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| 2013 News |
National Food Plan released
29 May 2013
Federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig launched Australia's first National Food Plan on 25 May, 2013. The plan will help guide the government's food policy settings over the short, medium and long term, setting direction for government policy on food into the future.
New agricultural research hub opened
28 May 2013
The Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, an alliance between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), has opened a new research hub in Wagga Wagga. Named after Edgar 'Eddie' Hugh Graham, the longest serving NSW Minister for Agriculture and local MP, the Graham Centre's new offices are located in the refurbished Agricultural Research Institute building in Wagga Wagga. It is the same building Minister Graham opened in 1954. Read more on CSU News
Official opening of Graham Centre new offices
23 May 2013
The Graham Centre's new offices were officially opened by Mr Michael McCormack MP, Federal Member for Riverina yesterday. This marks the beginning of a new exciting era for the Centre, with a place for DPI and CSU members and students, to meet, discuss and plan research activities. The key role of the Centre is to foster collaboration and agricultural innovation that underpins the viability and profitability of our agricultural systems.
The Centre's second Monograph 'Water resource protection in Australia: Water quality and quantity as a feature of agricultural land management systems' was launched at the ceremony. Written by Professor Kath Bowmer, this is a major review of the subject area Professor Bowmer has worked on for many years.
Photos - opening of Graham Centre new offices
Farmers want water 'banked' for future droughts
20 May 2013
Australian farmers want excess water from large floods to be 'banked' in aquifers for use in dry times.
A survey by the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), which included Charles Sturt University (CSU) researchers, shows that farmers in the Namoi catchment area in the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) mainly support water banking, or storing extra water underground, from large floods.
Their positive response is a big step towards providing rural and agricultural communities with additional water without drawing more from the over-extracted rivers of the Basin, says Professor Allan Curtis from CSU's Institute for Land Water and Society (ILWS). "Australia's farmers manage around 65 per cent of the continent and have access to large volumes of surface and groundwater," Professor Curtis said. "With scientists predicting less rainfall and runoff in the southern MDB over the next 60 years, we urgently need to help them address the growing threat posed by scare water."
Read more on CSU News
New hub for Graham Centre
17 May 2013
The grain and livestock industries of south-eastern Australia are significant contributors to the nations's economy and play an important role in natural resource management. Growth and performance of these industries is underpinned by research, development and extension.
The Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation was established in 2005 as an alliance between CSU and NSW DPI to integrate the research undertaken by CSU and NSW DPI, thereby increasing the productivity of our industries, whilst reducing the risks of natural resource degradation and addressing the challenges of climate change, creating efficient and profitable food and fibre production, biosecurity and the skills shortage.
The new offices of the Graham Centre will officially be opened by Mr Michael McCormack MP, Federal Member for Riverina on Wednesday 22 May, 2013.
Download media release for further details.
Chickpea puffing power could drive new niche markets
9 May 2013
Australian grain growers could potentially capture a share of the growing global healthy snack food market by specifically growing chickpeas with desirable "puffing" qualities.
Grains Research and Development Corporation-funded research being undertaken at Charles Sturt University's School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences at Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, is exploring the ability of Australian chickpea genotypes to puff when subjected to high temperature for a short time without oil – a process which results in a light, crisp and tasty product.
PhD student Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay, under the supervision of CSU Associate Professors Paul Prenzler, Chris Blanchard and Anthony Saliba, and Dr Jenny Wood from the NSW Department of Primary Industries, says puffed chickpeas are already a common snack food in India, and because they are not fried they are ideal for western societies' health-conscious populations.
Mrs Paul Mukhopadhyay said that while the suitability of different Indian cultivars of desi chickpeas for puffing had been studied and reported, knowledge of Australian desi chickpea performance in this respect was lacking. Her research project was established to benchmark the puffing potential of Australian desi chickpea genotypes against common Indian cultivars, and to screen Australian genotypes for puffing quality.
"If an Australian chickpea puffs to the same extent, or better than the Indian cultivars, it could be marketed in a way that would achieve price premiums and increase demand, thereby improving the value and export potential of Australian chickpeas in general," Mrs Paul Mukhopadhyay said.
"By investigating the range of puffing abilities in a selection of current breeding lines and understanding their desirable sensory attributes, the Australian chickpea breeding program will be able to actively select for chickpeas suited to this end-use."
Download media release for further details
Costs and benefits of farm finance package: CSU expert
1 May 2013
Professor of Economics, John Hicks, a Charles Sturt University (CSU) expert in international trade has highlighted the costs and benefits of the farm finance support package announced last weekend by the Federal government.
Read more on CSU News
Chickpea taste test
1 May 2013
PhD student, Ms Soumi Paul Mukhopadhyay (pictured right with Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO and Associate Professor Chris Blanchard), from CSU’s School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences has been putting chickpeas to the taste test as part of research that aims to develop the export market and diversify the Australian diet.
Read more on CSU News
Layer hen study contradicts some long held beliefs
9 April 2013
Graham Centre member and Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher Dr Raif Freire has taken a fresh approach in a new study into the welfare of egg-laying hens, finding the chance of a mortality outbreak didn't differ between hens kept in battery cages or alternative systems like barns, furnished cages or free range birds.
Dr Freire, from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU,
collected information from published studies between 1974 and 2011 about the effect of conventional (battery) cages on hen's behaviour, physical condition, physiology and production.
In a quantitative analysis, he then compared those numbers to studies for egg-laying hens in alternative systems such as furnished cages, barns and free range.
"What was most interesting in our study was that the chance of a mortality outbreak may be no greater in alternative systems than in battery cages," Dr Freire said. Read more about Dr Freire's research.
Spread the word on animal welfare in live exports
4 April 2013
An industry funded pilot training program, developed and tested by Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic and Graham Centre member Dr Rebecca Doyle and Schuster Consulting Group to improve the welfare of animals in live exports, has been extended to the Middle East.
The animal physiology and welfare lecturer travelled to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in February to conduct the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) -funded train-the-trainer style workshops.
The workshops focused on educating people such as local veterinarians and managers from feedlots and abattoirs, UAE and Australian government representatives, Australian exporters and MLA consultants from the Middle East. Read more about this training program.
International eyes on Paterson's Curse
3 April 2013
Researchers from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will go back to where the problem of Paterson's curse began for Australia – in the Mediterranean.
A native to the eastern Mediterranean introduced to Australia in the mid 1800s, Paterson's curse is a noxious weed locally and can be toxic to livestock.
Graham Centre member and CSU's Professor of Plant Biology and Weed Science Leslie Weston and Professor of Applied Ecology Geoff Gurr have secured an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant to investigate how noxious weeds like Paterson's curse become such successful invaders in non-native environments and ways of managing these weeds more effectively. Read more about this research project.
Visit strengthens links with Vietnam
18 March 2013
Dr Doan Du Lan and Dr Mai Anh Khoa from Vietnam visited the Graham Centre on 14-15 March, as part of their five week visit to Australia with the ACIAR John Dillon program for career development in research management.
The pair met with animal nutritionists, social science, plant and irrigation researchers, and grower groups, to discuss research/university management, including the outreach of the university to the community, especially farmers. They also toured the CSU and NSW DPI soils, plant, animal field and controlled environments during the visit.
Profiles:
Dr Doan Du Lan, Dean, Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry, Director of Centre for Research and Technology Transfer Tay Bac University. Research interests include microbiology, biofertilizer, livelihoods for rural community, forest protection, sustainable cultivation, value chain and the community.
Dr Mai Anh Khoa, Deputy Director, Department of Science Technology and Environment, Thai Nguyen University. Research interests include animal nutrition.
DAFF visit to Graham Centre
15 March 2013
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Secretary Mr Andrew Metcalfe visited the Graham Centre and toured facilities including the National Life Sciences Hub and Rhyziolysimeter on 14 March. Mr Metcalfe discussed the Graham Centre's DAFF Action on the Ground Project 'Enabling landholders to adopt profitable and sustainable carbon cropping practices' with staff during the visit.
Empowering change in the public sector
14 March 2013
Graham Centre Director Professor Deirdre Lemerle was part of an expert panel at the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) regional conference today. Professor Lemerle discussed collaboration to improve public sector agricultural innovation for sustainable food and fibre production, giving examples of current collaborative projects and alliances; what is required to get proof-of-concept and the pathways to market and industry adoption. The conference is being held at the Convention Centre, Charles Strut University, 14-15 March.
To download the program visit www.ipaaregionalconference.org.au/program/
I'm a CSU scientist
12 March 2013
Charles Sturt University (CSU) scientist Dr Rebecca Doyle is doing her bit to encourage young people to study and pursue a career in science. Dr Doyle, from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, will take part in the I'm a Scientist, Get me out of Here! program over the next two weeks. Over 1600 students from Years 5 to 12, will chat to 15 Australian scientists, including Dr Doyle - deciding along the way which ones should be evicted, and which scientist will be left standing to win a $1000 prize. Up until Friday 22 March, the students will use blogs and instant messaging to meet and chat with the scientists. They’ll have an opportunity to ask scientists questions about their careers, their interests and general science topics. The scientists will be evicted one by one. Program co-producer, Dr Kristin Alford, said the competition, originally conceived in the United Kingdom, is now in its fourth year in Australia. Dr Doyle is a researcher and lecturer in animal physiology and welfare.
Study tracks beef measles outbreak
7 March 2013
A livestock feed supplement contaminated with human faeces is being blamed for an outbreak of parasite infection in a cattle feedlot in northwest NSW.
In a study reported for the first-time in the Australian Veterinary Journal, researchers investigated the origins of cystic lesions found in cattle during routine meat inspections at abattoirs in NSW and Queensland in 2010.
DNA tests showed the lesions to be caused by a human parasite, a tapeworm called the beef tapeworm or Taenia saginata. The infection in cattle by the larval stage of this parasite is also commonly known as beef measles.
The researchers, including Graham Centre member Dr David Jenkins from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, investigated the outbreak at the feedlot. The investigation indicated the use of the feed supplement copra meal imported from Papua New Guinea was the source of the outbreak. Read full story here.
US agricultural students back at CSU
5 March 2013
Students studying agricultural and animal sciences and horticulture at Western Illinois University (WIU) in the United States will visit Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Tuesday 12 March. The 12 students will inspect CSU facilities including the National Life Sciences Hub, Equine Centre, and Veterinary Clinical Centre from 10am to 12 noon when the Head of the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Professor John Mawson, will host a barbecue for the international guests, staff, and third and fourth year agricultural science students from CSU. Read the full media release here.
CSU agricultural scientist at ABARES Outlook
5 March 2013
Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic and Graham Centre member Dr Rebecca Doyle will give a first-hand account of her chosen career in science during the national ABARES Outlook 2013 conference at the National Convention Centre in Canberra on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 March. Dr Doyle, a lecturer in animal physiology and welfare in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, will address the forum, Science and education for agriculture, fisheries and forestry in the Barton Room at 4pm Tuesday 5 March. Read more about Dr Doyle's presentation.
Analysis of bioactive compounds in canola oil
4 March 2013
Bioactive compounds can have significant health benefits when canola oil is used for human consumption. They also influence shelf-life of the oil. The main bioactive compounds in canola oil are tocopherols (vitamin E), carotenoids, and sterols. Trace metals (e.g. iron and copper) are important as they can catalyse chemical reactions, causing oxidation and deterioration of the oil.
A Graham Centre New Initative project is looking to develop novel methods for the analysis of bioactive compounds in canola oil. Honours student, Ms Clare Flakelar, received a Graham Centre Summer Scholarship in 2012 to begin this work for tocopherols and carotenoids, and the initial results were very promising. Clare has now received a Student Scholarship from GRDC to provide additional support for her Honours research.
A survey of new and existing canola genotypes for trace metals and bioactive compounds, using samples from both commercial deliveries (collected in 2011 and 2012) and genetically-diverse pre-breeding germplasm will be undertaken.
The first stage of the project will be to develop a rapid method for measuring sterols by LC-MS. Following this, oils will be screened for trace metals using AA and/or ICP spectroscopy. To conduct the oxidative stability trial, a new, rapid method for determining oil oxidation using fluorimetry will be developed.
The novel analytical techniques targeted in this project will be necessary for the rapid analysis of oil quality on large numbers of samples if the traits are to be attractive for incorporation into breeding programs and hence new canola varieties.
International arthropod taxonomist shares her expertise
26 February 2013
Josie (JO) Lynn Catindig, an arthropod taxonomist from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, visited the molecular biology laboratory at the Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute for three weeks during February, to learn the rudiments of DNA barcoding analysis from Dr David Gopurenko (Research Scientist, Molecular Systematics), and to participate in a recent devised project using DNA barcoding to identify cryptic species diversity among agriculturally important parasitoid wasps.
This project is funded by the Graham Centre, as part of the Centre's 2013 New Initiative grant scheme.
During her stay, JO and Dr Gopurenko completed the initial stages of the project, cataloguing and extracting DNA from approximately 700 wasp specimens, in preparation for downstream DNA barcoding. The specimens include a wide variety of important parasitoid wasps sampled from diverse areas. These wasps parasitise agriculturally important arthropod pests by laying eggs into them; in effect, the wasps act as naturally available pest-biocontrols, suppressing and regulating outbreaks of pest insects where they co-occur in agricultural zones.
The alpha taxonomy of these wasps are often poorly understood. DNA barcoding provides a reliable means to rapidly identify alpha taxonomic diversity among wasps, and is being used to identify the species diversity among important wasp biocontrols, and help untangle the complex relationships among the wasp species and their targeted pest hosts.
For more information about this project please contact Dr David Gopurenko.
Short life for platypus Millie
21 February 2013
The death of the orphaned platypus, Millie, who was found on the Murrumbidgee River near Wagga Wagga, could increase the knowledge for future platypus rescues. Read more
Governor-General visits CSU Wagga
21 February 2013
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As part of their recent visit to Wagga, the Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE visited the Schools of Agriculture and Wine Sciences and Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Charles Sturt University. Their visit included the Rhyzolysimeter, Veterinary Clinical Centre, Phytotron and National Life Sciences Hub, where they met with researchers and students to discuss the role of agriculture and paddock to plate research.
Read more
Photos
Playtpus has many admirers
15 February 2013
A baby platypus found by a local fisherman is stealing the hearts of all who meet her. The three month old platypus was infested with ticks and is still being milk fed. Graham Centre member and CSU Veterinary Science lecturer Dr Joanne Connelly is caring for the platypus with the hope of releasing her back into the wild when her health improves and she is able to fend for herself.
New research tool to investigate calf deaths
15 February 2013
Charles Sturt University (CSU) is developing a new research tool to help thenorthern Australian beef industry understand more about the timing and causes of calf deaths.
A team led by Associate Professor Scott Norman from CSU’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences and the Graham Centre is refining technology that will tell researchers when a cow has had a calf in a remote location to allow them to check on the birth.
Professor Norman said the large scale and remote nature of many northern Australia beef operations means there’s little information about the extent of losses during calving. Read more about this latest research.
Governor-General to visit Wagga Wagga
13 February 2013
The Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE will visit the city this Sunday 17 and Monday 18 February.
"We are very excited to be welcoming the Governor-General and Mr Bryce back to our wonderful city and showcasing some of our local events, facilities and quality education centres," Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga, Rod Kendall said. Read media release
Sharing her experiences in agriculture
1 February 2013
Science is golden........Dr Rebecca Doyle, CSU Lecturer in Animal Physiology and Graham Centre member has been invited to share her experiences in agriculture with delegates at the upcoming 2013 ABARE Conference, Canberra 5-6 March.
Rebecca has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and completed her PhD in Animal Welfare with the CSIRO in Armidale. Her research interests focus on animal welfare, particularly in the areas of behaviour and cognition.
Rebecca will share her passion and enthusiasm for agriculture, speaking about her background in the industry, opportunities that have arisen as part of her career and where agriculture can lead people.
Boosting knowledge to enable practice change
31 January 2013
Improved stubble management is possible using a range of techniques. The optimal combination of stubble techniques depends on local conditions, landholder knowledge, preferences and equipment.
“The broader practical application of stubble management techniques into farming systems must involve land managers and be profitable. The effectiveness and benefit and costs of techniques will identify the optimal combination on-ground at the regional level,” explained Graham Centre Director Professor Lemerle. Click here to read more about the Stubble Technical Forum
Commercial herbicide resistance testing has evolved over time
23 January 2013
Herbicide resistance in broad-acre cropping is a major issue confronting farmers today. Knowledge of the herbicide resistance status of a paddock allows for strategic farm planning and correct herbicide choice. As resistance increases, more farmers are electing to have their paddocks tested for herbicide resistance using herbicide resistance testing facilities.
Charles Sturt University has operated a commercial herbicide resistance testing service since 1991 and clients can select either specific herbicides for testing, or since 1995, a standard cross resistance test.
Graham Centre member and PhD student John Broster will present a paper on the use of commercial herbicide resistance testing and the findings from the CSU testing service at the Global Herbicide Resistance Challenge International Conference being held in Perth, Western Australia 18-22 February, 2013.
Using stealth to combat weed invasion
23 January 2013
Unmanned aerial vehicles are often associated with the military but new research at Charles Sturt University (CSU) shows their increasing importance in civilian life.
Researchers at CSU are examining how the latest remote sensing technology can be used in unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, to ultimately produce a detailed map of weeds invading the Australian rural landscape.
CSU academic, Dr Remy Dehaan and Professor Leslie Weston, secured a grant of $330 000 from the Federal Government's Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) to develop remote sensing technology to apply to the agricultural sector. Continue reading
Australian scientists take on worldwide agricultural scourge
14 January 2013
Two Australian scientists have helped reveal the "evolutionary trick" which makes the diamondback moth one of the world's worst agricultural pests. Charles Sturt University Professor Geoff Gurr, from the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, and University of Adelaide Ramsay research fellow Dr Simon Baxter were part of an international consortium which today revealed the genetic blueprint of the moth in a paper in the international journal Nature Genetics. Read more