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.Allen Hibberd
Department of Primary Industries Queensland
Telephone: 07 3286 1488
Email: hibbera@dpi.qld.gov.au
The Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, (DPI) is charged with providing information that is timely, relevant and delivered in an innovative way. In line with this, the DPI has released its latest Version 5 of the Prime Notes CD-ROM to fill a growing need for advisory information relevant to primary industries.
The Prime Notes CD-ROM is a fully searchable, text-based information product containing over 2100 fact sheets. The fact sheets are on a huge variety of topics relevant to primary industries and related businesses, organisations, colleges and schools.
Version 5 CD-ROM has drawn on the cooperation and resources of seven State Government Departments,
Centres and information providers Australia-wide including:
930 DPI Notes,
197 DNR Queensland Facts (Land, Tree, Water and Pest Facts for Queensland),
240 PIRSA (South Australia) Fact Sheets,
22 Tropical Beef Centre Fact Sheets,
596 DNRE Victoria Agriculture Notes and Landcare Notes,
53 Kondinin Group Research Report Summaries and Machinery Evaluations and
89 Grains Research and Development Corporation Project Summaries.
The CD-ROM has 50% more files and two more information providers than Version 4.
The extensive array of content makes the CD-ROM a powerful reference and advisory tool. All files on the CD are fully indexed and any one of them can be retrieved in an instant.
For example, a search for the word 'salinity' gives the user access to 132 Fact Sheets or Notes such as 'What to do about dryland salinity', 'Assessment of saline soils', 'Water quality for farm water supplies', 'Plants suitable for salty soils' and 'Interpreting groundwater data'. Each fact sheet can be printed for later reference.
Prime Notes Version 5 has more information on the more widely grown, traditional crops than it does on new crops because these are the 'bread and butter' of primary industries in Australia. However, there is more information on the CD-ROM on pastures for regional or specific environments that fits the concept of 'new crops' than on any other general topic.
Regional differences in information content
The organisation that owns copyright to any of the fact sheets is clearly designated so there can be no confusion. This is important because regional differences in advice and recommend- ations can be substantial.
Nevertheless, many of the topics on the CD are applicable in any area.
Improved navigation features
Version 5 has improved searching and navigation features. The program automatically installs the full-text index that the rapid searching relies upon. Jumping between fact sheets and tables of contents by 'clicking' with the computer 'mouse' also has been simplified.
Cost and availability
The CD-ROM costs $45, plus postage and handling. The upgrade price is $25, plus postage and handling. It is available from:
DPI Book Distribution Centre
Telephone: 1 800 816 541 local call cost in Australia
Email: books@dpi.qld.gov.au
Kondinin Group
Telephone: 1 800 657 509 free call in Australia
Email: farmline@kondinin.com.au
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria
Telephone: 03 9637 8080
Email: infocentre@nre.vic.gov.au
Primary Industries and Resources South Australia, Keith, South Australia
Telephone: 08 8755 3166
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[
New Crops Home Page] [New Crops Program] [Australian New Crops Newsletter] [New Crops Publications] [Order Form] [People] [Crop Profiles] [Other Resources]originally created by:
GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF