Research

A Charles Sturt University team is researching the deployment of microgrid projects that aim to meet the energy needs of regional communities in Australia ... The team’s research explores a range of topics relating to microgrid business models, ownership structure and project financing.

Ian Hutton. Some years ago Island resident, Esven Fenton, brought a very worn copper coin to the Museum. Esven had found this on the ground close to the site where Perry and Sarah Johnston had their cottage on the south side of Capella hill.

Summer has proven to be an exciting time for observing new fish species in the Lord Howe Island Marine Park (LHIMP). Three species not previously recorded in the marine park have recently been reported: a potbelly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis), seawhip goby (Bryaninops yongei) and lattice butterflyfish (Chaetodon rafflesii).

Scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have achieved a breakthrough in molecular plant pathology, marking a technological leap forward for breeding durable disease-resistant crops. Plant pathogens – organisms which cause plant diseases - greatly reduce agricultural productivity and are a persistent threat to global food security.    

A groundbreaking $42.7 million national biosecurity initiative led by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in partnership with five state government departments is set to transform the effectiveness and responsiveness of Australia’s grains biosecurity system. The six-year initiative will use state-of-the-art technology and processes to improve Australia’s ability to rapidly detect and accurately diagnose exotic pests and plant diseases...

Another independent body has ... raised concerns the Government’s proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy “does not pass critical scrutiny”, validating the claims of Australia’s 85,000 farming families. Independent academics from the Australian National University's Tax and Transfer Policy Institute (TTPI) have backed widespread condemnation of the Government’s proposed policy which is due to come into effect in just a matter of months.  

Cattle Australia has urged the federal government to rethink the role of methane in the beef industry in its decisions on how Australia will tackle climate change in the future. CA, which is the peak council for the grassed beef sector, said a single focus on absolute emissions reduction under current carbon dioxide-equivalent accounting frameworks was detrimental for the beef industry.

One of the most invasive Australian weeds is being touted as a potential economic crop, with benefits for the construction, mining and forestry industries, and potentially many First Nations communities. The prickly paddy melon weed, which costs the agricultural industry around $100 million a year in lost grain yields, cattle deaths, and control measures, could turn into an unlikely money spinner...

Hydrogen and the potential of Gippsland and its industries to play a role in the hydrogen technologies seen as crucial for the energy transition are set for a higher profile in the region, with Federation University in Churchill the focal point ... “The aim was to bring these players to one platform... ": Professor Surbhi Sharma.

Insecticide resistance in redlegged earth mites (RLEM) has been closely monitored over the last 15 years ... The RLEM poses a significant threat to establishing crops and pastures across the southern growing regions of Australia.

... a significant milestone for the developing Australian crocodile industry ... the launch of the  Australian Crocodile Industry RD&E Plan 2024-2029 ... The recently finalised plan is designed to assist Australia’s 21 operators in capitalising on the industry’s recent growth and expansion across the country.

Research and development (R&D) funding for Australian agriculture in the fiscal year 2022-23 amounted to $2.32 billion, according to a new report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). Acting Executive Director of ABARES David Galeano said that while this figure was slightly lower than the previous year's $2.35 billion, it demonstrated the sustained commitment to increasing agricultural technology and knowledge.

The GRDC has partnered with the Australian National University (ANU) and industry partners to invest in research to accelerate the development of climate-resilient crops … investment will focus on the development of heat tolerant wheat genetics, as well as determining what makes a wheat crop able to survive, grow and produce yields under high-temperature conditions.

The Australian almond industry is on track to enjoy a "much better year in 2024", Rabobank says in a newly-released report, with producers expecting to see margin improvement thanks to lower input prices, affordable water prices and high water availability, better climatic conditions and improving export prices.

Australia’s dairy import and export mix is "slowly trading places" – with export volumes falling sharply in recent years while imports have spiked, Rabobank says in a newly- released report.

New data shows mixed fortunes for an Australian horticulture sector facing numerous challenges; however, the long-term outlook remains strong with total production value increasing by 2.8 per cent to $16.3B. The latest edition of the Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook ... includes information on 75 different horticulture categories across fruit, vegetables, nuts, and greenlife.

New research shows the South Australian economy could lose over $103 million every year if jetties along our coastlines ceased to exist, supporting calls for the State Government to increase funding for repairs and maintenance. Released by the Local Government Association, the Value of Jetties report for the first time places a dollar figure on just how much jetties are worth to SA communities and the economy.

What do the scientists say about the fire ants at Wardell? Will they spread? How worried should we be? Originally from South America, the fire ants are considered one of the world’s most invasive pests.

Australia’s agricultural sector is "moving confidently into 2024", with an overall positive outlook for the nation’s farmers and agribusiness industries in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released annual outlook ... while agri commodity prices are "well down on the highs seen over the previous two years", the bank’s price forecasts point to "continued positive farm margins in key agricultural sectors in 2024"

With global sea surface temperatures being warmest on record for the past nine months consecutively, there is potential for marine heat stress impacts this summer including in the Lord Howe Island Marine Park. In anticipation, monitoring is underway throughout the Lord Howe Island lagoon to detect signs of disturbance from elevated water temperatures.

“Good crop disease management will be required in 2024 due to the early summer rain events and potential disease risk in south-east of Victoria,” Agriculture Victoria Research Scientist Dr Hari Dadu has confirmed.   The cereal disease expert will be outlining his approach at the BCG Members’ Only Trials Review Day on Friday, February 23, at the Birchip Leisure Centre.  

Why do we have sacred topics? Ideas, theories or policies that appear to be off limits ... Three sacred topics of late have been Covid-19, climate and carbon. What happens when ‘misinformation’ actually is proven correct?