BFVG | Project Updates

Project updates and extension materials are regularily updated, for more information on a specific project click on the relevant project title and you will be directed to the most up to date activities.

The National Vegetable Extension Network (VegNet) - Wide Bay Burnett

Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network

Reef Trust | Reef Alliance - Growing the Great Barrier Reef Project (Burnett Mary/Fitzroy)

The Carbon Farming Project

Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network

28th August 2017 | Backpackers vs Local workers in Seasonal Work.

13th July 2017 | Seasonal Work Incentive Trial Snapshot. Download

5th July 2017 | QAWN BFVG Chairman, Allan Mahoney and Agriculture Workforce Officer, Kylie Jackson comment on benefits to region on the introduction of the Seasonal Worker Incentive Trial.

The National Vegetable Extension Network (VegNet) - Wide Bay Burnett

1 June 2018 | Biofumigant Crops

VegNET IDO Michelle Haase has been visiting zucchini and capsicum growers over these past two weeks to assist in the establishment of two biofumigant on-farm demonstration sites. Biofumigant crops are a popular topic at the moment; the use of them providing multiple benefits for vegetable growers. Not only does the cover crop add substantial organic matter and improvements to soil structure and fertility, it additionally has a fumigation effect on soil-borne pests, diseases and some weed species. Download this factsheet on the benefits of biofumigant crops in vegetable cropping systems.

16 May 2018 | TPP Surveillance Update

The TPP Surveillance program has been extended for a further two months until a national approach to TPP surveillance is developed. For further information - LINK

4 May 2018 | Agrichemical Pest Management Needs and Priorities

AUSVEG’s Patrick Arratia was in Bundaberg this week to meet with sweetpotato and zucchini growers to capture direct input relating to individual crop commodities. Priority agrichemical gaps identified in consultation with growers will inform industry actions at the annual Ag Chem Collaborative Forum, assist in updating industry SARPs and identify potential solutions to address these gaps. For more on the project – LINK.

30 April 2018 | Robots Drones & Sensors at Agrotrend

The 2-day series of masterclasses on Robots Drones & Sensors were a huge hit at Agrotrend this year. The event involved scientists, mechatronic engineers, PhD students, innovative farmers and small rural business people, and two universities. VegNET IDO Michelle Haase has all the stats in the VegNET blog or you can watch the masterclasses via our Future Farming webpage.

3 April 2018 | Vegetable Leafminer

Dr Jessica Lye from AUSVEG visited Bundaberg in April to talk to growers about vegetable leafminer. Vegetable leafminer is a very small black and yellow fly (1-2mm in length) that lays eggs inside leaves and stems of host plants. The maggots tunnel inside the leaf, making visible tracks which get wider in width as the maggot grows. Vegetable leafminer damage to leaves can reduce plant growth but does not make fruit unsafe to eat. Host plants include most vegetables and allium species (onions, garlic) and ornamental plants such as snap dragons and petunia. For further information and fact sheets – LINK

8th October 2017 | #VegNet Blog

One of the roles of the VegNET project is to put together R&D information for growers. VegNET Industry Development Officer does a monthly write up on relevant topics and posts them online. The latest post is on fruit fly and includes links to resources that have been created to assist growers to manage fruit fly. Here's the link to check it out. https://bfvgblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/04/fruit-fly-season-warming-up/

6th September 2017 | TPP Surveillance Program

Extended surveillance for incursions of the Tomato Potato psyllid in eastern Australia by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture

The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA), funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia, is coordinating a national surveillance program for the Tomato Potato psyllid (TPP) which was discovered in Western Australia in February 2017.

We invite industry stakeholders to participate in the surveillance program by placing sticky traps in TPP susceptible crops and returning them to TIA for checking the presence of the pest. TIA will provide this service free of charge and supply reply-paid envelopes for returning traps.

Sticky Trap Packs

Surveillance packs contain the following:

Clear plastic sheets to place traps onto after field collection
Prepaid envelopes

Trap Protocols

For details on trap instalment see the TPP trap protocols page.

Get Involved

The BFVG office has some trap packs available for collection, contact the office or call in and see one of the team to get a pack.

23rd August | Horticulture Code Update - "Good Faith" Definition and information

One of the parts of the new Code which applies immediately (i.e. is not subject to the transition period) is the obligation to deal in good faith. Failure to deal in good faith can lead to penalities for breching the Code. Find our more HERE

18th July 2017 | Growing the Supply Chain Bus Tour Wrap up 12-13 July, 2017

Thirty-four representatives of the Horticulture Industry participated in the Growing the Supply Chain bus tour mid July which was funded through BFVG’s VegNET project with major sponsorship from AustSafe Super.

The delegation of growers and Industry featured a behind the scenes tour of the Brisbane Produce Markets in Rocklea and visited farms in the Lockyer Valley and Mary River. READ MORE

7th April 2017 | VegNet CGMMV & Soil Wealth Workshop

AHR_John Couloumbe NT Farmers_Greg Owens

Presentation available for DOWNLOAD Presentation available for DOWNLOAD

Lucy Tran-Nguyen Pt1 Lucy Tran-Nguyen Pt 2

Presentation available for DOWNLOAD

Brett Jackson - Biosecurity QLD

Presentation available for DOWNLOAD

16th March 2017 | Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus(CGMMV), useful resources.

Biosecurity Queensland | Media Release notification

Melons Australia | Property Management Plan

The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia | CGMMV Farm Biosecurity Checklist

Ausveg | DIY Farm Biosecurity action plan

DAF Queensland | CGMMV General information

The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia | Decontamination Factsheet

Biosecurity Signage available FREE to grower members.

Contact the office to reserve your sign or email bfvg.info@bfvg.com.au

07th March 2017 | Review Of Alternative Treatments For Bacterial Spot And Speck contol

Background

Copper tolerance/resistance in the pathogens causing bacterial speck and bacterial spot of tomatoes and capsicums, has been reported worldwide. Preliminary experimental results suggest we have copper resistance in bacterial speck in Queensland.

Therefore we need to look into alternative products to give us a better chance of controlling disease.

The following information is based on a review of around 100 journal publications on bacterial speck and spot control with copper based products and other alternatives. The products discussed are currently available or should be registered over the next few years. Summary HERE

Karina Griffin (née Bennett) BSc(Hons) | Research Student | School of Medical & Applied Sciences – Agriculture and Environment has also published a paper 'Copper-tolerance in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Xanthomonas spp. and the control of diseases associated with these pathogens in tomato and pepper. A systematic literature review', full paper available HERE

Videos developed by Applied Horticultural Research

`Controlling Fruit Fly in Vegetables: (1) Targeted Control`	`Controlling Fruit Flies in Vegetables: (2) Monitoring`	`Controlling Fruit Fly in Vegetables: (3) Food Based Baits`

Reef Trust | Reef Alliance - Growing the Great Barrier Reef Project (Burnett Mary/Fitzroy)

The Water Quality module is funded through the Australian Government's Reef Alliance: Growing a Great Barrier Reef Program


`Testing Fertigation injection and flush times in small crops`	'Constant feed fertigation and tensiometers'	Testing Fertigation injection and flush times in tree crops

P14003 | Restoring the balance: BFVG Carbon Farming Solutions

18th April 2017

CARBON FARMING CASESTUDY - THE FRUIT SALAD PROJECT - HORTICULTURE

THE ISSUE | Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas. Increases in the concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the atmosphere have been associated with global warming and climate change. Almost 80% of these nitrous oxide emissions are produced by agriculture, with 73% emitted from agricultural soils.

ABOUT THE PROJECT PROJECT LOCATION | The Fruit Salad Project was a joint initiative of the Australian Melon Association, NSW Department of Primary Industry and QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, to investigate how nitrous oxide emissions in commercial melons, bananas and blueberry crops could be reduced, and soil carbon increased, with the use of compost and biochar. Funded by the Australian Government through the Action on the Ground programme, this partnership worked with growers in northern and central NSW and southern QLD

Download the full casestudy HERE

Extension Summary Materials, provided by Zane Nicolls, Development Horticulturist, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Action on the Ground (AOTG) projects 143 - Improved soil, fertiliser and irrigation management for SEQ ginger production and 218 Improved fertiliser and soil management in south east Queensland intensive horticulture. The projects concluded in September 2015, and were led by Zane Nicholls with valued assistance from Sam Price (HF&S) and with collaboration from industry partners Australian Pineapples, Queensland Strawberry Growers' Association and the Australian Ginger Industry Association.

The projects provided industry firsts for documenting nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission generation in ginger, pineapple and strawberry production systems from granular fertilisers, and measurement of total organic and labile soil carbon stocks in ginger. The key project deliverables were to promote plant health, yield and nutrient efficiency benefits of controlled release nitrogen (CRN) fertiliser use in the respective industries, and develop mixed fallow cover-crop options that build labile carbon and total organic soil carbon stocks in ginger under two land management scenarios.

View the full summary HERE