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.AGRIAA is a network of agricultural information professionals in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
The objectives of AGRIAA are:
The Association communicates with its members through the quarterly AGRIAA newsletter and a listserv managed by La Trobe University.
The listserv is reserved for members only and is used to share news, announce events and new products, requests (Inter Library Loans, help, etc.) and generally as a forum for exchange of information.
An AGRIAA web site is under development. The web site will markedly extend benefits to members.
In 1999, it is likely that there will be more frequent opportunities for AGRIAA members to meet as a forum for discussion of issues of importance to the profession, as well as to learn about new technologies and ways of thinking.
The Association will also be looking at how training and other professional development activities may be organised for members in both developed and developing countries.
The Association is exploring ways to maximise the benefits of membership through a range of options such as directories and web gateways.
If you are working in agriculture and allied fields and developing and managing information resources and services, then you should join: Librarians, Information officers, Database developers, Communicators, Agricultural educators, Extension agents, Farm advisors, Agricultural publishers, Technical writers, Web publishers etc.
Individual membership is available to anyone interested in or involved with the field of agricultural information or communication. A concessional membership is available to full-time students etc. and to Pacific Islanders and volunteers working in the South Pacific region.
Corporate membership is available to any organisation interested in and willing to support the objectives of the Association. Corporate members benefit from additional subscriptions to the AGRLAA listserv.
Membership fees for the 1999 year are AUD30 (individual) AUD15 (concessional) and AUD60 (corporate). Applicants outside Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, please add AUD10 for extra postage.
For further information, contact:
President, Ms Ruth McIntyre
Information Resources Manager
Kondinin Group
PO Box 913, Cloverdale Western Australia 6105
Telephone: 08 9478 3343
Facsimile: 08 9479 7509
Email: ruth@kondinin.com.au
Secretary/Treasurer, Mr Peter Walton
Agricultural Information Specialist
PO Box 16967, Suva, Fiji Islands
Telephone: 679 322 443
Facsimile: 679 322 443
Email: pwalton@is.com.fj
Committee member, Ms Tricia Larner
Librarian (Electronic Services)
CSIRO Tropical Beef Centre
PO Box 5545
Rockhampton Mail Centre, Queensland 4702
Telephone: 07 4923 8118
Facsimile: 07 4923 8222
The goal of this project is to identify what the vegetable industry in northern Australia needs in terms of information and technology to be profitable, sustainable and market-driven; and to facilitate, co-ordinate and instigate processes to allow those needs to be met.
Project philosophies include:
Summary of Project activities:
1. What does the vegetable industry want and need to become more profitable, sustainable and market-driven?
Regional workshops
Face-to-face interviews
2. What is already happening to address these needs?Projects/research/literature database
3. Communicate information and contacts to industry.Newsletter
Email
Website
Media
Summary sheets
4. Where are the gaps?
Desk-top analysis
Team workshop
5. Which needs are highest priority?Economic analysis
Stakeholder feedback
6. Communicate gaps and high priority needs to service and funding providers.Reports
Meetings
Website
7. Initiate new projects to address needs.
Workshops to assist project development
Initiation/assistance/writing project proposals
Guidelines and training workshops for project leaders and teams on project management strategies and techniques to improve project communication, extension, implementation and evaluation
Best practice groups
Assist/support Local Producer Association activities
8. Report progress in satisfying needs.Regional meetings
NewsletterSummary sheets
Email
WebsiteMedia
9. What new trends or changes are likely to influence future needs?
Industry statistics
Marketing information
Promotions information
10. Review industry needs
Underlying QuestionHow successful is this process in meeting its stated goal?
For further information about this project, contact:
Noel Harvey, Executive Officer
Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers
Brisbane Market
Sherwood Road
Rocklea Queensland 4106
PO Box 19 Brisbane Market
Queensland 4106
Telephone: 07 3213 2444
Facsimile: 07 3213 2480
Email: nharvey@qfvg.org.au
Larissa Bilston RDE Connections
School of Natural and Rural Systems Management
Hartley Teakle Building
Brisbane Queensland 4072
Telephone: 07 3365 1860 or 07 5460 1333
Facsimile: 07 3365 9016 or 5460 1324
Mobile: 014 054 763
Email: larissa@cpitt.uq.edu.au
Web site: http://www.cpitt.uq.edu.au
David Adamson
RDE Connections
School of Natural and Rural Systems Management
Hartley Teakle Building
Brisbane Queensland 4072
Telephone: 07 3365 1829
Facsimile: 07 3365 9016
Email: D.Adamson@cpitt.uq.edu.au
Web site: http://www.cpitt.uq.edu.au
Viki Lane
GrowSearch Australia
Amenity and Environmental Horticulture
Queensland Horticulture Institute
Queensland Department of Primary Industries
Redlands research station
Corner of Delancey Street and Finucane road
PO Box 327
Cleveland Queensland 4163
Telephone: 07 3821 3784 or 07 3824 9555
Facsimile: 07 3286 7618
Email: lanev@dpi.qld.gov.au
The CRC was formed in July 1997 as an unincorporated venture and is established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program. This program seeks to enhance cooperative linkages between researchers, and the users of research. The program is intended to bring together researchers and research groups from universities, government research laboratories (both Federal and State) and the private sector into long-term cooperative relationships.
The aim of the CRC for Molecular Plant Breeding is to develop new technologies in molecular biology and implement effective strategies for their use in cereal and pasture grass breeding programs.
The Australian cereal and pasture industries, currently worth $6 billion and $17 billion respectively will ultimately benefit through the exploitation and commercialisation of these strategies in plant breeding programs.
The focus of the CRC is on molecular marker technology and genetic engineering.
Molecular markers are signposts that flag the presence of genes controlling particular traits, for example better malting quality or cereal cyst nematode resistance. Traits are controlled by genes, and molecular markers can be used to identify the presence of a gene directly from a sample of the plant or grain without resorting to screening for physical characteristics.
Genetic engineering includes the isolation and cloning of genes, and the incorporation of new genes into crops though transformation.
The CRC works on cereals, such as wheat, barley, oats and triticales, and pasture grasses such as perennial rye grass, fescues and phalaris. We have chosen to focus on cereals and grasses as they have a similar genome organisation which means that developments in one type can be cross-applicable to the other, maximising synergies and spin-offs
Strengths
The main strength of the CRC is that it provides for collaboration and a national focus for molecular techniques in plant breeding. The research network provided by the participants is expanded with links to many other international research organisations.
The core participants in the CRC are:
Supporting Participants include:
A unique feature of the Centre is that it has a major international breeding Centre, CIMMYT, as a core participant. This provides valuable links to the biotechnology and wheat breeding programs of CIMMYT and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) network in general.
It is important the new molecular technology developed is utilised by the breeding programs to provide ultimate benefits to industry. The CRC is in a strong position to achieve this with links to all the Australian cereal and pasture grass breeding programs and the CIMMYT wheat breeding program.
The CRC has five program areas:
Program 1 Disease Resistance
Program Leaders
Dr Hugh Wallwork, SARDI and
Professor Geoff Pincher, University of Adelaide.
Aims:
To provide molecular markers for disease resistance for the cereal and pasture grass improvement programs
To develop tools for identification and quantification of pathogen strains in plants and soil
To develop strategies for identifying and introducing new resistance from related species
To develop novel genes for resistance and tolerance to diseases and pests
Program 2 Quality
Program Leaders
Professor German Spangenberg, La Trobe University
Professor Robert Henry, Southern Cross University.
Aims:
To develop molecular markers for quality and components of quality in wheat and barley
To enhance the digestibility of pasture grasses through modifications to lignin biosynthesis
To modify the timing of flowering in pasture grasses
Program 3 Abiotic Stress
Program Leaders:
Professor Robin Graham, University of Adelaide
Dr Neil Howes, SARDI.
Aims:
To improve the speed and reliability of bioassays for micronutrient deficiency
To develop markers for genes controlling micronutrient efficiency- Mn, Zn, Cu, P
To isolate genes controlling efficient use of nutrients
To use molecular genetic techniques to engineer heat and drought tolerance
Program 4 Technology Transfer
Program Leader:
Dr Howard Eagles, Victorian Institute for Dryland Agriculture.
Aims:
To develop and test strategies for marker implementation into breeding programs
To devise user friendly protocols for marker useTo produce computer software for plant breeders to facilitate the use of molecular markers
To provide field evaluation and risk assessment of transgenic plants
Program 5 Education
Program Leader:
Dr Peter Langridge, University of Adelaide
Aims:
To develop a unified course in plant breeding across Australia
To prepare computer assisted learning packages in molecular plant breeding
To provide doctoral and postdoctoral training in plant breeding within the cereal and pasture grass breeding programs
To develop farmer and community education programs
Education and Training
The CRC has a strong focus on Education activities.
A recent review of plant breeding has indicated that the current graduation rate of plant breeders does not meet the demand for these skills, and there is a deficiency in dedicated training at the undergraduate level.
The aim of the CRC is to address this need by training students in plant breeding with a balance of molecular and traditional breeding techniques. A unified course in plant breeding to be taught across Australia is being established, and will be co-ordinated by the CRC.
The CRC also has a commitment to postgraduate training and more than 30 PhD scholarships will be offered during the funding period of the Centre. These scholarships will allow students to receive an excellent training in molecular plant breeding. We have a commitment to training postgraduate students in all aspects of scientific research, so students will be offered additional training in public relations and communication of science, intellectual property issues, and leadership skills.
We also offer a range of intensive workshops in molecular plant breeding and molecular techniques.Further information can be obtained by contacting:
Dr Bryan Whan, Director
Cooperative Research Centre for Molecular Plant Breeding
Waite Campus
University of Adelaide
Glen Osmond
Adelaide, SA 5064
Telephone: 08 8303 6539
Facsimile: 08 8303 6789
Email: crcmpb@waite.adelaide.edu.au
Web site: http://crcmpb.waite.adelaide.edu.au/
All commercial growers of Lemon Myrtle from Wauchope (northern New South Wales) to the Queensland border are welcome to join this special interest group within ARBIA.
The amalgamation with ARBIA was seen as a means to promote the production of quality lemon myrtle leaf and oil on the north coast of NSW.
A large membership is sought so that the group will have an opportunity to become strong and viable, horticulturally and commercially. So far about 40 people have attended meetings in Alstonville and field day's at members' farms. Talks have been given, trees inspected and ideas swapped about producing quality leaf and oil. Arrangements are presently being made for trees to be scientifically evaluated to ensure quality.
The group has joined ARBIA because this organisation has a strong knowledge base and is well-established in providing a network for information sharing and promoting quality assurance in the native food industry and maintains representation with federal and State Government bodies.
As a special interest group within ARBIA, members of the Lemon Myrtle Growers' Group will receive newsletters and support when seeking markets and grants for research.
For further information, contact:
Roger Bird
465 Marom Creek Road
Meerschaum Vale NSW 2477
Telephone: 02 6683 4486
Facsimile: 02 6683 4486
John Armstrong
Telephone: 02 6629 1090
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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GK; latest update 17 October 2001 by: RF