Wine Grape Information Kit. Agrilink, your growing guide to better farming guide

Each Agrilink kit has been designed to be both comprehensive and practical. As the kits are arranged to answer questions of increasing complexity, they are useful references for both new and experienced producers of specific crops. Agrilink integrates the technology of horticultural production with the management of horticultural enterprises. REPRINT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ! For updated information please call 13 25 23 or visit the website www.daf.qld.gov.au. This publication has been reprinted as a digital book without any changes to the content published in 1997. We advise readers to take particular note of the areas most likely to be out-of-date and so requiring further research: see detailed information on first page of the kit. Even with these limitations we believe this information kit provides important and valuable information for intending and existing growers. This publication was last revised in 1997. The information is not current and the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed by the State of Queensland. This information has been made available to assist users to identify issues involved in the production of wine grape. This information is not to be used or relied upon by users for any purpose which may expose the user or any other person to loss or damage. Users should conduct their own inquiries and rely on their own independent professional advice. While every care has been taken in preparing this publication, the State of Queensland accepts no responsibility for decisions or actions taken as a result of any data, information, statement or advice, expressed or implied, contained in this publication.

Selecting hardwood taxa for wood and fibre production in Queensland's subtropics.

Optimal matching of species to sites is required for a sustainable hardwood plantation industry in the subtropics. This paper reports the performance and adaptation of 60 taxa (species, provenances and hybrids) across two rainfall zones and a range of soil types in southern Queensland. Specifically, performance of taxa is compared across five replicated taxon–site matching trials at age 6 y. Three trials are in a 1000-mm y–1 rainfall zone of the Wide Bay region near Miriam Vale and two in a drier (about 750 mm y–1) rainfall zone near Kingaroy in the South Burnett region. In the higher-rainfall zone, the taxa with the fastest growth in the three trials at age 6 y were Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata Woondum provenance, which ranked 1st, 6th and 5th respectively; E. longirostrata Coominglah provenance, ranked 3rd, 2nd and 3rd; and two sources of E. grandis, Copperlode provenance (ranked 4th and 1st) and SAPPI seed orchard (ranked 6th and 4th), which were planted in only two of the three trials. Similarly, in the lower-rainfall zone, E. grandis and its hybrids appear promising from the 6-y growth data., This excellent early growth, however, has not continued in either rainfall zone, with these taxa, 8 y after planting, now showing signs of stress and mortality. Based on trial results in these two rainfall zones, the taxon that appears the most promising for sustainable plantation development with high average annual volume index values and low incidence of borer attack is Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata (6.7 m³ ha–1). Eucalyptus grandis and E. longirostrata both have better average annual volume indexes (8.2 m³ ha–1 and 7.4 m³ ha–1 respectively) but are very susceptible to borer attack. The current and long-term productivity and sustainability of plantation forestry in these rainfall zones is discussed. Further, the implications of predicted climate change (particularly reduced rainfall) for growing trees for fibre production and carbon sequestration are explored.

Tree growth relationships and silvicultural tools to assist stand management in private native spotted gum dominant forests in Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Spotted gum dominant forests occur from Cooktown in northern Queensland (Qld) to Orbost in Victoria (Boland et al. 2006) and these forests are commercially very important with spotted gum the most commonly harvested hardwood timber in Qld and one of the most important in New South Wales (NSW). Spotted gum has a wide range of end uses from solid wood products through to power transmission poles and generally has excellent sawing and timber qualities (Hopewell 2004). The private native forest resource in southern Qld and northern NSW is a critical component of the hardwood timber industry (Anon 2005, Timber Qld 2006) and currently half or more of the native forest timber resource harvested in northern NSW and Qld is sourced from private land. However, in many cases productivity on private lands is well below what could be achieved with appropriate silvicultural management. This project provides silvicultural management tools to assist extension staff, land owners and managers in the south east Qld and north eastern NSW regions. The intent was that this would lead to improvement of the productivity of the private estate through implementation of appropriate management. The other intention of this project was to implement a number of silvicultural experiments and demonstration sites to provide data on growth rates of managed and unmanaged forests so that landholders can make informed decisions on the future management of their forests. To assist forest managers and improve the ability to predict forest productivity in the private resource, the project has developed: • A set of spotted gum specific silvicultural guidelines for timber production on private land that cover both silvicultural treatment and harvesting. The guidelines were developed for extension officers and property owners. • A simple decision support tool, referred to as the spotted gum productivity assessment tool (SPAT), that allows an estimation of: 1. Tree growth productivity on specific sites. Estimation is based on the analysis of site and growth data collected from a large number of yield and experimental plots on Crown land across a wide range of spotted gum forest types. Growth algorithms were developed using tree growth and site data and the algorithms were used to formulate basic economic predictors. 2. Pasture development under a range of tree stockings and the expected livestock carrying capacity at nominated tree stockings for a particular area. 3. Above-ground tree biomass and carbon stored in trees. •A series of experiments in spotted gum forests on private lands across the study area to quantify growth and to provide measures of the effect of silvicultural thinning and different agro-forestry regimes. The adoption and use of these tools by farm forestry extension officers and private land holders in both field operations and in training exercises will, over time, improve the commercial management of spotted gum forests for both timber and grazing. Future measurement of the experimental sites at ages five, 10 and 15 years will provide longer term data on the effects of various stocking rates and thinning regimes and facilitate modification and improvement of these silvicultural prescriptions.

Duckweed-based Wastewater Treatment Systems: Design Aspects and Integrated Reuse Options for Queensland Conditions

Point sources of wastewater pollution, including effluent from municipal sewage treatment plants and intensive livestock and processing industries, can contribute significantly to the degradation of receiving waters (Chambers et al. 1997; Productivity Commission 2004). This has led to increasingly stringent local wastewater discharge quotas (particularly regarding Nitrogen, Phosphorous and suspended solids), and many municipal authorities and industry managers are now faced with upgrading their existing treatment facilities in order to comply. However, with high construction, energy and maintenance expenses and increasing labour costs, traditional wastewater treatment systems are becoming an escalating financial burden for the communities and industries that operate them. This report was generated, in the first instance, for the Burdekin Shire Council to provide information on design aspects and parameters critical for developing duckweed-based wastewater treatment (DWT) in the Burdekin region. However, the information will be relevant to a range of wastewater sources throughout Queensland. This information has been collated from published literature and both overseas and local studies of pilot and full-scale DWT systems. This report also considers options to generate revenue from duckweed production (a significant feature of DWT), and provides specifications and component cost information (current at the time of publication) for a large-scale demonstration of an integrated DWT and fish production system.

Wastewater remediation options for prawn farms - Aquaculture Industry Development Initiative 2002-04.

There are many potential bioremediation approaches that may be suitable for prawn farms in Queensland. Although most share generally accepted bioremediation principles, advocacy for different methods tends to vary widely. This diversity of approach is particularly driven by the availability and knowledge of functional species at different localities around the world. In Australia, little is known about the abilities of many native species in this regard, and translocation and biosecurity issues prevent the use of exotic species that have shown potential in other countries. Species selected must be tolerant of eutrophic conditions and ecological shifts, because prawn pond nutrient levels and pathways can vary with different assemblages of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. Generally, they would be included in a constructed ecosystem because of their functional contributions to nutrient cycling and uptake, and to create nutrient sinks in forms of harvestable biomass. Wide salinity, temperature and water quality tolerances are also valuable attributes for selected species due to the sometimes-pronounced effects of environmental extremes, and to provide over-wintering options and adequate safety margins in avoiding mass mortalities. To practically achieve these bioremediation polycultures on a large scale, and in concert with the operations of a prawn farm, methods involving seed production, stock management, and a range of other farm engineering and product handling systems need to be reliably achievable and economically viable. Research funding provided by the Queensland Government through the Aquaculture Industry Development Initiative (AIDI) 2002-04 has enabled a number of technical studies into biological systems to treat prawn farm effluent for recirculation and improved environmental sustainability. AIDI bioremediation research in southern Queensland was based at the Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre (BIARC), and was conducted in conjunction with AIDI genetics and selection research, and a Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) funded program (Coast and Clean Seas Project No.717757). This report compilation provides a summary of some of the work conducted within these programs.

Bivalves for the remediation of prawn farm effluent: identification of some potentially useful species in Southern Queensland

Several species of oysters, clams and mussels are currently being used around the world to create extra profits and help remediate waste-waters from mariculture operations. To identify opportunities and potentially suitable species of bivalves for remediation of prawn farm effluent in Australia, recent literature dealing with bivalve filtration is reviewed, and species occurring naturally in a banana prawn, Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis, grow-out pond and effluent streams at the Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre (BIARC) were collected, identified and assessed in terms of their tolerance of high silt loadings over 3 months. Three bivalve species predominated in the BIARC case study. These were the mud ark, Anadara trapezia, the rock oyster, Dendostrea folium, and the pearl shell, Pinctada maculata. The mud ark demonstrated the highest tolerance of silt loading (99% survival), followed by pearl shells and rock oysters (88 and 63% survival respectively).

Climate Change - Risks and Opportunities for the Custard Apple Industry

Climate affects the custard apple industry in a range of ways through impacts on growth, disease risk, fruit set and industry location. Climates in Australia are influenced by surrounding oceans, and are very variable from year to year. However, amidst this variability there are significant trends, with Australian annual mean temperatures increasing since 1910, and particularly since 1950, with night-time temperatures increasing faster (0.11oC/decade) than daytime temperatures (0.06oC/decade). These temperature increases and other climate changes are expected to continue as a result of greenhouse gas emissions, with ongoing impacts on the custard apple industry. Five sites were chosen to assess possible future climate changes : Mareeba, Yeppoon, Bundaberg, Nambour and Lismore, these sites representing the extent of the majority of custard apple production in eastern Australia. A fifth site (Coffs Harbour) was selected as it is south of the current production regions. A mean warming of 0.8 to 1.2oC is anticipated over most of these sites by the year 2030, relative to 1990. This paper assesses the potential effects of climate change on custard apple production, and suggests strategies for adaptation.

African mahogany. Abstracts from 'Darwin 2011 - African Mahogany Plantation Industry Forum'

This publication summarises the talks presented at ‘Darwin 2011 – African Mahogany Plantation Industry Forum’ held at the Department of Resources Research Facility, Berrimah, Darwin, 31st August and 1st September 2011. The forum brought together a vast amount of experience and knowledge about African mahogany and its prospects as a plantation timber tree in the dry tropics of northern Australia. The abstracts and references represent a valuable body of knowledge building on that recorded in previous African mahogany workshops in Mareeba (2004) and Townsville (2006). Besides the presenters’ abstracts, this publication provides a list of all the authors and their contact details and a complete list of all the cited references and further reading.

Equipping the mud crab industry with innovative skills through extension of best practice handling

Maximum adoption throughout the supply-chain of research findings that attained premium quality for live mud crabs.

BA09025 Commercial feasibility of banana waste utilization in food industry

As a response to the HAL banana call, this project will look to further utilization of bananas not suitable for the retail market.

Towards the development of an Australian cobia aquaculture industry

The project builds on successful industry collaborations in 2008 and 2009 to research key hatchery, production and marketing issues for cobia production in Queensland. Pacific Reef Fisheries and Ecofish International have identified cobia production as long term company goals and see the research and technology transfer in the project as a key part of this development.

Sustainable Beef Industry Improvement and Innovation

This project ensures Queensland's involvement in Beef CRC Project 5.4 Accelerated Adoption through Sustainable Beef Profit Partnerships (BPP). The project researches, develops and achieves measurable improvements in business and industry productivity, profit and efficiency.

Positioning the Cut Flower Industry to Respond to the Climate Change

Contribute to the current understanding of climate impacts on cut flower and foliage growing in Queensland.

Developing a Best Management Practice guideline for the Australian Banana Industry

Demonstrating environmental performance and sustainability is a strategic priority for the Australian banana industry. Development, delivery and uptake of an EMS will allow the industry to demonstrate this. It will maintain community confidence in the Australian banana industry and its commitment to careful environmental management and the protection of key Australian icons like the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics and ensure the industry’s right to farm, now and in the future.

Spanner Crabs Threatened in Queensland

The fishing industry of Queensland, embracing both marine and fresh waters, has weathered some rough seas over the past decade. Now rich resources of fish and crustacean species, many of which have as yet an unquantified potential, are being over exploited by fishermen who choose to ignore regulations in order to make quick dollars.