Farmers and researchers working together take an idea and turn it into commercial benefit. CSIRO research geneticist Dr Greg Rebetzke demonstrates the development of short-season (100 to 120-day) wheat in a response to growers' need for more options in the face of a changing climate. The idea is that by getting the right genetics into the pre-breeding program; genetics for improved vigour, better weed competitiveness, reduced soil evaporation and faster growth, all combine to reduce a five-to-six-month crop duration down to three or four months. For more information see GRDC's website www.grdc.com.au
Australians are good at producing beef and should continue to do so. Adding a focus on alternative protein, setting our sights early on taking advantage of our agricultural science and supporting it with significant investment to develop the products, services and supply chains will enable Australia to get ahead of the curve of opportunity.More than 12 per cent of the Australian population are already vegetarians. The global alternative protein market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.5 per cent from 2019 to reach US$17.9 billion by 2025. www.innovationaus.com/australia-must-tap-plant-based-meat-boom/
Building trusted global networks for sharing data is a hot topic. Ireland is sharing biodiversity data through its National Biodiversity Data Centre tracking protected, endangered and invasive species. In Australia, the Atlas of Living Australia is available for use. At a time when it is suggested that only 30% of all insects are known, imagine the possibilities for food producers, citizen scientists and our communities to build banks of important biodiversity data to share.
Palm oil production has long been linked to widespread deforestation, as huge areas of rainforest are cleared in order to cultivate the product. However, thanks to new seeds developed by Golden Agri-Resources, this might no longer be the case. The new seeds, known as Eka 1 and Eka 2, could produce up to three times the amount of oil than the current industry average. The modified seeds would also mature faster, and would be less susceptible to drought and disease
ICT International is a research and scientific instrumentation company located in rural Australia exporting sap flow meters to the world. This Sap Flow Meter can directly measure amounts and patterns of water use in real-time to deliver data for planning water use and showing behaviour. With data to show how trees behave collectively, called 'Hydraulic Redistribution' whereby water flows both up, down and horizontally. This dynamic and collective behaviour of trees brings new ways of understanding and managing precious forests. www.ictinternational.com.au
