Issue No. 20/ SUMMER 2016

Using DNA to breed better working dogsfull story pg. 12-13

AUSTRALIAN COFFEE INDUSTRY LOOKS ABROAD FOR NEW VARIETIES pg. 5

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS COULD HALVE ON-FARM DEATHS pg. 7

HONEY BEE HEALTH CHECK pg. 3

RENEWABLE ENERGY DATABASE TO OPEN NEW MARKETS pg. 11

This edition of Diversity is the last before my retirement in late February, so I would like to reflect on some of the important things that RIRDC has undertaken and successfully delivered during my six years here.

I have particularly delighted watching the RIRDC-managed Horizon Scholarship grow from an initial pilot program six years ago to what is now a prestigious, popular and very highly regarded scholarship program.

The aim of the Horizon Scholarship has always been to provide holistic support to university students studying an agriculture-related degree. This means it is more than just providing monetary support; it includes work placements and personal development opportunities throughout the duration of a student’s degree.

A testament to the Horizon Scholarship’s ongoing success is the gratitude and positive feedback provided by the scholars involved in the program. It has opened doors, developed skills and even led to jobs after university, which demonstrates the practical, real-world focus of the Scholarship.

The refined focus of RIRDC’s new and emerging plant and animal R&D programs has resulted in improved outcomes for our stakeholders. Around four years ago, RIRDC changed its focus from lots of small budget projects with narrow scopes, to a smaller number of larger projects that have already or will result in more comprehensive and potentially industry-changing outcomes.

Another area in which RIRDC has purposefully increased its presence is in cross-sectoral R&D. RIRDC is the only research and development corporation with the remit to carry out larger-scale cross-sectoral research projects. In the past couple of years RIRDC has bolstered the resources and funding it dedicates to cross-sectoral R&D because the demand for more of this type of R&D continues to grow. RIRDC is very well regarded for its cross-sectoral R&D and the work we do helps inform the decision makers in industry and government.

I believe that cross-sectoral R&D should continue to be a focus at RIRDC, as there is a genuine need for this work to be done and the Corporation has both the will and the skills to fill that need.

I will still maintain a keen interest in the issues affecting rural and regional Australia during my retirement.

I will watch with interest as the government rolls out its plans for developing agriculture in northern Australia. RIRDC instigated the growNORTH CRC proposal, which led to the development of the CRC for Developing Northern Australia, announced last year in the White Paper on Developing Northern Australia.

I will also be taking an interest in issues like water management and competition for land use. These are complex issues that generate passionate arguments, which require well-considered and sound policy development.

I have very much enjoyed my time at RIRDC and would like to thank the Corporation’s Board, past and present, and staff for their support, counsel, dedication and commitment to their work.

I am sure the Corporation has a strong future and I wish RIRDC’s staff, the rural industries they support and all of RIRDC’s stakeholders well in the future.

Craig Burns Managing Director, RIRDC

Message from the Managing Director

Message from the Managing Director ................. 2

Honey bee health check .............................................. 3

Carob on the cusp of expansion ........................................ 4

Australian coffee industry looks abroad for new varieties .............................................. 5

Fatal attraction: taking on small hive beetles ..............................................................6

Simple solutions could halve on-farm deaths ....................................................................7

Using DNA to breed better working dogs .................................................................. 8-9

Rice industry leadership program ....................... 10

Renewable energy for the chicken meat industry ................................................ 10

Renewable energy database to open new markets ................................................... 11

Diversity at your fingertips ........................................ 12

Vegetation screens improve the chicken farm environment ................................................. 13

Prestigious international award for Australian poultry research scientist .................. 13

RIRDC Managing Director, Craig Burns retires .................................................................... 14

Training videos help lift beekeeper productivity ............................................ 14

Managing Climate Variability for Australian farmers ................................................. 15

Front cover photo by Lorraine Williams

2

RURAL DIVERSITYIssue No. 20 / SUMMER 2016

Honey bee health check Australia has one of the healthiest honey bee populations in the world, a recent RIRDC-funded survey has found.

Australia’s first truly national survey of honey bee viruses has found that we have one of the healthiest honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations in the world.

The last survey, almost 30 years ago, used serological methods and only took in populations in eastern Australia. In the years following that 1987 survey, several new pests and diseases arrived, including the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana, in 2007. While no exotic mites or honey bee viruses were introduced, significant knowledge gaps prompted the United States to prohibit imports of Australian queens and packaged bees due to fears they could spread unwanted viruses.

This most recent honey bee health survey represents a key step in re-establishing the suspended US market for Australian honey bees and maintaining other export markets at risk.

The project was conducted by the CSIRO, led by John Roberts and funded by the Honey Bee and Pollination Program, a partnership of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (HIA) and the Australian government.

Researchers used molecular tools to screen 1,240 hives representing 155 apiaries across Australia for 10 honeybee viruses, as well as using hive inspections at each apiary and molecular testing to monitor the spread of non-viral pests and diseases.

Beekeeper and Program spokesman James Kershaw said that as well as informing our markets, the findings would help with better management of hives at home.

“Slow paralysis virus (SPV) and deformed wing virus (DWV) are major concerns for the industry globally, and Australia can now claim ‘freedom from disease’ with respect to both, as they were not found in the survey,” Mr Kershaw said.

“It’s important to protect this status with biosecurity systems that will help to ensure these viruses are not introduced through imported honey bee stock.”

The survey confirmed the distribution of viruses and other pathogens already known to be present in Australia, such as Nosema ceranae (a spore-forming parasite), European foulbrood and chalkbrood.

“As an industry, confirmation of just how widespread some of these pathogens are has highlighted the need to give higher priority to improvements in their management as they have a significant impact on productivity.

“We also need more research to provide better information about how different management options affect the levels of Nosema and various other viruses, as well as their impacts on honey bee health.”

The Australian honey bee industry is represented in all states and territories, supplying honey and other bee products — including queens and packaged bees — for domestic users and international export markets. The industry has an estimated gross value of production of $92 million a year, with live bee exports estimated to

be worth $6 million, when the US market is accessible. The honey bee industry also provides paid pollination services to the horticultural and agricultural sectors, which are valued at more than $4 billion a year.

RIRDC Managing Director Craig Burns said, “This research will benefit Australian honey bee and pollination-dependent industries through a better understanding of the pathogen landscape affecting honey bee health. There are also potential benefits to beekeepers that wish to export live honey bees through greater market access and security.”

Mr Burns highlighted the value of monitoring for biosecurity and pest and disease management.

“The current honey bee health status should be protected and considered in policy development for importing new genetic stock. This study identified multiple pathogens that need improved management and should be prioritised as a valuable strategy for increasing industry productivity.”

The complete report can be found https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/15-096, with a summary at https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/15-095.

For more information about the identification and management of bee pests and diseases already present in Australia, go to www.beeaware.org.au.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and information about beekeeping and pollination with the BeeAware e-newsletter. Go to www.beeaware.org.au/subscribe.

More information: Dave Alden, Senior Program Manager Animal Industries – RIRDC, 02 6271 4128, dave.alden@rirdc.gov.au

Honey Bee and Pollination Program: www.rirdc.gov.au/honeybee-pollination

Australia’s honey bee populations are among the healthiest in the world, a recent survey has found. The survey represents a key step in re-establishing the suspended US market for Australian honey bees and maintaining other export markets at risk.

A number of horticulture industries rely on pollination services.

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Carob on the cusp of expansionOnce considered chocolate’s poor relation, carob’s substantial health benefits and varied markets are pushing this versatile tree crop back into the spotlight.

Carob has long been highly regarded for the valuable locust bean gum obtained from its seeds, and carob kibble is rich in dietary fibre, sugars and a range of bioactive compounds.

While chocolate made from carob is acknowledged to have an inferior taste to chocolate made from cocoa, baked products made from carob powder are another matter. New research funded by RIRDC has found that carob powder can produce delicious products such as muffins that have a range of health benefits.

Carob has a higher dietary fibre content than cocoa. Dietary fibre has numerous health benefits for cardiovascular function, cancer prevention and bowel health. Carob is free from caffeine and thiobromine, compounds that may cause an allergic response and have addictive and stimulant properties. It also has a lower fat content than cocoa.

This isn’t RIRDC’s first foray into carob research. Back in 1999, RIRDC funded research into the potential of carob for agroforestry in low-rainfall areas.

Secretary-Treasurer of Carobs Australia, Henry Esbenshade, has been researching carobs since the 1970s. Initially interested in carob from an agroforestry perspective, he discovered that carob gum was highly sought after by food producers for use in ice cream and other food products. In 1986, he wrote a book about carob and went on to form the Carob Growers Association, now called Carobs Australia. Dr Esbenshade was also the first in Australia to develop carob syrup, after seeing it produced in Cyprus.

Around the year 2000, South Australian producers Michael & Jam Jolley of the Australian Carob Company were independently investigating carob and started a plantation of 6000 trees in the mid-north of South Australia. Sixteen years on, they and other Australian carob growers are now processing and exporting carob products to a number of domestic and overseas markets.

Thanks to the work of these and other early pioneers, there is now a small but growing carob industry in Australia.

John de Majnik, RIRDC’s Senior Program Manager – Plant Industries, says the latest research shows a lot of market potential for Australian carob growers.

“People are always looking for new ‘superfoods’,” Dr de Majnik says. “The research has demonstrated that carob powder is able to produce delicious baked goods, and is high in antioxidants and high in fibre.

“We are entering a new and exciting stage where we can explore new products, and there’s a lot of potential upside for carob growers in this country.”

More information: John de Majnik, Senior Program Manager Plant Industries – RIRDC, 02 6271 4138, john.demajnik@rirdc.gov.au

Carobs Australia, www.carobsaustralia.com.au, (08) 9381 7820, info@carobsaustralia.com.au

Carob at a glance• Carob trees are best grown in a Mediterranean climate

and conditions, preferring well-drained alkaline, especially limestone soils. Carob is drought tolerant to about 450mm annual rainfall, and can tolerate salinity but not plantings on wet, low country. Seedlings can perish in frosty conditions; however, once established, carobs can regenerate if burnt back by freezing temperatures.

• The Australian carob industry has been evolving since the early 1980s. An export industry was established as recently as 2014 and there is potential to increase production levels and export volumes.

• Carob trees, seeds and pods, have many uses, spanning dozens of industries.

• A slow-growing crop, carob trees can take up to 10 years to reach full commercial production levels.

Native to the Mediterranean region, the carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is a flowering evergreen tree cultivated mainly for its edible pods and seeds, but also grown as an ornamental garden specimen.

Whole carob pods are used unprocessed as stock feed or coarsely ground (‘kibbled’) to separate the seed and pulp.

The seed is usually sold to be processed into gum and used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and pet food industries; or in the manufacture of inks, paints, ceramics, paper and chewing gum. The kibbled pulp is used as stock feed, sold as is to the food industry or processed (raw or roasted) into powder or syrup.

High in nutritional value and flavour, carob powder or syrup is a natural sweetener and a caffeine-free cocoa substitute, used in a range of food products including confectionery, syrups, pastes and desserts.

Carobs plantings have steadily increased due to new industry developments, including the availability of grafted cultivars, technical information, the ability to harvest mechanically and the opportunity to sell raw pods to Australian processors for milling and on-selling of seed.

While carob is grown throughout Australia, the key production regions are western New South Wales, South Australia and the northern agricultural region of Western Australia.

Carob production is a small but growing industry, with grower interests represented by Carobs Australia Inc.

Unripe carob pods on the tree. New research has found that carob powder can produce delicious baked products that also have a range of health benefits.

4

RURAL DIVERSITYIssue No. 20 / SUMMER 2016

Australian coffee industry looks abroad for new varietiesCoffee lovers may think that Colombia, Brazil or Kenya produces the best coffee, but Australian-grown coffee has proven to be among the best in the world.

The Australian coffee industry has matured enormously over the past two to three decades, although agronomic challenges remain.

Australian producers, with assistance from RIRDC, are now looking to coffee-producing giants Colombia and Brazil to provide new, more manageable varieties.

Australia has a small but vibrant coffee industry with a concentration around northern NSW. There are around 300 to 400ha under crop and a further 2500ha with the potential — in soils, slope, rainfall, freedom from frost, and latitude — to grow coffee.

Horticulturalist David Peasley has been intimately involved with the Australian industry since the early 1980s. His interest in coffee was piqued when he experimented with planting a couple of trees of the old local variety on his own property.

“Coffee has been grown from the Clarence River up into south-east Queensland since the 1880s,” Mr Peasley says. “It grew well and was seen as a good crop for the region. However, in the 1920s, labour costs became too high and we couldn’t compete with developing countries that were producing coffee cheaply.”

Mr Peasley recalls how in the early 1980s, Ian Downs, an important figure in development of Papua New Guinea’s coffee industry, returned to Australia.

“He encouraged me to reinvigorate the local coffee industry, however labour costs at the time made that impossible,” Mr Peasley says.

The emergence of machine harvesting in the mid-1980s changed that and Australia began producing coffee once again.

In 1988, Mr Peasley established field trials in Australian subtropical conditions to determine suitable varieties for Australian conditions. A Kenyan variety, K-7, proved to be the best.

“It thrived in Australian conditions,” Mr Peasley says. “It was resistant to coffee rust, it harvested well, yielded terrifically and produced high-quality coffee. Ninety-five per cent of coffee grown in NSW is still K-7.”

The trials ran over five years, which, in hindsight, he says, was not quite long enough.

“K-7 was ultimately too vigorous. After about eight or nine years, growers have to prune it, which means losing the crop for that year. We were faced with two choices: either take the K-7 out every 10 years and replant them, or find a semi-dwarf variety.”

Mr Peasley, along with Southern Cross University and the local coffee industry executive, approached RIRDC to help find a new coffee variety for Australian conditions. They established 10 criteria, with the semi-dwarf characteristic the main requirement. The others were characteristics already established in K-7, including harvestability, suitability to local climate, and high quality.

Cenicafé, Colombia, was the obvious place to search. Cenicafé is the coffee research program supporting Colombia’s multi-billion dollar coffee industry. It has 60 scientists and 5000 agronomists working on all aspects of coffee production.

Mr Peasley left for Colombia in August 2015. He looked at more than 1200 coffee varieties during his visit and ultimately settled on six — three from Colombia and three from Brazil.

“I had been to Brazil before, but this was my first trip to Colombia and it was focused on some high-powered research. They did 20 years of research to develop resistance to coffee rust before it arrived in the country and came up with these fantastic varieties. They’re the ones we’re chasing now.”

Changes within Cenicafé’s management structure has delayed the delivery of the new varieties, however, the Colombian breeding team sees real value in the exchange of knowledge and material, and is keen for the research to continue.

In the meantime, Mr Peasley says the coffee coming from Australian producers is up there with the best in the world, which has been borne out in the results of blind taste tests and international competitions.

“The coffee growers we have now think beyond the plantation, right through to the cup. They are thinking about quality,” he says.

The coffee growers we have now think beyond plantation, right through to the

cup. They are thinking about quality.”

Australia has a small but vibrant coffee industry.

Green coffee beans ready for roasting. The new imported semi-dwarf coffee varieties for Australian conditions will have the same high-yielding, high-quality characteristics, but without the need for pruning.

5

Fatal attraction: taking on small hive beetlesFermenting slime isn’t exactly attractive to us, but it’s one of the many odours being tested in lures aimed at keeping small hive beetles out of bee hives as the pests start to move around over summer.

Small hive beetles are estimated to cause millions of dollars in losses to beekeepers in Australia each year as they spread across the east coast of Australia, feeding on bee larvae and turning honey into a smelly, fermented slime.

Field trials are currently being conducted by a team from the Department of Agriculture, led by Dr Diana Leemon. It’s funded by the Honey Bee and Pollination R&D Program, a partnership between the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Horticultural Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) and the Australian Government, along with the Wheen Bee Foundation and the Queensland Beekeepers’ Association.

Beekeeper and Program spokesman James Kershaw says developing a synthetic odour that attracts the beetles to

a trap instead of hives would provide many benefits to the industry.

“There are existing treatments once you have beetles inside the hive, but this project is trying to keep them away in the first place,” Mr Kershaw said.

“Various odours have been successfully tested in the lab. The trick will be to make them strong enough to work outside, more attractive than whatever draws the beetles to the hives, and long-lasting enough to be practical.

“If we can get it right, beekeepers could lay traps a few days before they bring in their hives, to get rid of any small hive beetles in the area.

“It could also provide a way to monitor beetle numbers in specific areas, and to detect them as they advance across the country — and into new countries like Europe and New Zealand, which have so far managed to remain largely unaffected.”

This year’s field trials follow a pilot last summer, which used non-specific commercially available traps baited with different lure compounds.

These had varying levels of success in capturing beetles — near honeybee hives and native bee hives and in locations away from any known hives — which has helped to narrow the number of compounds being tested.

This year’s trials will also involve investigations into alternative trap designs.

For more information about small hive beetles and their management, go to www.beeaware.org.au

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and information about beekeeping and pollination with the BeeAware e-newsletter. Go to beeaware.org.au/subscribe

If we can get it right, beekeepers

could lay traps a few days before they bring

in their hives, to get rid of any small hive beetles in the area.”

Dr Andrew Hayes, Chemical Ecologist and Brogan Amos, PhD student examining small hive beetles from the trial traps. The trials are aiming to develop a synthetic odour that lures the beetles to a trap instead of to the beehives.

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RURAL DIVERSITYIssue No. 20 / SUMMER 2016

Simple solutions could halve on‑farm deathsAlmost half the deaths on farms could be prevented, simply by implementing existing solutions, the Primary Industries Health and Safety Partnership (PIHSP) has found.

The PIHSP is a partnership in the true sense of the word: collaboration between GRDC, CRDC and RIRDC (the Grains, Cotton, and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporations), Australian Meat Processor Corporation, and Meat and Livestock Australia.

For more than 15 years, the Partnership has been investing in research to drive improvements in the health, safety and productivity of those working in the primary industries.

The 2013–2017 PIHSP Plan is focused on removing the barriers that prevent primary producers from improving their safety practices. This involves understanding not just the primary industry business environment, but also the operating environment and personal factors, known as the ‘safety culture’.

Persuading primary producers to create a safe work environment remains a substantial challenge, as the high rates of work-related injury and illness attest. However, many of these injuries and fatalities could easily be prevented, according to James Cook University’s Richard Franklin.

Associate Professor Franklin wrote the PIHSP report ‘Exploring the Barriers and Facilitators to Adoption of Improved Work Practices for Safety in the Primary Industries’.

“In 2013, the 48 deaths in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries represented a quarter of all workplace fatalities,” he said. “It was equal to 15.11 fatalities per 100,000 workers, which was nine times the national rate of 1.64.”

He says the rates of death and injury on farms and fishing vessels have improved, but are still unacceptable.

“We found a perfect example of how lives could be saved quite easily in figures relating to deaths involving farm utes. From 2001 to 2014, there were 45 fatalities, and half these people died because they weren’t wearing seatbelts or because they were being carried in the tray.

“When it comes to health, a willingness to make changes is at least partly dependent on people’s perceptions of how likely something is to happen to them, and how serious they think the consequences could be. Farmers are also highly practical, and need evidence of how changing practices will improve their safety, production or income.”

The major barriers were universal and consistent across industries. They included attitudes, perceived cost, time and inconvenience to implement changes.

However, the research showed the creation of a culture of safety in the primary industries is possible, with strong leadership and positive attitudes from key people.

Safer technologiesIn addition to cultural change, new technology is delivering promising results in the meat-processing sector. Injuries from traditional bandsaws have resulted in hundreds of hours of lost time and substantial compensation costs. But the BladeStop™ bandsaw will mechanically stop the bandsaw blade within 15 milliseconds when the unit senses that a person has come in contact with the blade.

Southern Meats, based at Goulburn in southern New South Wales, has invested in several BladeStop™ bandsaws. OH&S Manager Claire Graham says the new technology has made it easier to encourage people to learn how to operate the bandsaw.

“Nobody wants to learn a dangerous job that can potentially cause amputation of fingers and loss of income, which can lead to added stress for those who have families. Now a lot more staff members are interested in learning the ropes on the new bandsaws.”

Southern Meats employee Fred McGregor was previously injured on a traditional bandsaw, but is now back at work and using the BladeStop™ machines.

“The new technology is amazing. It gives all of us a greater sense of confidence,” Mr McGregor says. “You know you’ll get home to your family at the end of the day in one piece.”

To download a copy of the report Exploring the Barriers and Facilitators to Adoption of Improved Work Practices for Safety in the Primary Industries, or for more information about the partnership, visit www.rirdc.gov.au/PIHSP

More information: Kylie Brettschneider, ph. 02 6271 4144, kylie.brettschneider@rirdc.gov.au

The Primary Industries Health and Safety Partnership invests in research to drive improvements in the health, safety and productivity of those working in the primary industries. According to James Cook University’s Richard Franklin, people working in primary industries are highly practical, and need evidence of how changing practices will improve their safety, production or income.

7

Using

Breeding and training farm dogs is a complex enterprise. Thanks to a RIRDC-funded gene-mapping project, Australia’s farmers can now access information to help them breed better working dogs.

DNAto breed better working dogs

With more than 83,000 dogs working on Australian farms, their contribution to the rural economy is substantial.

For many years Australia’s livestock industries have used genetic traits to breed better sheep and cattle, and now farmers are set to do the same thing to breed better working dogs.

A study funded by RIRDC and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and carried out by veterinary researchers at the University of Sydney has identified and mapped the genetic traits that will improve the accuracy of breeding high-performing working dogs.

Researchers used DNA analysis to calculate heritability estimates that could underpin a database for potential estimated breeding value (EBV) calculations. EBVs are well established and widely used in livestock industries.

The research showed that many of the traits that working dog breeders and handlers value, such as trainability

and boldness with stock, have strongly inherited components. These heritability estimates indicate how effective a selective breeding program will be and can also be used to generate EBVs. This will help breeders to better select breeding dogs and identify kennels with similar breeding goals to their own.

The study discovered that the traits that cluster most strongly together in working dogs are intelligence, calmness, patience and trainability.

It also calculated the economic worth of the working dog, by estimating the costs associated with acquiring, training and maintaining them, and an estimate of the work they typically perform over a lifetime. This calculation revealed a five-fold return on investment.

Until now, the economic worth of working dogs had not been calculated and objective measures of desirable genetic traits had been unavailable, denying working dog owners the opportunity to make informed breeding decisions.

The study’s lead researcher, Professor Paul McGreevy from the University of Sydney, said the research paved the way for a robust and objective system of selection and breeding to be put in place.

“Despite widespread acknowledgement of the important contribution the Australian livestock working dog makes to livestock industries and the rural economy, many aspects that influence dog performance and breeding and selection success have not been previously quantified, and a lot were anecdotal,” Professor McGreevy said.

“To optimise dog performance and success rates, and thus minimise so-called wastage, this research was required to provide evidence-based information to those who breed, train, handle, work and trial livestock working dogs.

“Optimising dog performance requires that we understand husbandry, training and management techniques. This study did that by revealing management factors and handler attributes that relate to the success of dogs in the workplace.”

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RURAL DIVERSITYIssue No. 20 / SUMMER 2016

As part of the study, information was collected from more than 800 dog owners relating to more than 4,000 dogs. The 2013 Farm Dog Survey was used to gather this information and it included questions about working dog usage and management factors, as well as the characteristics of dog owners and handlers. The pedigrees of more than 80,000 working Kelpies were also analysed.

The study identified the working behaviours of most value to farmers and found that owners were generally good assessors of their own dogs’ core attributes. Valuable information on how hard farm dogs work during peak periods, such as shearing, was also obtained. Preliminary results suggested that yard trial scores reflected important aspects of work performance, were useful in understanding a dog’s efficiency in yard work, and suggested that high-scoring dogs cause less stress to sheep.

The study also identified important management factors and handler

attributes that influenced the success of dogs in the workplace. Significant associations were identified between success rate and seven variables:

• dog breed

• housing method

• trial participation

• age of the dog at acquisition

• electric collar use

• hypothetical maximum treatment expenditure

• the conscientiousness score of an owner’s personality.

These findings emphasised the impact of the handler on a dog’s working success and should inform extension programs that emerge from the study. One example from the study was that electric collar use was associated with poor outcomes in the workplace.

The study calculated that the dogs typically work for five hours a day, five days a week during the peak shearing period. It also

found that they typically travel more than 40km a day and reach maximum speeds of 37km an hour.

In particular, the study has contributed new information about Kelpies, their special qualities and how to get the best of out of them. It has also put in place a process for assessing a dog’s performance and breeding potential. This has laid a strong foundation for ongoing research and development to deliver detailed information to stakeholders.

The project was provided valuable in-kind support from the Working Kelpie Council of Australia. The comprehensive research report, ‘Valuable behavioural phenotypes in Australian farm dogs’ can be downloaded free from the RIRDC website: https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/15-081

More information: Professor Paul McGreevy, 02 9351 2810, paul.mcgreevy@sydney.edu.au

9

Rice industry leadership programLike many other agricultural sectors, the rice industry is facing a conundrum: a declining number of growers and a mature leadership body looking to secure the future of the industry.

A critical question currently facing Australia’s rice industry is: Who will be the next cohort of young leaders? To address this, the Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia Inc. (RGA) has developed a comprehensive range of awards and scholarships designed to boost the ranks of emerging rice industry leaders.

In addition to support for tertiary students, the RGA offers a dedicated program for emerging leaders within the rice industry and their partner organisations across the Riverina: the RGA Emerging Leaders of the Rice Industry Leadership Development Program. With funding from RIRDC, the RGA has engaged the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

(ARLF) to design and deliver this program.

The program is ambitious, with a comprehensive curriculum focused on succession planning and strategic contributions to boards and committees; advocacy and governance; and self-awareness and leadership qualities.

There is a maximum of 20 participants each year, with RGA branches providing 12 to 14 nominations from their regions (Wakool, Deniliquin, Berriquin, Victoria, Coleambally, Hay, Mirrool and Yanco).

Organisations supporting the rice industry — including Local Land Services, irrigation companies, SunRice, and government organisations — nominate one person each to make up the remaining six participants.

RGA Executive Director, Andrew Bomm, says the RGA’s objective is to develop the leadership capacity and resilience of its sector.

“The overall objectives of the leadership program – and the other scholarships and awards supported by RGA — are to assist participants to deepen their understanding

and appreciation of the need for flexible and responsive leadership,” Mr Bomm says.

Dr John de Majnik, Senior Program Manager Plant Industries — RIRDC, says rice is leading the way in building a strong future for its industry through investment in young leaders.

“Many industries are faced with a looming leadership gap, but few are addressing the issue as proactively as the rice industry,” he says.

Investigating rice pricing optionsDrew Braithwaite, from Griffith in New South Wales, is a 2016 Nuffield Scholar.

Mr Braithwaite and his wife Abby farm with his parents Ian and Colleen on their 1100-hectare irrigated mixed cropping enterprise in the Riverina. They plant 300 hectares of rice each year.

Mr Braithwaite plans to investigate the value of Sunrice’s strong consumer brands to the rice industry and if access to other pricing options such as hedging would be a better option to optimise returns to rice growers.

“There are not many innovative selling options available for rice and more research is needed into the value of hedging products, such as fixed contracts, SWAPS and options for the Australian rice industry,” Mr Braithwaite says.

Information on the awards, scholarships and leadership programs available to those in the rice industry is available at http://www.rga.org.au/education/awards-and-scholarships.aspx or via the RGA at (02) 6953 0433.

More information: John de Majnik, Senior Program Manager Plant Industries – RIRDC, 02 6271 4138, john.demajnik@rirdc.gov.au

Renewable energy for the chicken meat industryWith energy prices increasing year on year, Tamworth chicken farmer Guy Hebblewhite sees biogas as one way to rein in energy costs.

“Electricity and gas costs are going through the roof,” Mr Hebblewhite said. “To achieve sustainable long-term growth, we need to keep a lid on those expenses.”

Using a 2013 Nuffield Scholarship funded by the RIRDC Chicken Meat Program, he studied how farm businesses around the world were using the technology.

Biogas is a mix of the gases produced when organic matter is broken down through anaerobic digestion. The manure produced in intensive chicken production provides a perfect feedstock for biogas generation.

The anaerobic digestion and biomass technology generate a substantial amount of heat and Mr Hebblewhite saw a chance to use that heat to create a renewable energy source.

The Nuffield scholarship took him to farming operations in Canada and USA, as well as the UK, the Netherlands and Germany.

“It was fantastic learning from farmers who had adopted the anaerobic digestion and biomass technology, whether in a dairy, a turkey farm, or just a stand-alone unit,” he said.

However, the technology is not cheap.

“A biogas system is worth around [AUD] two million dollars, so they are heavy capital investment options,” Mr Hebblewhite said. “But, we need to look beyond the short-term costs to the long-term benefit these systems provide.

“These benefits include gas for heating, electricity for ventilation and year-round dry litter for the sheds, which is a massive animal welfare benefit.”

Mr Hebblewhite believes ‘green’ branding – educating the public about the industry’s use of renewable energy – represents a massive opportunity for the Australian chicken meat industry.

More information: Dr Kylie Hewson, RIRDC External Program Manager – Chicken Meat, 02 9929 4077, kylie.hewson@chicken.org.au or Guy Hebblewhite, 0432 121 450, guy@praedium.com.au

The RGA offers a dedicated program for emerging leaders within the rice industry and their partner organisations across the Riverina: the RGA Emerging Leaders of the Rice Industry Leadership Development Program.

10

RURAL DIVERSITYIssue No. 20 / SUMMER 2016

Renewable energy database to open new markets A new database will track the locations of existing and potential biomass that could be purchased to generate renewable bioenergy, opening new markets for farmers and businesses.

The database is being developed by the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC).

Biomass is any organic matter of plant or animal origin, and is available in many forms, such as agricultural products, forestry products, and municipal and other waste. It can be used to generate electricity and heat or to produce liquid fuels for transport.

Traditionally, woody biomass has been the main feedstock for bioenergy, however more recent technologies have expanded the potential resources to include agricultural residues, oilseeds and algae.

RIRDC is developing the database with $3 million support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). It will bring together data on biomass resources across Australia, providing a clearer picture of where untapped sources of biomass are available.

RIRDC’s Managing Director, Craig Burns, said the $6.2 million project would help the Australian bioenergy sector become better integrated and ultimately more productive and efficient.

“This database will build better linkages between biomass producers, many of whom are farmers, and bioenergy generators. It will make it easier to develop biomass generation and biofuel projects in Australia,” Mr Burns said.

“The database should also help farmers and businesses get more value from organic material destined for landfill, disposal or other low-value uses by more easily identifying potential buyers for that biomass.

“Once RIRDC has collected the data, it will be used to map where biomass resources are currently – or where they are predicted to be – and then group this with other data on transport infrastructure, land use capability and demographics.”

RIRDC will work with states and territories to collect data on the location, volumes and availability of biomass for inclusion on the ARENA-supported Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI)

platform. AREMI is a centrally accessible repository for ARENA project information and shares mapping data and information with the renewable energy industry.

“There is huge growth potential in the bioenergy sector. Bioenergy currently accounts for nearly one per cent of Australia’s electricity production and seven per cent of renewable electricity production. Biofuels account for about one to three per cent of Australia’s fuel consumption,” Mr Burns said.

The first tranche of data will be uploaded to the database in mid-2016 and the project is scheduled for completion in November 2020.

As part of the project, Queensland University of Technology and the University of the Sunshine Coast will form a partnership to develop interactive analytic tools to enhance the utility of the data. The investigative tools will be developed in conjunction with various industry sectors to present useful information on current and future potential biomass resources.

Margie Heath, RIRDC Program Manager, 02 6271 4145 margaret.heath@rirdc.gov.au

Traditionally, woody biomass has been the main feedstock for bioenergy, however more recent technologies have expanded the potential resources to include agricultural residues, oilseeds and algae.

There is a huge growth potential in the bioenergy sector. Bioenergy currently accounts for nearly one per cent of Australia’s electricity production and seven per cent of renewable electricity production.”

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Diversity at your fingertipsWhatever the size of your enterprise, diversification can spread risk, increase profits, improve environmental resilience and simply add interest to your work.

The farmdiversity.com.au website is your first port of call to find out what might be possible on your farm.

This free ‘one-stop shop’ is easy to use — providing credible and robust agronomic and regulatory information on about 150 diverse agricultural industries – from wool to wattle seed, dairy cows to ducks, snails to sandalwood and everything in between.

Importantly, you can search the website in two ways: by the commodity you may be interested in or by postcode. A postcode search may present options for diversification in your area that you may not have previously considered. Searches can also be refined according to soil type, average rainfall and existing enterprises.

For each plant and animal, the website provides essential data on production and infrastructure requirements, harvesting and processing, markets and marketing, current and potential growing regions, risks and regulatory considerations. It includes links to publications, resources and contact information for industry bodies.

Farmdiversity.com.au features the personal stories of farmers who have diversified, as well as 10 questions to consider in helping you determine whether diversification is the right path.

“Diversification can bring economic, environmental and personal rewards,” RIRDC Managing Director, Craig Burns, says.

“We have designed this website to give people the tools and knowledge they need to set them on the right path and reap the benefits.”

For diversification, information is keyWhen it comes to his farming business strategy Tony Hamilton has never liked putting all his eggs in one basket.

As the corporate farm manager for Merriment Rural Investments’ four irrigated properties, including his own, he has some 4000ha around Forbes NSW to work with.

The large enterprise provides economies of scale and the opportunity to invest in new technology, but also an opportunity to explore further his interest in diversification.

Tony, who in the 1990s was one of the first Australians to grow jojoba on his family farm, as well as being an early adopter of adzuki beans, has ridden the ups and downs of breaking new agricultural ground.

He says that while two of the key drivers for diversification are the management of market and environmental risk, credible information and a long-term outlook are crucial in making any investment decision.

For example, his 20ha of hardy and salt-tolerant jojoba trees planted in 1998 to offset the risk of reduced water allocations performed well through the millennium drought — but the price of jojoba oil plummeted after Argentinian product flooded the market.

“I suppose we were a bit starry-eyed going into it,” he says. “It’s really important with anything new that you sift through all the promotional material for credible information.”

Eventually, the price of jojoba did recover. His trees provide enough seed to harvest each year with a larger crop only every second year, and remain a small, but rewarding part of Tony’s business. He is also the chair of the Australian Jojoba Industry Association.

Playing a much larger economic role is the integrated range of cropping and livestock operations Tony manages across the four NSW corporate-farming properties. Livestock includes sheep for wool and meat, and Angus cattle, while winter crops include barley, wheat and canola and summer crops, maize, mungbeans, cotton and sorghum. The exact mix depends on rotations, irrigation water availability and price outlook.

Tony also adopts a diversified approach to marketing crops and livestock, using a combination of forward-selling and harvest sale arrangements.

“It never hurts to keep your options open,” he says.

More information: www.farmdiversity.com.au

Jojoba grower Tony Hamilton inspects jojoba seeds on young trees. Mr Hamilton advises anyone considering diversifying to sift through all the available material for credible information.

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RURAL DIVERSITYIssue No. 20 / SUMMER 2016

Vegetation screens improve the chicken farm environmentRIRDC has produced a guide for growers interested in creating vegetative environmental buffers (VEBs) to mitigate shed emissions from meat chicken farms.

VEBs are dense, vegetative filters created by planting multiple rows of suitable grasses, shrubs and trees immediately downwind of livestock buildings. They intercept dust and odours from the fan exhaust plume.

The success of VEBs in the US prompted RIRDC to commission, ‘Vegetative environmental buffers for meat chicken farms — a guide for growers’. It has been prepared by the RIRDC Chicken Meat Program, which funds research to help Australian producers to manage dust and odour impacts.

The guide contains information for designing, establishing and maintaining VEBs for nine climate zones in Australia.

VEBs on meat chicken farms in the US have proved to foster good relations with neighbours, maximise environmental stewardship, support farm biosecurity and enhance the aesthetic value of properties.

The guidelinesFrom the research on VEBs in the US, some general design and management guidelines are directly transferrable to Australian farms:

• VEBs should not be planted any closer than 10 times the fan diameter from the exhaust fan end of the shed, to prevent the buffer impeding fan efficiency. This distance increases for sheds with multiple fans.

• VEBs should be planted a minimum of 25m from the fans to prevent plants being desiccated by high wind speeds.

• A minimum of three staggered rows of plants is desirable, with the row adjacent to the fans being a waxy-leaved evergreen shrub for Australian conditions. Evergreens with waxy leaves tend to withstand high

particulate loads best, as the waxy coating on the leaves allows dust to be washed off when it rains.

• Two staggered rows of evergreen trees, or a combination of windbreak-type trees, are recommended for other screen zones. The density of planting should correspond with prevailing seasonal winds from each direction.

• Leaves with a complex shape and large surface area (e.g. conifers) appear to be the most effective for capturing particulates.

• The windward side should contain evergreen species that maintain branches close to the ground.

Recommendations While many of the US design principles are directly transferrable to Australian farms, there are several key differences between US and Australian conditions.

Because of Australia’s warmer climate, planting deciduous trees/shrubs in the inner row of the VEB is not practical, as the VEB will still have to capture dust emissions during winter. Evergreens with waxy leaves would provide a better alternative. The risk of fire from planting trees close to buildings is an issue, so in high-risk fire regions, highly flammable trees (high volatile oil content, dead wood or twiggy material) should be avoided. Many Australian natives fall into this category.

Conversely, if the VEB consists of fire-retardant species (high salt and moisture content, soft leaves, low volatile oil content, smooth non-peeling bark and high leaf density), it could protect meat chicken sheds from an advancing fire.

‘Vegetative environmental buffers for meat chicken farms – literature review’ and a supplementary guide for growers are available for download at https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/14-101

More information: Dr Kylie Hewson, RIRDC External Program Manager – Chicken Meat, 02 9929 4077, kylie.hewson@chicken.org.au

A newly established vegetative environmental buffer (VEB), which will ultimately form a dense vegetative filter. VEBs on meat chicken farms in the US have proved to foster good relations with neighbours, maximise environmental stewardship, support farm biosecurity and enhance the aesthetic value of properties.

Prestigious international award for Australian poultry research scientistDr Kylie Hewson, the Assistant Executive Director of the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, and RIRDC R&D Program Manager — Chicken Meat, recently won the prestigious Dr Bart Rispens Research Award at the 2015 World Veterinary Poultry Association (WVPA) Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.

The award honours the lead author of the best original research paper published over the past two years in the WVPA journal Avian Pathology.

Dr Hewson’s work involved detecting and evaluating the pathogenicity (the ability to cause disease) of a new strain of infectious bronchitis (IB) virus that had emerged as a result of recombination between two very diverged parent strains. One of these parent strains had not been detected in Australia for more than 20 years.

“Although it is not a significant disease in Australia, IB is a major issue for the poultry industry internationally,” Dr Hewson said.

“There are many people working on IB globally, but the diversity of the Australian strains is unparalleled, which means research on Australian strains can substantially contribute to this field of research.

“Researchers aim to make a difference to their field, not to receive accolades, and it is incredibly humbling to have my research acknowledged in both respects.”

More information: Dr Kylie Hewson, RIRDC External Program Manager – Chicken Meat, 02 9929 4077, kylie.hewson@chicken.org.au

13

RIRDC Managing Director, Craig Burns retiresAfter a distinguished career in the public service spanning three decades, Craig Burns, RIRDC’s Managing Director, retired at the end of February.

Mr Burns commenced as Managing Director of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation in July 2010. He previously held several positions in Australia where he specialized in trade and development policies for primary industries.

“I have really enjoyed the past six years at RIRDC,” Craig said.

“During that time RIRDC has undergone significant change and faced many

challenges, all of which have been tackled head-on and with the utmost professionalism and dedication by staff.

“RIRDC is unique in that it deals with more than 40 different industries, all with specific R&D needs, unlike many of the other R&D organisations that more often manage the R&D for a single commodity.”

“I would like to thank all the RIRDC staff for their dedication and support during my time as Managing Director.

“I will leave with very fond memories and I wish everyone well in the future — I’m sure RIRDC will continue to provide an outstanding service to all of its stakeholders.”

RIRDC Chair, Professor Daniela Stehlik thanked Craig for his leadership of RIRDC over the past six years.

“Craig has been an outstanding leader and on behalf of the current and previous RIRDC Board Directors and our staff, I thank him for his unwavering dedication to the Corporation and the commitment he has shown to rural Australia and its primary industries,” Professor Stehlik said.

“He has successfully steered RIRDC through some quite challenging times while continuing to maintain strong relationships with all our stakeholders.

“Craig’s special legacy will be the critical foundation he has built for our Horizon Scholarship program. As a geography and

economics educator before he joined the public service, Craig has taken a particular interest in this important program, and has ensured that it will successfully continue.

“Under Craig’s widely admired and respected leadership RIRDC has become a stronger, more focused and highly respected Corporation. I wish him well in his retirement and thank him for his outstanding service.”

Craig’s previous roles included engagement on a range of multilateral, regional and bilateral trade agreements, international agricultural cooperation and minerals and energy policy. Craig had extensive experience working with international organisations including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

From 1999-2002 he was Minister-Counsellor (Agriculture) at the Australian Delegation to the OECD. He was Chairman of the International Grains Council from 2001 to 2002, Vice-Chair of the OECD Committee for Agriculture from 2002 to 2004 and Chair of the OECD Joint Working Party on Agriculture and Trade from 2004 to 2006. He was also a Director of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation up until the end of 2015.

The RIRDC Board is currently undertaking a process to fill the Managing Director’s position.

Training videos help lift beekeeper productivity With hundreds of beekeepers starting out in the industry each year, training is vital to ensure that beekeepers learn and follow best practice when it comes to basic skills.

A series of new beekeeping training videos, funded by the Honey Bee and Pollination Program, is now online and will be available to Registered Training Organisations offering relevant courses.

Australia has an estimated 12,400 registered beekeepers, and Program spokesman James Kershaw said their education was important for the long-term future of the industry.

“To maintain our honey production and provide effective pollination services, we need every beekeeper to continually add to their skills, improving the way they manage their hives and deal with pests and diseases,” Mr Kershaw said.

“Unless we are operating at best practice

to manage the issues we’re already facing, an exotic pest or disease incursion will have a greater impact on beekeepers’ costs, their productivity and their ability to move hives around Australia.”

The videos are available on RIRDC’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/RIRDC) and have been produced to align with the accredited Certificate AHC 32010 in beekeeping and Certificate AHC 10 in Agriculture.

They cover:

• the construction and repair of beehives

• selecting and establishing apiary sites

• providing pollination services

• re-queening a honey bee colony

• artificial insemination.

Mr Kershaw said, “These videos very clearly and simply explain a specific set of skills, and why those skills are necessary for

beekeepers, as well as the tools required and how to use them.”

The Honey Bee and Pollination Program is a partnership involving RIRDC, Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (HIA) and the Australian Government.

More information: Dave Alden, Senior Program Manager Animal Industries – RIRDC, 02 6271 4128, dave.alden@rirdc.gov.au

Honey Bee and Pollination Program: www.rirdc.gov.au/honeybee-pollination

BeeAwareStay up-to-date with the latest news and information about beekeeping and pollination with the BeeAware e-newsletter. Go to www.beeaware.org.au/subscribe

Prof Daniela Stehlik with Craig Burns

14

RURAL DIVERSITYIssue No. 20 / SUMMER 2016

Managing Climate Variability for Australian farmers Climate is one of the greatest drivers of agricultural production and Australia has the most variable climate of any inhabited continent. How Australian producers manage within this variable climate is fundamental to their profitability.

The Managing Climate Variability R&D program, and its predecessor Climate Variability in Agriculture, have delivered climate science to Australian farmers for the past 20 years. The program has also provided a means for Australian farmers to provide input to, and influence the direction of climate science research.

In the coming months, RIRDC will take over management of the Managing Climate Variability Program (MCVP), in recognition of RIRDC’s expertise as a manager of cross-sectoral programs.

The MCVP originated in the 1990s following a parliamentary review into drought policy, which directed government and industry interest towards climate risk management rather than drought.

At the time, there was increasing confidence that climate science could explain some of Australia’s variable climate. Agricultural scientists were using climate science in simulation models and Australian farmers were seeking better climate information.

The program was established to help primary producers and natural resource managers manage risks and exploit opportunities resulting from Australia’s variable and changing climate by:

• improving the accuracy of forecasting for primary production

• providing climate products, services and tools for managing climate risk

• increasing knowledge and confidence to adopt climate risk management.

The MCVP’s priorities were agreed among participants during the MCVP Investment Planning Workshop in 2012. They fall under four themes:

1. Climate forecasting research — the areas providing the best returns for agriculture are improved forecast accuracy and their ease of use.

2. Climate forecasting services — seamless forecasts across weather and seasonal timeframes is a high priority for both agricultural and climate scientists, as it helps farmers make climate-dependent decisions, such as when to apply fertiliser, when to sow or stocking rates.

3. Climate risk management for agriculture — there is interest in increasing funding for climate risk management tools and decision support.

4. Climate knowledge and communication — the growing reliance in agriculture on private consultants, industry representatives and other farmers to provide extension services indicates a need for better education and training on climate forecasting science and climate risk management.

The current operating plan for the MCVP is due for completion in June 2016. RIRDC is leading efforts to engage with current and prospective partners to support a future MCV program, with priorities related to improving the forecast and better use of the forecast.

In addition, the MCVP partners secured funding for a project through Round 1 of the Rural R&D for Profit Program being run by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

The Improved Use of Seasonal Forecasting to Increase Farmer Profitability project, aims to bridge the gap between seasonal climate forecasts and farm business decisions to improve productivity and profitability, by:

1. identifying the critical information requirements relating to seasonal climate risks for primary industries by sector, type of decision and region;

2. enabling farmers to use the unrealised potential in existing seasonal climate forecasts by developing tools, products and services, information and training and other methods to teach farmers and advisers how to understand and use seasonal forecasts in farm business decision making;

3. improving seasonal forecasting capabilities of Australia’s primary forecasting model (ACCESS-S) by analysing and reducing the main errors that negatively impact the quality of seasonal predictions.

The project will:

a. define the critical seasonal climate risk information needed by Australian farmers;

b. improve understanding of the usefulness of seasonal climate forecasts and how these are incorporated into business decision making;

c. provide seasonal climate information which can be tailored to individual needs;

d. improve seasonal climate forecast skills in agricultural areas.

This project is also being led by RIRDC. It is due for completion in June 2018.

More information: Simon Winter, 0419 720 700, simon@swinter.com.au

A banana plantation destroyed by severe tropical cyclone Yasi in Queensland.

15

Most of our publications are available for free. Download from our website www.rirdc.gov.au

The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation’s (RIRDC) core business is to maintain and enhance the productivity of the rural industries it supports and to address national rural issues through government-industry partnership.

RIRDC is specifically charged with managing investment in RD&E for those primary industries which are too small to set up their own RD&E entity and to address multi-industry and national interest RD&E needs. In doing so, RIRDC investments contribute to the delivery of outcomes against the National and Rural R&D Priorities set by the Australian Government.

The Corporation is the primary funding source for RD&E that investigates the potential of new plant and animal industries for Australia, and for providing support to new industries as they mature and grow.

The breadth of issues and industries RIRDC deals with is as varied as it is unique. RIRDC plays a vital role in the development of rural Australia and is the rural R&D corporation with the remit to manage multi-industry and national interest R&D.

ISSN: 1833-3311 ISBN: 978-1-74254-850-0 RIRDC Pub No. 16/004

Editorial: Coretext

Design: Downie Design

Enquiries

T: 02 6271 4100 E: rirdc@rirdc.gov.au web: www.rirdc.gov.au

Published by the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation February 2016

PO Box 4776 Kingston ACT 2604

NEW PUBLICATIONS FROM THE RURAL INDUSTRIES R&D CORPORATION

Genetic Evaluation of Australian honey bees using BLUP procedures, 15-104

A key strategy contributing to achieving continuous productivity improvement in all modern, viable industries is genetic improvement. Identifying the individuals with the best genes is achieved in essentially all livestock industries by the use of advanced statistical methods to analyse pedigree and performance data. Identifying the individuals with the best genes is referred to as genetic evaluation.

This project explored the potential to apply such methods to breeding programs in the Australian honey bee industry. The results of this

pilot project show that there is real potential for genetic improvement of production and health traits in Australian honey bees, and that there is scope for applying the advanced statistical techniques currently used in other industries.

The results highlight an exciting and valuable opportunity for Australian honey bee breeders. The report also flags ways implementation of genetic evaluation could be adapted to incorporate tackling major challenges such as Varroa.

Australian wild rice characterisation, 15-106

This project funded a PhD student for three years to study the genetics of Australian wild rice. The research has confirmed that native Australian rice populations are key genetic resources for rice globally. Rice breeders targeting varieties for production in areas where rice is a native plant in northern Australia will benefit from access to genetic

resources adapted to the local environment including local rice diseases. The development of a wild rice industry in northern Australia will also be facilitated. Selected wild rice populations should be conserved as a genetic resource by controlling weeds and other threats to these populations.

Tea tree — causes and management options for stump death or dieback, 15-103

The Australian tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil industry is one of many new and emerging rural industries bringing opportunity, diversity and resilience to rural Australia. Originally a 1980s cottage industry, it now produces over 700 metric tonnes of pure Australian tea tree oil per annum with an estimated farm-gate value of $28 million in 2014, 85 to 90 per cent of which is exported to more than 20 countries worldwide.

Integrating pest and disease management into a whole-of-farm

model where plant health is at the forefront is vital to ensure continued growth and expansion of the industry without dramatically increasing the use of pesticides and the risk of developing resistance to these.

This project summary summarises findings from RIRDC project ‘Integrated pest & disease management in the tea tree oil industry’ which looked into the efficacy and residue data for a topical fungicide and foliar and ground-applied insecticides.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Tea tree – causes and management options for stump death or diebackThe Australian tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil industry is one of many new and emerging rural industries bringing opportunity, diversity and resilience to rural Australia. Originally a 1980s cottage industry, it now produces over 700 metric tonnes of pure Australian tea tree oil per annum with an estimated farm-gate value of $28 million in 2014, 85 to 90 per cent of which is exported to more than 20 countries worldwide.

Integrating pest and disease management into a whole-of-farm model where plant health is at the forefront is vital to ensure continued growth and expansion of the industry without dramatically increasing the use of pesticides and the risk of developing resistance to these.

This fact sheet summarises findings from RIRDC project Integrated pest & disease management in the tea tree oil industry to do with efficacy and residue data for a topical fungicide and foliar and ground-applied insecticides.

For more information on this research contact RIRDC (www.rirdc.gov.au) or the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association (www.attia.org.au).

What is tea tree dieback or stump death?Management of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) grown in monoculture plantations includes cutting plants back to ground level at harvest leaving a stump. Generally plants then reshoot and grow, with the following harvest occurring in 12 to 14 months. In recent years, growers have faced a new challenge in the form of dieback or stump death. Soon after harvest, young leaves and shoots begin to yellow and in many cases the tree dies. This threat is of particular concern in far north Queensland (FNQ) growing areas.

Recent research into cause(s)Researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) led by Dr Fiona Giblin have carried out investigations to identify the causal agent(s) of tea tree dieback.

Researchers collected root and soil samples from the rhizosphere zones of trees on the Atherton Tableland area of FNQ. The sampled trees ranged from symptomless to showing severe dieback. Nematodes were not present. Many of the roots were blackened and in many cases there were very few feeder roots. Pure fungal cultures obtained from the samples were then used to inoculate healthy seedlings. Seedling health was monitored over time and after 10 weeks the seedlings were assessed for overall health and disease incidence and severity.

Their work isolated and identified the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina from the root zones of tea tree plants suffering symptoms of dieback. This fungus causes charcoal rot in a range of crops and has greatest impact when a plant is subjected to stress, both biotic (pathogens, insects) and abiotic (drought, high temperatures). In other crops where M. phaseolina is a problem, plants growing in good conditions are unlikely to be seriously affected.

While it has been determined that this fungus can cause disease in the glasshouse (fulfilling Koch’s postulates), it is uncertain if it is the primary cause of disease or if it is part of a disease complex including multiple soil-borne pathogens.

1RURAL INDUSTRIES R&D CORPORATION project summary

Tea tree plant dieback

Factors impacting Australian alpaca meat and methods to improve quality, 15-094

The sustainable expansion of the Australian alpaca industry, predominantly a pasture-based system, requires the development of a market for meat in addition to traditional fibre to improve commercial returns. Establishment of an alpaca meat industry will likely increase the demand for otherwise unprofitable animals and lead to genetic gains across the industry. For successful entrance into the competitive red meat market, it is important that key production traits common to red meat industries, such as beef and lamb, are taken into consideration

to ensure the supply of a consistent quality product. However, there is a paucity of information on alpaca meat, especially in terms of carcass composition and yield, and the impact of gender and age on these traits.

Producers and processors now have information which will assist in predicting the carcass yield and meat quality traits of alpacas of differing sex (female and castrated male) at three age periods (18, 24 and 36 months). This information will be beneficial to the on-farm and processing aspects of the alpaca meat supply chain.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Factors impacting Australian alpaca meat and methods to improve qualityBackgroundThe sustainable expansion of the Australian alpaca industry, predominantly a pasture based system, requires the development of a market for meat in addition to traditional fibre to improve commercial returns. Establishment of an alpaca meat industry will likely increase the demand for otherwise unprofitable animals and lead to genetic gains across the industry. For successful entrance into the competitive red meat market, it is important that key production traits common to red meat industries, such as beef and lamb, are taken into consideration to ensure the supply of a consistent quality product. However, there is a paucity of information on alpaca meat, especially in terms of carcass composition and yield, and the impact of gender and age on these traits.

Aims/objectivesThe following aims/objectives align with the two experiments in this study:

1. To investigate the relationships between slaughter age (18, 24 and 36 months) and sex of alpacas under Australian conditions by comparing nutrient, carcass and sensory parameters associated with meat quality and furthermore investigate the benefits of value adding processing techniques such as electrical stimulation, on alpaca carcasses.

2. To compare carcasses from alpacas grazed under two different feeding systems (pasture only vs. pasture + supplementary feeding) to assess variation in overall carcass and meat quality parameters. In addition, tender stretching was applied as a carcass suspension method on a sub-set of carcasses to establish the effect of this value-adding technique.

1RURAL INDUSTRIES R&D CORPORATION project summary