Strategic banana tissue culture industry development and biosecurity act

Application and development of activities based on in vitro technologies delivering research, industry development and biosecurity activities to sustain and improve the Australian banana industry.

Fruit fly host status testing of a new passionfruit cultivar

Fruit fly host status testing of a new passionfruit cultivar.

Developing Queensland 3D Tropical Fruits and Nuts modelling capabilities

Development of 3D functional structural plant models for macadamias and other tropical fruit and nuts.

Quantifying surfactant interaction effects on soil moisture

Quantifying surfactant interaction effects on soil moisture and turf quality.

CRC40088 Pre-harvest for Fruit Fly

CRCNPB funded project aimed to develop improved pre-harvest control strategies for Queensland fruit fly based on autecology and behaviour.

Infochemistry for pest management in plant crops

The development of integrated pest and disease management strategies have been a major research focus for DEEDI in the cropping, horticulture and forestry industries for many years.

ACIAR Integrated crop production of bananas

Integrated crop production of bananas to manage wilt diseases for improved livelihoods in Indonesia and Australia.

Protecting the Australian citrus industry from HLB (greening) disease

Protecting the Australian citrus industry from HLB (greening) disease.

Phosphonate use for Phytophthora root rot management in Shepard

Phytophthora root rot of avocados and is the major limiting factor to avocado production in Australia. The disease has a significant impact on productivity. An integrated program is recommended for Phytophthora root rot management with phosphorus acid a key component of this strategy. Monthly root analyses will be conducted on 5 avocado orchards across a range of growing environments on the Atherton Tablelands. Detailed tree phenology data will be collected orchard at the same time the root sampling occurs. In conjunction with the phenological data, decay curves will allow the development of recommendations to optimize phosphorous acid applications for the management of Phytophthora root rot in Shepard avocados.

Banana Plant Protection Program

Developing a National Banana Plant Protection Program four key strategic areas have been identified which each address a number of key strategic objectives. Taken together they address the key strategic objectives as outlined in the strategic plan. The four key strategic areas of the Plant Protection Program are: 1. Resistant Varieties and Consumer Choice; 2. Safeguarding Production and Markets; 3. Sustainable Production Systems; 4. Building Science and Communication.

Controlling plant and fruit diseases in strawberry fields

Grey mould, powdery mildew and stem-end rot are major diseases affecting the strawberry industry. Some of the chemicals used are ineffective under wet weather, have limits to the number of applications allowed in a season or may become ineffective in the long-term because of the development of resistance in the fungi. We will assess the effectiveness of the chemicals currently used by the strawberry industry and whether the fruit rot fungi are resistant to these fungicides. We will screen other chemicals that are used to control these diseases in related crops. We will also evaluate new chemicals in collaboration with the crop protectant industry. We will also undertake similar work to control nematodes in strawberry fields.

CRC27012 A National Diagnostic Database for Emergency Plant Pests

Development of a national diagnostic database for Emergency Plant Pests which will be web-accessible.

CRC40142 Defining the plant pathogen risk posed by international travellers

This project will define the plant pathogen incursion risk posed by people returning from overseas and interstate travel. This will be achieved through the development of technically sound sample/survey methodologies. The project will initially focus on cereal rusts. An assessment of the current level of human mediated rust entries into Australia will be determined through the sampling of travellers who have been known to have visited grain production regions overseas.

Post Entry Plant Quarantine

The seeds of the majority of commercial crops must be grown for one generation in post-entry plant quarantine on arrival in Australia. Live plants and cuttings must also undergo quarantine screening on arrival, and spend a minimum of three months in quarantine.