Issue No 1, January 1994.

NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the Advice on Publications Available.

3. Development and application of improved selection and evaluation procedures to produce new crops for northern Australia.

Rob Fletcher

This jointly funded RIRDC/GRDC New Crops project commenced in July 1993 and is currently funded for five years.

The general aims are:

To identify potential new crops with good prospects for commercial development, and .
To investigate their commercial potential and, by taking appropriate action, to foster their commercial development.

The specific components of this new project comprise:

3.1. Market analyses of new crops thought to have good commercial prospects.

Initially, a general approach to market analysis will be developed so that it can be applied to any potential new crop or new crop enterprise. The software package CROPMARKET developed by CSIRO DTCP will be used in the market analyses. in addition to a detailed appraisal of world production and trade data. The research will be conducted by a masters degree student, Chai McConnell and supervised by Ray Collins, of the Agribusiness Section, Department of Management Studies, UQG.

Chai is a graduate in Agricultural Economics (1993) from the University of New England, Armidale. He had some experience during his undergraduate course working as a Research Economist for the Coffee Industry Corporation (Papua New Guinea) and has travelled to Malaysia. Singapore and Sri Lanka.

3.2. Economic analyses of those new crops selected from the market analyses.

Economic analyses will be conducted at the crop, enterprise and industry level. The software package CROPECONOMICS developed by DTCP is available for initial economic analysis at the crop level. After this analysis, assessments of the structure, organisation and operation of potential industries (including food processing and new food products) based on new crops need to be conducted. This is a new area for R and D of new crops.

A PhD student will be engaged to conduct the economic analyses, in association with Dr Sam Strong, Department of Management Studies. UQG.

3.3. Identification of those areas to which selected crops are adapted by further developing the software package PLANTGRO, developed by Clive Hackett, previously with DTCP.

3.4. Investigation of the agronomic potential of selected new crops.

The place of the potential crop in current farming systems in the identified area of adaptation, its ease of propagation and harvesting, its impact on land use or contribution to land conservation and any potential disease or pest problems will be investigated. This will be followed by regional and commercial-scale testing of any selected new crops. A PhD student will be engaged in mid-1994. Contacts will be established with overseas groups working with the new crop(s) .

3.5. Development of a Decision Support System for the selection of new crops.

The Decision Support System will be developed to incorporate the various analyses and information required to assess the commercial prospects of any potential new crop. A PhD student, Gerry Kregor will be responsible for this component.

Gerry Kregor is a Tutorial Fellow, in the Department of Plant Production, UQG. He Has a Certificate in Horticulture from Hobart Technical College, a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Plant Science and a Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science with Honours, both from the University of Tasmania. His previous research has been in micropropagation and cryopreservation of Boronia megastigma, and he has also been involved with a number of computing projects.

3.6. Field evaluations of promising new crops.

Field observations conducted at UQG and at other sites have characterised the range of genetic variability available among some potential new crops:

Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia). A program of introduction, quarantine, field experimentation and market assessment has been carried out by DTCP. Glen Beech, a post-graduate Tutorial Fellow, has completed glasshouse and field work for a masters thesis entitled "The genetic variability of moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia)."
Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus). Lima bean germplasm has been introduced by DTCP and QDPI and Don Beech has undertaken an overseas visit to study market prospects and production techniques for lima beans (as well as dry culinary beans). Dr Bob Redden, QDPI, has carried out preliminary observations of seed type, plant habit and cultivar evaluation and has commenced canning quality evaluations with Edgells and Master Foods. Field evaluations of selected germplasm are continuing.
Lablab bean (Lablab purpureus). A small number of grain-type lablab bean lines have been selected by Col Mullins, NSWA, Dubbo and further developed and evaluated by John Holland, NSWA, Tamworth. Initial observations of lablab bean in Queensland have been carried out by Bob Brinsmead, QDPI, Hermitage. Warwick. Field evaluations are continuing.
Cluster bean or guar (Cyamopsis tetragonaloba). One year of glass-house trials are complete and a second year of field investigations of the genetic variability of guar is underway. Miss Helen Murphy, a PhD student, is investigating the influence of canopy structure on several production characteristics of guar.
Grain amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus, A. cruentus, etc.). Three years of selection for reduced response to the Lixus weevil in grain amaranth has revealed high levels of plant tolerance to the weevil.
Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale). A fourth year project and a PhD research study, both commenced in early 1993 are investigating the original seed-derived plantings by Cashews (Australia) at Dimbulah, on the Atherton Tableland for variation in yielding characteristics. A sampling technique for evaluating yield in experimental cashew trees has been developed.
Several herbs and spices including coriander (Coriandrum sativum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and dill (Anethum graveolens) were identified by Don Beech, whilst at DTCP, as warranting further investigation.

3.7. Establishment and maintenance of a network of cooperation between industry and those research organisations with an interest in new crops.

This newsletter will hopefully act as a method of communication between those interested in new crop development.

An inter-organisational group with representation from UQG, DTCP, QDPI and NSWA has been established to facilitate collaboration on new crop R and D. This group meets six monthly, at present.

Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter

Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email: r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au

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originally created by: GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF