of mycobiomes differed between plant compartments and soils, but not genotypes. The core mycobiome included Fusarium oxysporum and its relatives, which dominated all plant compartments, as well as members of the Sordariomycetes , Dothideomycetes , and Mortierellomycota . Our study provides a robust list of common core fungal taxa for Musa spp. Further studies may consider how changes in the frequencies and activities of these taxa influence host fitness and whether they can be managed to improve banana production
Natural durability of mid-rotation plantation Gympie messmate and red mahogany in a 13-year aboveground field test
No full textCompared with the same species from native forests, faster growth and earlier harvesting of plantation timber may cause reductions in heartwood extractive levels, density and decay resistance due to the immaturity of wood tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the decay resistance of mid-rotation plantation Gympie messmate and red mahogany heartwood in ground proximity and L-joint aboveground field tests at three sites in Queensland, Australia. After 12-13 years in both tests, the inner heartwood of each plantation species generally had more decay than the middle and outer heartwood. Middle heartwood was significantly less durable than outer heartwood for each plantation species in the ground-proximity test at the tropical South Johnstone site. Plantation Gympie messmate outer heartwood performed similarly to native-forest spotted gum, the high-durability reference species. Plantation red mahogany had more decay than Gympie messmate. Given the need for plantation timber to supplement supplies from sustainable native forest resources, substantial research is recommended to fully characterise the durability of key plantation hardwood species, including investigation of protective treatment supplementation and communication of design requirements
Reproductive performance of northern Australia beef herds. 1. Survey of nutritional, breeding and herd health management practices and of the environment
Get PDFData concerning the practices and policies of collaborating properties for nutritional, breeding and health management of herds were captured by survey of herd owners/managers (n = 78) at the commencement of a large observational study conducted across northern Australia to identify and quantify the effect of major animal-, management group- and property-level risk factors on measures of reproductive performance. The cooperating herds in this study were considered to be broadly representative of north Australian beef breeding enterprises in terms of geography, size and ownership. Using four broad regional categories, this paper presents descriptive summaries of the management practices and nutritional conditions of cooperating herds in what was known as the Cash Cow project. Property sizes were largest within the Northern Downs and Northern Forest, and smallest within the Southern Forest. The expected average annual growth of yearling steers was >50 kg less in the Northern Forest, compared with the other country types, which also appeared to be associated with the identified production system and turnoff animal. Despite the exacerbated nutrition and environmental challenges and likely increased time required for new managers within the Northern Forest to attain an in depth understanding of the cattle and property dynamics, this region had the greatest incidence of management changes. The nutritional information summarised in this study highlights that available phosphorus during the wet season, as indicated by faecal levels in proportion to dietary energy, was likely to limit animal production within the Northern Downs and Northern Forest. During the dry season, pasture digestibilty and protein levels were likely to be approaching maintenance for cows on ~50% of properties in each country type and that responses to rumen degradable protein were also likely on 50% of properties. Despite this finding, low use of dry season supplements was observed for the Northern Downs, which was partially explained by the high incidence of the management systems based on segregating cows on lactation status and pregnancy. In all country types, the ratio of bulls to cows was higher than the 2.5% recommended for extensively managed situations, while limited use of vaccines to control infectious causes of reproductive loss was also observed. The major conclusion of this study is that there was marked variation in the adaption of interventions to specific businesses, indicating considerable opportunity exists for further adaptation in the region