impacts food on the table - pir.sa.gov.au · dedicated food science programs at sardi cover the...

SARDI Impacts

Food on the Table

SARDI Impacts Food on the Table features solutions ‘served’ to the world’s food industries from the South Australian Research and Development Institute, between January 2006 to July 2008.

ISSN 1833-5950SARDI 2008©

Contents

FOREWORD 2ROLE OF SARDI 4PROFILE: Dr Pauline Mooney 6

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC PLAN HIGHLIGHTS

FOOD ON THE TABLESARDI solutions at every step of the food value chain

Reclaimed water produces the right bouquet 8Profi le: Dr Peter Hayman Keeping food on the table in a warming world 10Keeping the full bottle on viticulture 12Beef market access a billion dollar challenge 14 Mitey good news for onion growers 15Holy Mackerel – new fi shery discovered 16 Oats the front-line therapy to health 18 Prawns and fi shers thriving in the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery 20Finishing school for food 22Profi le: Dr Andrew Pointon Spanning the food value chain 24Canker conundrum 25Irrigation insights – securing the future for horticulture 26Pulse research on the beat 28 The Great Australian Bight – the jewel in the crown 32 Lost abalone fi eld back in production 34 Saltwater seafood fresh from the Riverland 35 Profi le: Dr Mark Sosnowski Keeping plant industries on the front foot 36

Growing prosperity 38 Profi le: Dr Peter Taverner Squeezing more from citrus exports 41

Improving well-being 42Smoothing the track for healthy produce 44

Attaining sustainability 46 Discovering carp’s weakness 48

Fostering creativity and innovation 50 Enabling technologies Profi le: Dr John Middleton Meteorologist of the ocean 51 Unearthing the hidden half of plant production 52 Profi le: Dr Ian Delaere From chocolate to red meat 54 From backyard waste to better soils 55 Profi le: Dr Greg Nattrass Tender true beef 56

Research commercialisation Commercial products 58 Communication packages 61

Investment in science and innovation 62 Sources of research funding 64 SARDI tank farm 66 Profi le: Professor Mehdi Doroudi – Chief strengthens aquatic science research 67

MISA inspires excellence 68

Major collaborationsImproved connections between science and educational institutions 70

Celebrating staff successMajor appointments 74Awards 75Profi le: Hayley McGrice – Science Bursary winner 77PhD students at SARDI 78

South Australia’s Food Plan 2007-2010 aims to create an innovative, competitive and world-renowned food sector. Science is central to building industry and business capability and delivering what consumers want: food that is distinctive, healthy and pleasurable, and produced using sustainable and environmentally responsible production systems.

The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) is synonymous with innovation at every step of the food value chain, from the sea and the land to the market.

This edition of SARDI Impacts captures the robust scientifi c solutions we deliver, thereby putting the food you want on the table.

Dedicated food science programs at SARDI cover the full spectrum: the discovery of new foods, maintenance of food integrity and improvement of public health through the consumption of foods that enhance well-being.

At the local level we devise systems to keep food in peak condition for remote Aboriginal communities. At the global level we create opportunities for market growth through the development of premium products.

Protection against background pests and plants and new incursions remains a top priority for our food industries and SARDI is renowned for its biosecurity research.

In a warming world, it is becoming more challenging to produce food. Science solutions delivered through our climate applications, water resources and irrigation programs are a vital part of helping industries to acclimatise and adapt to new challenges.

This publication proudly showcases our excellence in scientifi c endeavour. Please enjoy discovering the impacts SARDI science is making to meet the challenges in a changing environment.

Geoff Knight, Chief Executive, Primary Industries and Resources SAProfessor Rob Lewis, Executive Director, SARDI

Dr Pauline Mooney, Director Research & Development, SARDI

Foreword

Geoff Knight CE, Primary Industries and Resources SA

Professor Rob LewisExecutive Director, SARDI

Dr Pauline MooneyDirector Research & Development, SARDI

32

4 5

The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) exists to deliver robust scientifi c solutions for primary industries.

From the sea and the land to the market, our scientists are driven to translate results into opportunities to position food, fi bre and bioscience industries as internationally competitive and ecologically sustainable.

The role of SARDI

Our strong, dedicated science platforms offer a depth and breadth of skills and capabilities.

Moving forward, we are focused on developing new enabling technologies at the forefront of knowledge transformation. As the research arm of Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA), we work towards developing relevant technologies to provide a foundation for future growth.

Our values centre on:

• Scientifi c excellence• A contemporary outlook to constantly evolve

to meet client needs

• Pushing boundaries in the discovery domain of science

• A collaborative spirit• Accuracy and timeliness• Courage and humility.

Central to our success is an energetic, capable, willing and progressive team of scientists with distinctive knowledge. They are a unique blend of brilliant, creative and experienced minds, excelling in their fi elds and in pioneering enabling technologies of the future, supported by impressive facilities and a network of regional research sites.

Momentum through collaboration

SARDI carries out research for commercial clients and government and industry funded initiatives to drive solutions that increase the productivity, sustainability and adaptability of SA’s food, fi bre and eco-industries.

South Australia’s strategic plan aims to reinforce South Australia as a place that thrives on creativity and innovation. SARDI, as the SA Government’s principal research and development organisation within PIRSA, supports this objective through a range of State and Federal government supported science programs. Strong linkages across government agencies ensure that research solutions are delivered on the ground.

SARDI is a leading focus for business and industries to initiate collaborative research programs with universities, research organisations, cooperative research centres and industry partnerships. The organisation attracts more than 70% of operational funds through external research grants and commercial receipts, and is committed to the principal aim of delivering solutions, refl ected in a successful track record in commercialisation.

Live

stoc

k B

reed

ing

and

Gen

etic

s

Gra

zin

g Pr

odu

ctio

n a

nd

Fa

rmin

g Sy

stem

s

Past

ure

Imp

rove

men

t

Aq

uac

ult

ure

(M

icro

alga

l Pro

du

ctio

n S

yste

ms)

Mar

ine

Envi

ron

men

tan

d E

colo

gy

Inla

nd

Wat

ers

and

Cat

chm

ent

Ecol

ogy

Oce

anog

rap

hy

Wild

Fis

her

ies

SAR

DI S

cien

ce S

tru

ctu

re

July

200

8

Dir

ecto

r –

Rese

arch

an

d D

evel

opm

ent

Dr

Pau

line

Moo

ney

Exec

uti

ve D

irec

tor

- SA

RD

IPr

of R

ob L

ewis

Ch

ief

Live

stoc

k an

d Fa

rmin

g Sy

stem

sPr

of S

imon

Mad

dock

s

Ch

ief

Aq

uat

ic S

cien

ces

Prof

Meh

di D

orou

di

Ch

ief

Sust

ain

able

Sys

tem

sRo

b T

hom

as

Ch

ief

Inn

ovat

ive

Food

an

d Pl

ants

Dr

An

drew

Poi

nto

n

Inte

rnat

ion

al B

usi

nes

s D

evel

opm

ent

Adr

ian

Dah

len

bu

rg

Inte

nsi

ve L

ives

tock

Prod

uct

ion

Sys

tem

s

Food

Inn

ovat

ion

an

d V

alu

e C

hai

n

Gen

e Fu

nct

ion

Food

Saf

ety

Wh

eat

and

Bar

ley

Oat

an

d V

etch

Puls

es a

nd

Oils

eed

s

New

Var

iety

Agr

onom

y

Clim

ate

Ap

plic

atio

ns

Wat

er R

esou

rces

, Vit

icu

ltu

re

and

Irri

gate

d C

rop

s

Ento

mol

ogy

Plan

t an

d S

oil H

ealt

h

SARDI is the research arm of Primary Industries and Resources SA

6

SARDI’s Director, Research and Development, Dr Pauline Mooney is bringing a contemporary fl avour to the organisation.

Appointed in September 2005, Pauline has been given the task of infusing new vigour, drive and direction into SARDI.

Pauline’s fi rst major undertaking was to redefi ne SARDI to make it absolutely clear about its activities and where SARDI delivers value.

“SARDI has built an enviable reputation for delivering relevant applied science, but it was time to shake it up a bit,” she said.

The 18-month strategic rethink, which involved all SARDI’s research staff, as well as stakeholders and industry partners has brought renewed clarity to SARDI’s science capabilities.

It also draws more tenaciously on the talents of its ‘science leaders and innovative thinkers’ who now lead 24 dedicated Science Program Areas within four main science groups – Sustainable Systems, Aquatic Sciences, Innovative Food and Plants and Livestock and Farming Systems. The new structure fosters cross-division interaction to capitalise on the strengths of SARDI’s multi-disciplinary approach, striking productive matches such as Climate Applications and Oceanography.

“A great example of this is Sustainable Systems in which we have aligned research involving water, climate and crops – a dynamic combination of very knowledgeable people that has grown the space that we work in, and strengthened the science in this area,” she says.

Pauline came to SARDI from HortResearch in New Zealand where, as Acting General Manager, Science Operations, she was responsible for overseeing science across all aspects of horticulture and food related science.

Pauline’s impressive science background has spanned the disciplines of botany, genetics, microbiology, plant pathology, phycology and molecular biology with a BSc (Honours) and MSc from the University of Natal in South Africa, and a PhD from Sydney University.

She has held a number of science leadership positions across a diverse range of disciplines – from plant breeding and pre and post harvest physiology through to gene technologies and bioengineering.

Her move from scientist to directing research and development was initiated by her desire to “create an environment where scientists can actually do great science.”

Pauline hit the ground running at a time when SARDI needed to change and grow to better engage and infl uence at the national R&D level.

In overseeing the complete review, restructure and repositioning of SARDI’s research capabilities, Pauline has reaffi rmed SARDI’s place in the national and international research framework, increased its links to national science policy, strengthened relationships with universities and national research institutes, and placed greater emphasis on the production of scientifi c publications.

Pauline’s strong business acumen in recognising opportunities and translating them into action was evident in the development of SARDI’s $1M drought study project which began over a casual conversation between Pauline and SARDI irrigation experts. The idea arose that the only good thing about a 100-year drought was the opportunity to measure its extreme impacts. This has led to a signifi cant effort, through the State Government’s Drought Response Project, determining the extremes to which crops can be subjected (refer to page 26).

“I want SARDI to be exceptional in the areas in which we are strong and to be really good at the science that makes a difference,” she says. “These days R&D organisations such as ours must be the best we can be in our core competencies to meet rising expectations and survive in a commercial world”.

PROFILE >Dr Pauline Mooney

Food on the Table

7

8

Reclaimed water produces the right bouquet

People may turn up their noses at the thought of using reclaimed water, but a study by SARDI has found that it is not just an alternative source of water for crops, it may be more benefi cial than mains water.

Dr Belinda Rawnsley, who led the three-year $350,000 study funded by the Grape and Wine Research Development Corporation, says it’s wonderful news for vignerons and horticulturists looking for viable and sustainable irrigation solutions.

“I think this is the way of the future, particularly for the viticulture industry, which is desperate for alternative water supplies,” said Dr Rawnsley.

Dr Rawnsley’s work has focused on a vineyard at McLaren Vale which was established when reclaimed water fi rst became available in the Willunga Basin region through the Willunga Basin Water Company in 1999.

“This vineyard has used reclaimed water, from day one, in a trial specifi cally set up to compare mains and reclaimed water for irrigation of vines. Earlier and ongoing studies led by SARDI’s Dr Michael McCarthy have shown there is no difference in yield between vines irrigated with reclaimed or mains water,” said Dr Rawnsley.

“My study was the fi rst to look at the effect of using reclaimed water, if any, on soil biology. I fully expected to fi nd that there would be more soil-borne diseases and higher levels of microbial activity.

“However, there were actually less pathogens in the soil which is good, and there were indeed higher levels of microbial activity. This is also a great fi nding because the higher levels of microbes improve nutrient transfer to the vine.”

The Willunga Basin Water Company takes treated water from SA Water’s Christies Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant, 10 kilometres north of the Willunga Basin and pumps it via 70 kilometres of pipeline to more than 90 users whose properties cover more than 1500 hectares.

The Christies Beach plant treats about 10,000 megalitres of wastewater a year and about a third of that is being used by the WBWC for irrigators. The remaining treated wastewater is pumped out to sea. The WBWC will eventually have the capacity to take most of the wastewater from the plant.

Using reclaimed water for irrigation also has economic benefi ts, as it is up to 40% cheaper than mains water. Reclaimed water has provided water security for McLaren Vale grape growers.

Dr Rawnsley presented her fi ndings at the 16th Biennial Australasian Plant Pathology conference in September, 2007 and won an award for Best Innovative Research. SARDI’s Plant and Soil Health science program was strongly represented at the conference, giving 16 oral presentations.

Dr Belinda Rawnsley’s research has proved the value of reclaimed water for grape growers.

“Reclaimed water is a new source of water for irrigation, which brings with it the major benefi ts of alleviating pressure on our valuable water resources and reducing the amount of discharge of nutrients into the sea.”

SARDI >Attaining sustainability 9

10 11

PROFILE >Dr Peter Hayman Head of Climate Applications Program, SARDI

Climate change presents an enormous challenge for SA farmers to maintain the supply of quality produce.

For more than a decade, SARDI’s Climate Applications Program has been leading efforts to build resilience into sustainable farming systems in southern Australia to help meet the challenge.

It is now a race against time.

Southern agricultural systems are facing diminished water availability and rising temperatures. These new realities impact on growing processes – how the raw ingredients of agriculture can be converted into food.

SARDI’s Climate Applications Program is well-placed to deal with the challenge, with scientists forging links with a vast network of climate-science agencies and international programs to deliver the best climate resources simply and effi ciently.

The team is led by Dr Peter Hayman who represents Australia on the World Meteorological Organisation expert team on the Communication of Agrometeorological Products and Services, and is a member of the reference group for the National Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries. He is equally skilled at communicating climate risk concepts to growers, which has earned him two ‘Seed of Light’ awards from the Northern and Southern Panels of Australia’s Grains Research and Development Corporation.

“To a primary producer, the discipline of climate applications means being equipped to adapt their enterprises to manage ongoing climate variability while factoring in long-term shifts,” Dr Hayman said.

Keeping food on the table in a warming world

Head of SARDI Climate Applications, Dr Peter Hayman, takes his commitment to the climate seriously and is regularly seen commuting to work on his bike.

Faster crop developmentSARDI Climate Applications is seeing examples of faster crop development as temperatures rise, creating new dilemmas such as crops ripening into potentially frost risky windows.

The good news is that recent fi eld-based research led by Melissa Rebbeck has proved that adding clay to soils can offset the risk of frost damage to earlier maturing crops by as much as 80%. That’s because clay helps to increase water holding capacity, which helps to retain heat.

The results of this project, along with more than a million dollars worth of work funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, are captured in a ‘Managing Frost Risk Guide’ she has co-authored.

Climate applications research by the team contributes to many broader agricultural research programs, infl uencing everything from the priorities of crop breeding programs to water science initiatives.

The team’s expertise has recently expanded to lead research into the impact of climate in viticulture.

SARDI’s Climate Applications team is attracting national and global attention for:

• fundamental research to understand how ongoing climate variability and climate shifts affect southern agriculture

• working with primary producers to identify the risks posed by climate on their business operations

• preparing farmers to pre-empt climate variability and climate shifts in an adaptive manner

• leadership in national viticulture climate applications research

• a collaborative approach to interpret and pool climate science to effi ciently and quickly deliver the best climate resources.

SARDI >Attaining sustainability

“Limiting the risk of exposure to unfavourable seasons and maximising gains in the good is part of maintaining farm viability which then fl ows onto food security for a growing population.

“As researchers, we gather all the intelligence producers need about how crops develop and ripen under various water and temperature regimes, looking at how the impacts are felt in the crop and the timing and the likelihood of stresses from frosts through to heat shocks – and whether it will be viable to farm in the long term.

“We open up discussions with producers as to how this might infl uence their decisions right through the business such as the balance of their enterprise mix, to expenditure outlays, areas sown, to crop choices, soil treatments, sowing times, irrigation scheduling, canopy management through to the vulnerable aspects of their business.”


12 13

Innovative research at SARDI is exploring how the impacts of heat shocks are felt from the vineyard to the wine bottle in an innovative three year project.

Supported by the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC), the research is probing the impact of extreme temperatures on wine grape production and quality and allowing researchers to test theories on what might be done to alleviate the impact of heat shocks.

The multidisciplinary research team includes Dr Chris Soar, jointly funded by SARDI and the GWRDC, along with Dr Victor Sadras and Dr Michael McCarthy.

“Consistency of yield and quality is of key importance and climate variability, particularly heat shocks, can threaten this,” Dr Soar said.

The core experimental focus for the project is to explore the impact of heat shocks to understand viticulture thresholds: how the different timing, duration and severity at fl owering and fruit set alter grape development, yield, timing of harvest, berry composition and wine quality.

Vines are being tested at critical growing periods in purpose built heat-stress tents to artifi cially increase canopy and bunch temperatures up to 10 degrees above the norm.

The team hopes to fi nd a way to predict periods of high risk of heat stress and in turn ensure minimal losses by identifying when growers must prepare – perhaps through canopy management or altering their irrigation regimes.

In related research, Dr Victor Sadras, has looked at historical climate and vineyard records to model the effect of temperature extremes on various stages of grapevine development. The work will help to map

the risk of extreme temperatures in major grape growing regions in Australia, and contrast this with other regions in the world.

From historical data, the work has shown there’s a link between recent warming trends and the timing of maturity of Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in Australia’s wine regions.

Dr Sadras’ analysis of 15 years of data has found grapes are maturing at half a day to three days a year earlier. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon crops have advanced their maturity by two days in the Coonawarra (SA), Langhorne Creek (SA) and Swan Hill (WA) districts per year since 1996.

The analysis indicates that, as a rule of thumb, each degree rise in temperature advances maturity by seven days, which has implications for the management of harvest operations.

Dr Sadras is also looking at the ability of science and technology to offset adverse climate effects on vintage quality within certain limits. His analysis has shown that over 25 years, vintage quality has improved despite warming, giving cause for new hope. However, the rate of improvement has varied on a regional basis.

Technological improvements, including better management of crops and improved winemaking techniques, are also helping to reduce vintage-to-vintage variation. This facet will be very important in ensuring the reliability of Australian wines in international markets.

Keeping the full bottle on viticulture

SARDI Climate Applications acknowledges these partners:

Funding bodies – Grains Research and Development Corporation,

Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation,

Australian Wool Innovation, Land & Water Australia, Managing

Climate Variability Program, ACIAR (Australian Centre for

International Agricultural Research), South Australian Grains

Industry Trust Fund and Centre for Natural Resource Management.

Collaborators – CSIRO, Bureau of Meteorology, Qld DPI, NSW DPI,

Vic DPI and DAWA, Universities of Adelaide and Charles Sturt.

International collaborations include INTA (Ag Technology Institute

of Argentina), and Universities Austral (Chile); Kentucky (USA); Mar

del Plata and Buenos Aires (Argentina); Lleida (Spain) and Haifa

(Israel). We also work with the World Meteorological Organisation

and the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Key industry research partners – Fosters Group Ltd and Norfolk

Rise (Australia) and Advanta (Argentina).

Innovative research at SARDI is exploring how the impacts of heat shocks are felt from the vineyard to the wine bottle in an innovative three year project.

The multi-disciplinary research team includes Dr Chris Soar, jointly funded by SARDI and the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, along with Dr Victor Sadras and Dr Michael McCarthy.

SARDI >Growing prosperity SARDI >Attaining sustainability

SARDI’s Viticulture Climate Applications team from left: Dr Peter Hayman, Dr Michael McCarthy, Dr Victor Sadras and Dr Chris Soar.

14 15

Maintaining access to the US beef market is a billion dollar challenge and SARDI is playing a key role in ensuring Australia’s beef producers and processors meet the highest standards for food safety.

The US imports around $1B worth of Australian beef trim each year.

Importers have to comply with strict new US protocols designed to maintain a low risk of food poisoning, which can be caused by hazardous strains of E. coli that occur naturally in the gut of cattle and other livestock.

SARDI >Growing prosperity

Beef marketa billion dollar challenge

Work by Dr Andreas Kiermeier is helping beef exports to stay in trim shape.

Onion growers look set for a rosier future with SARDI entomologists fi nding a way to safeguard stored onions from thrips damage.

A project supported by Horticulture Australia Limited has demonstrated under commercial conditions that introducing predatory mites to onions while in storage, prevented around 50% of premium red onions from being down-graded because of thrips damage.

According to SARDI’s Greg Baker, after harvesting it has been common to see thrips reduce the pack-out premium by around one half, despite in-fi eld attempts to control them. Some thrips can still infest bulbs after harvest, and continue their damage in storage when there are no means to control them.

“To pre-empt the thrips attack naturally, we were able to demonstrate that introducing a species of commercially reared mite to onion bins provided commercially effective control,” he said. “For an investment of $6 worth of mites placed in a 600 kilo bin of red onions, we prevented losses or down-grading of onions equating to $250.

“SA produces around a half of the national 250,000 tonne onion crop, so the fi nancial benefi ts from this technology could be enormous.”

Greg’s team held the trials near Mypolonga, introducing two species, Neoseiulus cucumeris and a Hypoaspis sp commercially reared by Loxton-based Biological Services, and found that the N. cucumeris were highly effective. Greg expects the practice of using natural enemies to combat post-harvest horticulture pests will become more widespread.

The Entomology team will now investigate the best method to ensure a good distribution of the mites throughout storage bins to provide consistent, reliable control of thrips.

This project was facilitated by Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Australian Onion Industry Association and was funded by the onion levy. The Australian Government provides matched funding for all HAL’s R&D activities.

Mitey good news for onion growers

Greg Baker sizes up onions he is protecting from thrips damage by natural means.

The re-vamped interventions established by the US Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) involve more tests and a different sampling method.

In preparation, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) engaged Dr Andreas Kiermeier and other members of the SARDI Food Safety Research group to develop a computer-based mathematical simulation model to assess the potential for E. coli contamination of boxed beef trim.

The model, developed for MLA using Australian slaughter and processing chain data, is designed to assess the potential for the risk of E. coli O157 contamination throughout the processing of cattle. It can predict carcase contamination at each key stage of the slaughter chain and ultimately the likelihood of boxed beef trim being contaminated with the micro-organism. This allows MLA to assess the potential impact of different processing practices or interventions on the chance of contamination in boxes of beef trim.

Outputs from the model can then be used to evaluate various sampling protocols and estimate the likelihood of detecting contaminated product.

Dr Kiermeier estimates the new US protocols will increase the cost of testing in Australia but is optimistic the new model and related statistical assessments carried out by the SARDI Food Safety Research group will help inform industry about the likely effects of the new sampling requirements.

“Application of the model will enable the industry to make strategic risk management decisions with respect to exporting beef trim,” Dr Kiermeier said.


16 17

Ground breaking research by SARDI scientists has identifi ed a valuable new Australian fi shery brimming with the ‘good’ fatty acid Omega 3.

Holy Mackerel

Tens of thousands of tonnes of blue mackerel – one of the smallest members of the tuna family – are located in the Great Australian Bight and off eastern Australia.

A similar species of mackerel is an extremely popular table fi sh in Europe and an important source of Omega 3 fatty acids for many Europeans.

Omega 3s are one of the ‘good oils’ with renowned health benefi ts, including reducing the incidence of heart disease and improving brain function.

Project leader Dr Tim Ward, says little was known about blue mackerel in Australia before the study. Until now, these resources have only been fi shed at low levels, mainly for bait. But that seems likely to change.

Four years of remarkable science has revealed much about its biology and shown that there are large commercial stocks available.

Catches from the Great Australian Bight are starting to increase as fi shers develop markets for human consumption in Russia and other parts of Europe. Hopefully the palates of Australians will also be converted to the joys of this affordable and highly nutritious fi sh.

Importantly, this new fi shery will be properly managed right from the start thanks to the study that was funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Council and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

The $3.5M project has been hailed nationally and internationally as a model for how new fi sheries should be established based on good science.

It was overseen by a steering committee that included commercial and recreational fi shers, conservationists and resource managers, as well as fi sheries scientists. Catch was held at low levels until information on stock size became available.

A clear harvest strategy is now being established that builds on information obtained in the study to ensure that the stock is managed sustainably.

The harvest strategy is modelled on the approach that has been developed by SARDI in the South Australian Sardine Fishery.

SARDI >Growing prosperity SARDI >Improving well-being

The ‘daily egg production method’ or DEPM is used to determine the abundance of adult fi sh. This method involves researchers measuring egg abundance and using biological knowledge about spawning rates to calculate adult fi sh numbers. Catches are then limited to conservative percentages (e.g. 10%) of the adult biomass. If the adult stock is measured at 50,000 tonnes, fi shers are permitted to catch 5,000 t.

This technique is now the accepted approach to managing Australia’s stocks of small pelagic fi shes. The work has also attracted interest from fi sheries scientists and managers around the world. Dr Ward travelled to the USA in November 2007 to talk about his work on sardines and blue mackerel.

Dr Ward said that the blue mackerel project was an ambitious undertaking.

“It involved researchers from South Australia, Tasmania, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia who conducted 12 major surveys in waters between southern Queensland and the Great Australian Bight. We collected over 2,400 plankton samples

and identifi ed thousands of eggs and larvae of blue mackerel and other small pelagic species. We also developed a good understanding of the biology of the blue mackerel, including new knowledge of patterns of age and growth and reproduction,” Dr Ward said.

“More work is needed to understand patterns of egg development and to identify where the large spawning adults aggregate off the east coast, however overall this study was an outstanding success. We have made enormous strides in developing a robust technique to underpin the assessment of this species.”

“The investment and involvement of so many different groups has resulted in a real ‘buy in’ on the fi ndings, and excellent support and cooperation from the competing sectors in the way the fi shery will be managed in the future.”

The project fi ndings were immediately adopted in the management of the Commonwealth Small Pelagic Fishery.

Dr Tim Ward and Paul Rogers hope to turn blue mackerel, regarded in Australia as a bait fi sh, into a premium product for export markets.

Mackerel is an important source of Omega 3 fatty acids with renowned health benefi ts, including reducing the incidence of heart disease and improving brain function.

18 19

Bowls of steaming oat meal in winter and crunchy muesli in summer are forefront in the minds of Australia’s oat development researchers as they set about their daily work in the quest to enhance the humble oat.

A growing pool of research places oats as a cereal of choice to driving down blood cholesterol for people at moderate cholesterol risk .

Whole grain oats, as part of a lifestyle program, may confer other benefi ts including reducing the risk of elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and weight gain and even reducing early hardening of arteries.

Leader of SARDI’s Oat Breeding Unit, Dr Pamela Zwer, juggles all these facets when developing new varieties in her capacity of leading Australia’s national oat improvement program.

Aussie made oats: making history as the fi rst line therapy to health

“Not many consumers are aware of this, but the breeding process is at the front end of the food value chain. By enhancing the nutritional value and heart-health properties of oat kernels, research yields benefi ts that fl ow from the paddock to the plate.

“This involves staying in close contact with companies like Uncle Toby’s and Quakers who sit at the end of the value chain and keep us up to speed with consumer nutritional trends and test our varieties to ensure they have the tick of approval before release.”

Dr Zwer’s programs are looking at lowering oil content, raising protein and boosting naturally rich levels of beta glucan, known for its cholesterol lowering properties. Using infrared technology, researchers are able to pinpoint the types that offer the best combination of healthy attributes very early in breeding programs.

A new area of focus is the naturally occurring antioxidant, avenanthramides, unique to oats. Antioxidants play the role of mopping up free radicals that cause damage to cells and are implicated in cancer. It’s thought the compound helps protect the oats from stresses during the growing season. Australian oats are particularly hardy, so should display a high content of the health-giving compound. Dr Zwer’s research is part of an international race to pick up on the opportunity and she will present her fi ndings at the 2008 International Oat Conference in the USA.

“The reason oats are so rich in antioxidants and vitamin E is because the whole grain is used in processing, unlike other cereals,” she said.

Dr Zwer and the team unit created history within the oat industry when they developed the world’s fi rst dwarf milling varieties; fi rst was Possum and more recently Mitika, which has won favour with the farming community for its ability to grow in tough conditions, and with millers for its higher milling yields.

From a grower perspective it is desirable to grow dwarf varieties because the growth is funnelled into the grain, not green growth. This means fertiliser is used more effi ciently, leading to major savings. Normally the dwarf trait is linked to poor milling quality, but the team broke the chink by crossing the best milling type to the best dwarf type, generation after generation. More remarkably, this was achieved without compromising a swathe of other qualities.

SARDI >Improving well-being

Loved through the food chain

Uncle Toby’s senior quality engineer Phillip Nickson says that from the farm to the dining table, everyone benefi ts from this little publicised research.

Food companies play a vital part in SARDI’s oat program and are actively involved in the testing of milling varieties before release. Mitika secured a tick of approval from Uncle Toby’s as a milling class variety before release, giving farmers confi dence they could enjoy a price-edge over growing other feed-class varieties.

“Consumers are lapping up all the health properties with the SARDI team staying one step in front of health science and having the know-how to enhance the oat kernel,” he said.

“The varieties have in-built disease tolerance, so growing them is a clean and green exercise. Their great fi eld performance means growers are keen to keep growing them, so we have a continuity of supply. They carry less husk, so as millers we enjoy less waste and more effi ciency.”

Exports a-plenty

Oats are a versatile crop and SARDI’s oat program is not limited to the human health market.SARDI-bred oaten hay varieties have claimed prime position in market share, spurring on an 800 000 tonne strong export hay industry, built on supplying dairy and beef feedlots throughout Asia.

In the next few years Dr Zwer’s team, along with researchers at WA’s Department of Agriculture and Food, expect to celebrate the release of a WA-adapted variety which carries special resistance to the disease, septoria. They hope this will set WA’s export oaten hay industry on a course towards exporting 1.2 million tonnes.

Premium niche varieties are being developed for race horses in the Middle East and Japan, because merchants are buying on the visual appeal of a bright plump oat.

Oat-enriched cosmetics are attracting attention and down the track Dr Zwer’s team hope to identify genes that offer face-friendly starch ingredients, creating a new opportunity for growers to tap into this lucrative market.

Acknowledgement:

SARDI thanks the SA Grains

Industry Trust, the Grains

Research and Development

Corporation and the Rural

Industries Research and

Development Corporation

for funding oat research, and

Cereal Partners Worldwide.

SARDI’s Oat Breeding team are working on the heart-health properties of oats. Left to right: Sue Hoppo, scientifi c offi cer, with Peter McCormack, Manager Industry Development and Commercialisation, and Dr Pamela Zwer, who leads the team.

“Putting healthy oat-based cereals on breakfast tables around the world and understanding how oats fi t into a health-conscious food market drives our breeding priorities,” Dr Zwer said.

Oats are rich in antioxidants and vitamin E because the whole grain is used in processing.


20

Collaborative management has made the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery the envy of fi shers around the globe.

The fi shery has long been Australia’s showcase for industry maturity and involvement in decision-making, and is again leading the way as the fi shery moves towards self-management.

The real-time management (RTM) harvest strategy for the fi shery that was implemented by former SARDI scientist, Neil Carrick, has enabled fi shers to catch larger prawns at higher catch rates than any other prawn fi shery in the world.

Real-time management has also enabled Spencer Gulf prawn fi shers to make more money and spend less time at sea than their counterparts in other fi sheries.

The fi shery’s RTM strategy is a world leading example of the benefi ts of industry, scientists and fi sheries managers working together to ensure the long-term sustainability and profi tability of the $40 million a year fi shery.

SARDI’s prawn fi shery scientist Cameron Dixon, says that the harvest strategy for the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery is far more sophisticated than those in most other Australian fi sheries: aimed at maximising profi tability as well as assuring sustainability.

Three times each year, selected Spencer Gulf prawn fi shers and SARDI scientists undertake fi shery-independent surveys to assess the status of the stocks.

Prawns and fi shers thriving in the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery

The survey results are also used the following morning by a team that includes fi shers, the SARDI scientist and a Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA) Fisheries manager to decide where and how much fi shing will occur over the next fortnight.

While at sea, industry completes the RTM strategy - refi ning fi shing patterns, sometimes on an hourly basis, to maximise the value of the catch by targeting the region’s biggest prawns and leaving the smaller ones to grow and spawn.

“Industry has championed the holistic approach, not only supporting the major independent surveys but also adjusting their fi shing approach with the extra information from their own spot-checks,” Mr Dixon said.

“Where once fi shers went out up to 300 nights a year, they now snare larger quantities of bigger, more valuable prawns in just 50 nights.”

Each survey costs around $200,000 – an outlay which is funded by the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishermen’s Association, but which has proven to be very cost effective. This is another success story for PIRSA, SARDI and industry working together to maximise the benefi ts to the South Australian community from the use of a valuable natural resource.


Fishers once went out 300 nights a year but now they snare larger quantities of bigger more valuable prawns in just 50 nights.

Cameron Dixon assists the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery to maximise profi t and ensure it stays sustainable.

21

22

Meeting consumer demands for the food people want – pleasure, convenience and eating quality – can be a very precise art.

Companies that can conceptualise the ‘fi nished foods’ that consumers want and then create these products quickly will grow their business and become more profi table.

Finding the right blend for a product from concept to fi nal presentation can be a complex process. Considerations need to include packaging, product appeal, eating quality, food safety, shelf-life, environmental sustainability and marketing strategies.

Enter the new ‘fi nishing school for food’.

SARDI’s Food Innovation and Value Chain team is helping food businesses trouble-shoot current problems, identify new market opportunities and overcome technological barriers in developing new products. The work is being undertaken collaboratively with Primary Industries and Resources SA’s Food Team to achieve fi nished food targets of the SA Food Plan.

The group is co-located at the new SA Food Centre based at South Australia’s $40 million state-of-the- art Regency International Centre for Hospitality, Leisure and Food Studies.

SARDI has established expertise in harvest and post-harvest handling of seafood and horticultural products, food safety, biochemistry, crop improve-ment, seafood, plant and livestock breeding. Now, the capability has been extended with the addition of two new food technologists supported by the Food Innovation and New Product Development program of the South Australian Food Plan 2007-2010. To provide an additional focus on seafood, the Marine Innovation SA initiative has also engaged a seafood processing engineer to join the team.

Finishing school for food

“We are the fi rst in South Australia to offer independent, objective technical expertise in this area of value adding and product integrity, ” according to principal scientist, Food Innovation and Value Chain, Dr Andrew Barber.

“Companies often know what their consumers want, but fi nding ways to develop and present the fi nished product requires assistance. That’s where we come in. We will fi nd ways to develop their new products, to improve shelf life, ensure exported products meet international requirements – in short we will help them produce a fi nished product that meets consumer demands and grows a more profi table business.”

Projects underway range from packaging modifi cations for extending the shelf-life of fi sh fi llets to solving a unit operation hurdle in pasta making, and sensory analysis on vegetables to gauge suitability for different cooking styles.

“Being based at Regency offers an enormous advantage,” says Dr Barber. “We have access to an extensive range of facilities for many types of food and beverage production, such as packaging machinery, food microbiology and analytical laboratories. We also work closely with the centre’s renowned chefs and food service professionals who provide excellent feedback and advice on new product innovation, marketing improvements, packaging, product styles and how they want food delivered to them.”

Acknowledgement:

The SARDI Food Innovation and Value Chain team

thanks the South Australian Food Plan 2007-2010

and the Marine Innovation SA initiatives of the SA

Government for supporting new positions, and

acknowledges support from industry development

partners at Primary Industries and Resources

SA, The Department of Trade and Economic

Development and the Regency International

Centre for Hospitality, Leisure and Food Studies.


Above: Dr John Carragher with student Andrew Prichard at the Regency International Centre for Hospitality, Leisure and Food Studies.Below: Members of SARDI’s Food Innovation and Value Chain team: Stewart Eddie, Dr Andrew Barber, Mohan Raj, Dr John Carragher and Dr Richard Musgrove.

23

24 25

Next time you throw a prawn on the barbie, shuck an oyster, tuck into a mouthwatering steak or fry an egg, think fondly of Dr Andy Pointon.

Dr Pointon has had a hand in ensuring that most foods produced in SA have every chance of arriving at your table and those around Australia in mint condition. Acknowledged as one of Australia’s pre-eminent food safety experts, Dr Pointon leads SARDI’s newly formed research division, Innovative Food and Plants.

Dr Pointon’s work spans the entire food chain from production to consumption of seafood, dairy, meat and grains. He plays a major role in setting food safety benchmarks and standards, minimising health risks and monitoring the impacts of food safety standards to inform government policy. His team also helps producers gain access to world markets by designing programs to ensure international trade standards are met, and by identifying new products for different markets.

His team’s research in food safety and the establishment of food safety programs across many food industries has signifi cantly raised confi dence in the high quality of Australian produce available on national markets and has boosted the nation’s export markets.

Dr Pointon joined SARDI in 1993, guiding predominantly pig and poultry research, and then spent fi ve years as Chief Scientist, Livestock Systems. A secondment to health, food standards and agricultural agencies in Canberra in 2000, to conduct a national food safety research needs evaluation piqued his passion in food safety.

In 2001, Dr Pointon took a strategic leap for South Australia and established SARDI’s Food Safety Research program – taking research into public health, product integrity and market access for all foods to a whole new level. The program was recognised with a Premier’s Science Excellence Award and an SA Great Award for Science and Technology in 2005.

The success and rapid growth of the Food Safety program highlighted the need to broaden the focus on food chain safety, and Dr Pointon was appointed Chief of SARDI’s new Innovative Food and Plants division in 2007.

Dr Pointon is renowned for his passion for his work which he explains stems from satisfaction derived from providing real benefi ts to food producers and processors. “The opportunity to draw on my public health background as a vet and apply this with risk modellers, statisticians and microbiologists to determine effective and practical measures that improve food safety, is extremely satisfying.”

Dr Pointon now sits on Meat and Livestock Australia’s national scientifi c risk management panel as an expert advisor on market access research. He also chairs an expert panel for the national pork industry advising on research priorities for food safety, quality assurance and biosecurity to ensure programs comply with public health and trade standards.

Dr Pointon’s contribution in underpinning Australia’s economic development of healthy food industries has been signifi cant.

He built SARDI’s Food Safety team from scratch into a nationally recognised food quality and safety team that covers everything from phyto-sanitary and pathology to epidemiology and statistics. The group is sought after by national regulators such as Food Standards Australia New Zealand to provide policy advice to government, and by industries to assist with risk assessment, quality assurance, market access and value adding programs.

PROFILE >Dr Andrew Pointon Head of SARDI’s Innovative Food and Plants division

Spanning the food value chain

Dr Pointon’s work plays a major role in setting food safety benchmarks and standards, minimising health risks and monitoring the impacts of food safety standards to inform government policy.

The fi ght to keep our veggies healthy is a priority for SARDI’s Plant and Soil Health team.

The team has stem canker fi rmly in its sights. The disease targets Brassica vegetable crops – broccoli, caulifl ower and cabbage – and is most severe in caulifl ower where it is widespread, infecting between 24 to 100% of crops.

On the Northern Adelaide Plains in South Australia, stem canker has been estimated to cause potential losses of over $300 000 per week. Growers currently do not have control measures to tackle the problem.

A collaborative national research effort overseen by SARDI Plant and Soil Health has pinpointed the cause and extent of stem canker. This is a major step forward towards fi nding the solution, which has led to a three-year national project funded by Horticulture Australia Ltd.

The initial research involved surveys across NSW, SA, Vic, Queensland and WA that looked at more than 113 plantings over 12 months. In addition, 1000 isolates collected nationally were studied by the team, and intensive sampling was conducted at selected sites.

Canker conundrum

Researchers found the disease is most prevalent in South Australia, with infection up to 80%. In other states, the surveys showed crop infection levels of 74% in NSW, 38% in Victoria, 25% in Queensland and 24% in WA. They also found that the disease is caused by several fungi, which means a multi-pronged approach will be needed to tackle the problem. The major fungi isolated from diseased plants are Rhizoctonia (cause of wirestem disease) and Phoma (Blackleg).

DNA specifi c tests are being used to detect the causal fungus in soil and caulifl owers. These tests have shown that soil can be infected prior to planting but symptoms are not visible until after six weeks.

Research in progress is aiming to pinpoint effective strategies for preventing and controlling stem canker.

Researcher Catherine Hitch says that the symptoms and organisms causing the problem vary across the regions. “So our next challenge will be to devise approaches that can be adapted to reduce crop losses in the different areas.”

SARDI >Improving well-being SARDI >Growing prosperity

26 27

Australians aren’t used to having to think about food security. There has always been plenty of fresh milk, top-quality beef and oranges, fresh table grapes, good-quality wine, premium stone fruits and nuts on tap whenever we want them.

With climate change predicted to bring more frequent droughts resulting in less water and higher salt levels in the Murray-Darling Basin, that may no longer be the case.

Irrigation is vital to food security and the SARDI Water Resources and Irrigated Crops team is playing an important role in helping the horticulture industry meet the challenges posed by lack of water and poor water quality.

Senior irrigation scientist Dr Tapas Biswas says this will involve redesigning Australian irrigated horticulture to operate with less water, often of lower quality.

This new-style industry will be more diverse, with a higher proportion of annual crops. New cropping systems will be needed that are likely to involve the use of high-technology monitoring and application systems to closely manage a combination of intensive plantings of perennial crops yielding top-quality, high-value produce.

Such an approach has the potential to generate more income per kilolitre of water by focusing water use on relatively smaller areas of highly productive ‘closed’ production systems that maximise water use effi ciency.

Dr Biswas is confi dent the technology to achieve this can be developed, pointing to hydroponics and advanced fertigation techniques that place measured quantities of nutrients with the irrigation water directly into the root zone of the crop.

Irrigation insights: Securing the future of horticulture

Regulated defi cit irrigation, providing suffi cient water to produce a targeted yield of specifi ed quality without applying any excess, is also high on the agenda.

“All these techniques require precise measurement of the rate of respiration by the tree or vine as well as environmental factors such as water and nutrient availability and salinity,” Dr Biswas said.

A more closely managed intensive approach to production has the potential to maximise the amount of water available to sustain the river environment, which is essential if it is to remain a source of good-quality water.

Dr Biswas is optimistic there is potential for shared use of water to restore the ecology of the river and for food production, and to design production systems that reduce adverse impacts of irrigation on the river environment.

The SARDI Water Resources and Irrigated Crops team comprises irrigation specialists with modelling skills, plant scientists, crop nutritionists and crop production system specialists. All these areas of expertise are being applied to address the issues being faced by the horticulture industry.

The immediate challenge in the current drought is to ensure the industry, and the growers, survive to fi ght – and grow – another day.

The SA Government has funded a three-year project, giving the team the opportunity to measure extreme impacts from the prevailing drought to be better prepared for future droughts.

One line of research led at Loxton by Mark Skewes is investigating the resilience of permanent horticulture to help Riverland growers to ‘drought proof’ their citrus, almond and viticulture crops.

“The key issues are how to manage permanent plantings when water is in such short supply that they can’t produce a crop; how to quickly get trees and vines into a ‘survival’ mode that will allow them to return to full production as quickly as possible when more water is available,” Dr Biswas said.

“New strategies will arise from our knowledge about the absolute minimum water needs for the survival of crops and crop management techniques to reduce the impact during and after drought.

“Australian perennial horticulture has never been faced with this situation before. Growers are losing valuable trees because they can access only a small percentage of their high-security allocations.

“We are making sure we learn as much as possible from what is happening with the aim of being able to equip water managers and growers to handle similar conditions better when they occur in future.”


Dr Tapas Biswas makes each drop count as part of SARDI’s Water Resources and Irrigation team.

The SARDI Water Resources and Irrigated Crops team’s expertise and experience in water resources and irrigation management means it is well equipped to help the horticulture industries meet the water issues they are currently facing.


28 29

Most Australians think of pulses as a food of curiosity, but in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and even parts of Europe, pulses form a staple part of the diet.

In less than 20 years, the global appetite for Aussie-grown chickpeas, lentils and faba beans has seen the development of an export industry worth more than $480 million per year, making Australia one of the top-ranking pulse exporters in the world.

Pulse research on the beat

Merchants like reliable supplies and seek the most attractive, blemish free, uniformly shaped pulses of good size and colour with consistent cooking qualities.

Filling their order is a concerted national effort spanning the disciplines of crop phenology, breeding, pathology, agronomic research and fi eld and quality evaluation.

From a grower perspective the overarching goal is for sustainable, profi table pulse crops, which arise from access to well-adapted disease resistant lines offering high market acceptance. The fl ow-on benefi ts from this are crops that require fewer sprays, with resulting environmental benefi ts, reduced residue risks and better returns.

This is best exemplifi ed by the efforts to tackle an epidemic of the fungal disease, Ascochyta. In 1998, Ascochyta struck southern Australian chickpea crops, from which it took the industry nearly eight years to recover. Fungicide research has been an important part of rebuilding growers’ confi dence in the crops.

SARDI Plant and Soil Health Pathologist Jenny Davidson and Pulse Improvement Agronomist Larn McMurray teamed up to study the spread of the disease, the conditions that favour its spread, and suitable fungicide strategies for new resistant chickpea cultivars.

A rigorous screening, breeding and evaluation program that requires minimal fungicides has followed, leading to the development of resistant varieties, further revitalising the chickpea industry.

“Ascochyta, like many diseases, can have manifold effects cutting yields, harming grain quality in a market where premiums are paid for a superior product. The combined research approach has enabled growers to fi ght back, to restore yields and profi t margins,” said Ms Davidson.

The researchers believe the benefi ts will be felt through the food value chain, strengthening supply lines that will maintain Australia’s reputation for quality in global markets.

As one of the few laboratories in the world that concentrates on pulse pathology, SARDI has attracted international collaborations enriching its knowledge base.

Collaboration with the University of Arid Agriculture in Rawalpindi, Pakistan and the Institute of Plant Protection, Volcani Centre, Israel tested an ‘adaptive’ approach to managing Ascochyta. Rather than routine calendar spraying after sowing, spraying regimes are adjusted according to weather conditions and inherent varietal resistance. Applied correctly, the approach can improve performance, reduce the number of spraying operations and save growers money.

The body of knowledge garnered from the adaptive approach is being transferred across other pulse crops.

SARDI scientists, working in collaboration with Pulse Breeding Australia and a network of researchers, can share in the credits, along with industry supporters the SA Grains Industry Trust, Grains Research and Development Corporation and Pulse Australia.

The efforts of SARDI’s multidisciplinary researchers will help Australian pulses to remain top fare on worldwide menus. L to R: Jenny Davidson, Matthew Dare, Dr Ahmad Maqbool, Larn McMurray, Jim Egan and Rohan Kimber.

SARDI >Growing prosperity SARDI >Growing prosperity

30 31

A favourite bean

South Australia produces around a third of the national pulse crop, leading faba bean, fi eld pea and lentil yields. Faba bean is among the favourite pulses grown by SA farmers, now sown across 73 000 hectares each year.

For PhD researcher Rohan Kimber, a visit to Egypt, the world’s largest importer of faba beans, had a profound infl uence. He gained a fi rst hand perspective along with national faba bean breeder from Adelaide University, Dr Jeff Paull, on how customers value cooking and grain quality.

Egyptian consumption is around 2000 tonnes daily, and there is an annual shortfall of 300 000 tonnes of local production capacity.

With a population growing two percent a year, Egypt is looking to countries like Australia to keep supplying its favourite bean, which turns up in everything from falafels to casseroles and purees.


“Staying on top of diseases is a critical step in producing nicely shaped grains of uniform quality and keeping supplies regular to maintain a strong market presence in a very competitive fi eld.

“Egypt’s faba bean production is decreasing, so opportunities for Australian exports are rising. Traders were excited with the direction Australia’s breeding is headed, indicating they prefer the quality of Australian faba beans – their size, colour and cooking qualities over competitors,” Mr Kimber said.

His PhD study tracked the spread of Cercospora leafspot in faba beans, a disease that has emerged and if left unchecked, has potential to interrupt supplies.

The study identifi ed a relatively simple approach to curb its spread. It involves targeting control measures to minimise the risk of disease establishment and some minor modifi cations to existing management practices.

Misdiagnosis is common, so Mr Kimber has raised awareness to increase correct identifi cation.

Acknowledgement:

SARDI thanks collaborative

researchers involved in Pulse

Breeding Australia, AWB

Seeds, the SA Grains Industry

Trust and Grains Research and

Development Corporation for

funding research programs,

and the industry support of

Pulse Australia.


Keeping the pulse beating

SARDI’s expanded pulse improvement program, based out of Clare in the heart of SA’s major grain legume belt, is coming to the fore, playing an active role in Pulse Breeding Australia’s collaborative chickpea, fi eld pea and lentil breeding programs.

Under Larn McMurray’s guidance, the program is also increasingly recognised as a centre of excellence for agronomic-based research. This capability gives the research team a holistic perspective on developing and releasing varieties for market success. Fitting well-adapted, disease resistant lines into sustainable, profi table cropping systems goes hand in hand with reducing sprays, lessening the risk of crop failure, boosting soil health and increasing yields and grain quality at the same time. The rewards are better grower returns, long term industry viability and down the line, social cohesion for regional communities.

In any year, more than 3000 breeding lines are assessed and researchers identify lines for development that offer traits of importance. The program offers high-level expertise in herbicide tolerance screening, an important facet with weed control restricting yields and sustainable production in Australia.

In the fi eld, researchers have identifi ed promising lines of lentils, chickpeas and fi eld peas, and expect a swathe of varieties to come on line in the next three years.

Methods to fl ex

Coping with environmental stresses is an important focus in attempts to stabilise and expand the pulse industry.

Pulse crops can be readily damaged by frost and heat stresses at the critical fl owering and podding stages and researchers expect both will be on the increase due to global warming. A shifting climate could increase hot spring winds, while favouring conditions that bring on overnight radiant frosts. Winter-sown pulses are also developing earlier, putting fl owering and podding into windows of frost risk.

The work of SARDI in Pulse Breeding Australia’s Pulse Germplasm Enhancement Program has brought frost tolerant peas one step closer to reality. Researchers have identifi ed two lines of fi eld peas that offer more than 65 to 75% better frost tolerance than existing varieties, at the crucial fl owering and podding stages.

An exciting breakthrough led by Dr Ahmad Maqbool based at the Australian Plant Genomics Centre was the development of a selection system,

giving researchers the means to reliably identify frost tolerant plants. The recent procurement of a frost chamber now allows the most accurate and advanced technology to simulate radiant frost stress. Previously, researchers had to rely on visual observations of frost damage in the fi eld. This approach can be misleading because it does not truly indicate a crop’s ability to withstand frost at podding. Research in progress is also identifying suitable frost tolerant lentils and chickpeas.

On the heat stress front, researchers are making headway developing heat tolerant lines of faba beans and fi eld peas involving the use of a simulated heat chamber.

Pulse Australia’s Wayne Hawthorne says with such a comprehensive suite of carefully targeted pulse research programs in hand, the chances are high that Australian pulses will remain top fare on worldwide menus.

Dr Ahmad Maqbool examines fi eld peas in a simulated heat chamber.

Researchers are making headway developing heat tolerant lines of faba beans and fi eld peas involving the use of a simulated heat chamber.

32

Ten years ago the Great Australian Bight (GAB) was considered about as productive as a great sandy desert. Yet it has been found to support Australia’s largest fi shery by biomass – the SA Sardine Fishery.

The Great Australian Bight – the jewel in the crown

Every year between December and April, the ‘sandy desert’ becomes a veritable fi ve star restaurant for blue whales, short-tailed shearwaters (muttonbirds), Southern Bluefi n Tuna and Australian salmon that migrate there from around the world.

A fascinating study by SARDI Aquatic Sciences over the past decade has revealed an important and incredibly productive system in the GAB that is fuelled by the annual upwelling of the Flinders Current.

This drives the ocean’s nutrients to shallower waters allowing phytoplankton to fl ourish and provide the foundation food for a rich marine ecology. This supports an incredibly diverse range of species, and potentially signifi cant unexploited fi sheries such as blue mackerel and arrow squid.

Project leader Dr Tim Ward says the study stemmed from initial research begun in 1995 that was trying to understand why there were so many sardines in a seemingly ‘arid’ region.

“This fi shery is huge compared to anything else in the country, and there is national and international interest as to how we go about setting up the fi shery in an ecologically sustainable way,” he said.

“The Great Australian Bight Ecosystem Project has evolved into a cutting edge multi-disciplinary approach to managing the delicately balanced GAB

SARDI’s Great Australian Bight Ecosystem Project aims to understand the

region’s food web systems – who eats what, where and when. SARDI marine

biologists, honours students and PhD candidates are involved in the project.

The new knowledge is being used to help manage the GAB ecosystem and

ensure sustainable fi sheries management.

ecosystem. The research is based on the GAB food web – who eats what and when in this part of the world.”

More than six SARDI scientists and PhD students are now involved in the $2.5 million study, looking at the region’s physical oceanography, upwelling processes, sea fl oor communities, pelagic fi sh and key marine bird and mammal species.

“If we can understand the parameters of what makes this system tick, and the role of sardines

within it, we can also identify ‘ecological performance indicators’ that will tell us if the system is healthy or out of balance and make sure the harvest of sardines is sustainable and not impacting on the marine ecosystem,” Dr Ward said.

“A major part of this is looking at the foraging behaviour and population biology of key predators such as New Zealand fur seals, little penguins, crested terns, shearwaters and Australian salmon. This is helping us to ascertain the role of sardines in the marine system – that is, what the dependent species and relationships between higher predators and sardines are.”

This fascinating research delves into the everyday lives of these animals. Satellite trackers and dive recorders reveal where and how they spend their time, where and even what time they go to feed, trip durations, how deep they dive, how far they fl y and seasonal and annual variability. Other areas of investigation look at their reproductive success, distribution and abundance, and what and how much they eat.

< PhD candidate Lachie McLeay is looking at demographic changes in the populations of crested terns which may mirror sardine abundance, thereby providing an excellent ecological indicator of the fi shery’s health.

< SARDI researcher, Dr Brad Page, holding a squid and a red snapper, just some of the creatures included in the research to understand the effects of fi sheries on food webs.

< PhD candidate Al Baylis’s research using satellite trackers is providing new insight into the foraging habits and diets of New Zealand fur seals.

< Annelise Wiebkin’s PhD research is helping to unravel the foraging ecology, diet, breeding and population dynamics of little penguins to help assess their ‘ecological allocation’ in the management of the GAB fi sheries.

The ecosystem-based fi shery management approach to the ecosystem is drawing together an incredible body of knowledge that is attracting international interest. Dr Ward has just returned from lecturing on this research at the celebrated Scripps Institute of Oceanography in California, discussing how this management approach is ensuring the ecologically sustainable development of the fi shery.

He says one of the most important aspects of the study is that it has led people to completely rethink the ecology of this region. It has also revealed the unique environment off southern Australia that supports a level of endemic species much higher than the Great Barrier Reef.

“The Great Australian Bight with its broad shelf and incredibly productive upwelling systems is probably the jewel in the crown,” said Dr Ward.

The Great Australian Bight Ecosystem Project is funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Council and the South Australian Sardine Industry.

SARDI >Attaining sustainability 33

34 35

Abalone exports from SA are on the rise following the discovery of an unexploited colony in the State’s gulf waters.

A unique collaboration between abalone fi shers, PIRSA Fisheries and SARDI scientists has rediscovered an old source of the highly valued greenlip abalone off Cowell, on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Virtually forgotten for almost 20 years this source of succulent shellfi sh from the Cowell area has added a potential $250,000 to South Australia’s export earnings, with the abalone a highly prized food on menus in China, Japan and elsewhere throughout South East Asia.

Lost abalone fi eldback in production

SARDI’s project, involving the Abalone Industry Association of South Australia and PIRSA Fisheries, is a world-fi rst, says SARDI scientist Dr Stephen Mayfi eld. “Our process is the fi rst to integrate exploratory fi shing for abalone with fi shery-independent surveys that estimate absolute abalone density, using the leaded-line method developed under a FRDC-funded project by Dr Rick McGarvey at SARDI. Evaluating the potential of stocks to support a commercial fi shery can take several years. Our approach reduced this time considerably.”

Dr Stephen Mayfi eld (left) with fi sherman, Adrian Purdie. SARDI has worked closely with fi shers to re-open a valuable fi eld of abalone near Cowell.

Dr Mayfi eld says the project called on the fast, effi cient and highly skilled commercial abalone divers to obtain information on the distribution and abundance of this valuable species over a massive 1143 square kilometre area of coast off Cowell in Spencer Gulf.

Abalone fi shermen using echo-sounders and underwater vehicles or ‘dive cages’ pinpointed the general distribution of the abalone. More specifi c areas were then targeted at a higher spatial resolution, to provide highly detailed catch and effort data.

Dr Mayfi eld says the preliminary survey took six abalone fi shermen just 12 days each to complete.“These fi shermen are so skilled at fi nding abalone that their involvement helped reduce the survey time signifi cantly. This allowed SARDI researchers to undertake independent surveys in just 10 days across a 28-square km area most likely to support a commercial fi shery.

“After further research and analysis to estimate the absolute abundance and harvestable biomass of greenlip abalone, the fi shery was opened in 2006.”

The abalone fi shers are now helping to further research into abalone to determine how the shellfi sh responds to fi shing.

“Very little is known about how an abalone population responds to commercial fi shing,” he says. “At Cowell we have the closest example of a ‘virgin’ abalone resource that will provide us with excellent information. We have also created three closed areas there, which we will use as reference sites, comparing the fi shed area to the unfi shed areas over the next fi ve to ten years,” says Dr Mayfi eld.

One of the great strengths of this project has been the relationship it has forged between SARDI, the commercial abalone sector and PIRSA Fisheries. It is an excellent example of working together towards a sustainable future.

Saltwater fi sh fresh from the Riverland


Murray Mulloway was one of the most popular dishes when offered at Banrock Station at Kingston-on-Murray in SA’s Riverland, where consultant chef Peter Kent loves to promote regional produce.

>

Michelle and Chris from Samtass cooked up a storm with SARDI’s Wayne Hutchinson and Magda Thiel from Uni SA who was helping with one of several tasting surveys at Adelaide’s Central Market.


Adelaide seafood lovers have been treated to a new taste sensation – a saltwater fi sh farmed fresh in the Riverland!

The Murray Mulloway were grown in water derived from ancient seawater deposits at SARDI’s inland aquaculture demonstration farm near Waikerie.

The Waikerie Inland Saline Aquaculture Centre formed part of a $2.06M project jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments through the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and the Centre for Natural Resource Management. The ‘proof of concept’ project, which explored the commercial potential for oceanic and estuarine species to be grown using River Murray salt interception scheme water, was completed in June 2008.

The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of South Austraila worked with Marine Innovation SA partners, PIRSA Aquaculture and SARDI, to gauge the market potential of the Murray Mulloway as part of the project’s ‘proof of concept’.

At a series of tastings held at Samtass fi sh outlets in Adelaide, nearly half of those who tried the fi sh liked it so much, they decided to buy it rather than the fi sh they had planned to buy.

SARDI researcher Wayne Hutchinson said making the Murray Mulloway available to the marketplace

was part of the research. The project determined consumer, wholesaler and retail interest and supply chain issues in order to provide potential private sector investors with information needed to stimulate interest in entering the new industry.

“We proved the concept works – the fi sh grow faster when cultured in saline groundwater than they do in the wild or in sea cage culture, they taste delicious and were widely accepted when offered in the marketplace. We hope this project encourages commercial operators to establish a new fi sh farming industry in the Riverland,” said Mr Hutchinson.

36 SARDI >Growing prosperity

Dr Mark Sosnowski is living for the day when exotic disease outbreaks can be eliminated, without needing to raze entire crops.

Pest and pathogen incursions reverberate along the entire food supply chain. Outbreaks threaten the profi tability and viability of Australia’s plant industry, which carries a farm gate value of over $18 billion and export earnings of more than $12 billion annually.

As a project leader for the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity, Dr Sosnowski aims to elucidate how, where and when diseases get a foothold and take off.

The research challenge is to optimise eradication strategies for emergency plant pest incursions on perennial crops. This means developing novel ways to eliminate disease outbreaks, while limiting the negative economic and social impacts on growers, regions and the economy.

Current strategies to eradicate exotic diseases require the removal, burning and burial of plant material with suspected infection. When perennial crops are involved, this can signifi cantly increase costs to industry and the community because of the time needed to re-establish plantations to their previous levels of production and quality.

Dr Sosnowski’s role entails running trials in Australia and abroad, maintaining linkages with international biosecurity scientists – especially in the USA and New Zealand – and managing a network of biosecurity researchers working from Australia’s temperate vineyards, apple and citrus orchards to tropical banana plantations.

“I’m concentrating on surface pathogens, which infect fruit, leaves and young shoots, but don’t become systemic throughout the plant. In some situations we may be able to recommend less destructive eradication options with surface pathogen outbreaks, so growers don’t have to remove entire trees or vines,” he said.

“The research looks at ridding crops of surface infected material through severe pruning, combined with chemical treatments and sanitation practices and then returning them to full production and quality in the shortest possible time.

Keeping plant industries on the front foot

PROFILE >Dr Mark Sosnowski Project leader CRC for National Plant Biosecurity

“The reality for systemic pathogens which pervade vascular tissue, is that non-destructive eradication techniques are a long way off.”

Dr Sosnowski studies target pathogens endemic to regions overseas that are identifi ed on Australia’s priority list as high-risk exotic threats.

Along with Cornell University scientists, he is running a vineyard trial in New York State, to explore how well drastic pruning works in curbing the spread of the surface pathogen, blackrot. Overseas, blackrot has caused up to 80% of crop loss, and is regarded as a high priority disease that could threaten Australia’s fl ourishing wine industry.

The research is helped by trials also underway at Mildura in Victoria with Dr Bob Emmett (DPI Vic) examining a disease of similar biology, blackspot (not blackrot), to develop and evaluate a drastic pruning protocol. Protocols developed to eradicate the disease on the test case disease are then validated in the New York State trials.

Dr Sosnowski is a representative for the Australasian Region on the International Council of Grapevine Trunk Diseases and reviews articles in scientifi c journals in the fi elds of plant pathology.

“Our work through the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity is about staying on the front foot to keep our primary plant industries safe from disease incursions.”

South Australian Strategic Plan Highlights

37

38 39

Aquatic sciences

• Established the potential for a signifi cant blue mackerel fi shery aimed at exports to eastern European markets. Through a signifi cant national $3.5M project, researchers developed a new stock assessment technique and harvest strategy for Australian stocks.

• Provided advice on the implications of increasing stocking density within fi nfi sh aquaculture industries.

• Assured the viability of the $20M SA Sardine Fishery and availability of fresh sardines to the tuna mariculture industry by assisting sardine fi shers to develop and implement an industry

code of practice that reduced dolphin mortalities in the fi shery by over 95%

• Advanced the development of a shelf-stable, semi-moist feed pellet to support the tuna aquaculture industry, and expanded knowledge on the nutritional needs of yellow-tailed kingfi sh.

• Developed a novel stress indicator, a neutral red assay, for optimising commercial mollusc farm husbandry practices. Its use has so far demonstrated its capacity to differentiate the effects of different oyster farm grading systems on oyster stress.

Innovative food and plants

• Identifi ed fungicide treatments effective in preventing decay in export lemons and continued to identify options for other citrus fruits that will be acceptable for export markets, following the withdrawal of previously permitted treatments.

• Verifi ed SA oysters are at low risk of carrying strains of Vibrio sp pathogens, a fi nding which has the potential to bolster their marketability in specifi c overseas markets.

• Recommended adjustments to temperature handling regimes that will permit both the exports of live oysters and meet consumer needs for food safety standards.

• Established that sub-optimal cooking temperatures may in part explain the instance of ‘mushy fl esh’ in blue swimmer crabs. This knowledge will help the fl edgling $2M industry more reliably deliver uniform fl esh quality for premium market positioning. Mushy fl esh accounts for losses of between $250 000 and $500 000. Ongoing collaborative research continues to identify other causes in collaboration with Queensland DPI and WA Department of Agriculture and Food.

GROWING PROSPERITY

Some recent successes

Innovative research at SARDI boosts the capacity of industry sectors to improve productivity and compete on export markets.

• Identifi ed two lines of fi eld peas that have 65 to 75% better frost tolerance than existing varieties at the crucial fl owering and podding stages of development.

• Secured ‘preferred milling variety’ status with a major cereal processor for ‘Mitika’, a SARDI-bred oat variety developed for the human health market. This development gives growers a premium for growing the variety over feed varieties.

• Characterised a previously undescribed gene form (allele) in wheat linked to favourable baking qualities. Also developed tools enabling researchers to identify breeding material carrying the rare gene form and avoid breeding plants which are not favourable.

• Launched varieties in association with partners: > Yallara, an oat milling variety, for human

consumption and the lucrative horse racing industry

> Tungoo, a medium to late season oaten hay variety for the export market

> Nipper red lentil > Boomer green lentil. (more details refer to Commercialisation section)

Sustainable systems

• Provided new insights into links between climate shifts and wine quality. Scientists investigated historical climate and vineyard records to model the effect of temperature extremes on various stages of grapevine development in work that will assist the viticulture industry to adapt operations.

• Developed an effective means to safeguard premium stored red onions from damage by thrips using mites as their natural enemy. In a commercial scale trial, the method prevented up to two thirds of crops from being downgraded.

• Established international research trials to develop effective options to minimise the negative economic and social impacts of exotic pathogens on the viticulture industry, through the new Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity.

• Identifi ed a biological control agent to combat pine aphid. As the agent will need to be imported, host specifi city studies will follow.

• Developed cost-effective disease management strategies to aid the re-establishment of a thriving chick pea industry following destructive disease outbreaks that halted production for eight years. Developed strategies to protect SA’s faba bean industry from a similar setback.

• Produced a model that will lead to better decisions when dealing with fruit fl y outbreaks. The model uses environmental data to predict the emergence of new generations, making it easier to guide treatment options and to determine the length of eradication programs.

• Validated and refi ned a disease projection model for peas, giving growers fl exibility with their sowing times to optimize yields. The model, available to growers as an on-line tool, predicts when sowing is possible without leading to a high initial infection of blackspot in peas.

• Identifi ed the causes of stem canker disease, destructive to vegetable crops and found throughout Australia, prompting a new three- year project to devise approaches to reduce losses.

• Verifi ed that diamondback moth, a pest of brassica canola and vegetable crops, is likely to develop resistance to commonly used chemicals soon, and instigated a pre-emptive research program.

• In collaboration with the University of Kentucky, developed a new model of seed size plasticity that accounts for genetic and environmental interactions in cereals, oilseeds and grain legumes.

• Used DNA analysis for the fi rst time to follow changes in crown rot infections and levels in growing crops. The research will particularly benefi t the premium durum (pasta wheats) industry.

SARDI >Growing prosperity SARDI >Growing prosperity

40 41

• Boosted recognition for the genetic merit of elite dairy breeding genes, with unborn dairy calves from SARDI’s elite breeding herd, attracting premium prices at International Dairy Week in Tatura Victoria, the southern hemisphere’s largest dairy show and sale.

• Launched a unique poultry research facility in the Solomon Islands, giving remote communities a chance of achieving food security and restoring income following civil unrest. The facility will help boost egg and poultry production, mainly through improving formulations of local feeds. Knowledge gained about using innovative feeds is benefi ting poultry organisations in Australia, particularly those interested in organic production.

• Completed gene expression profi ling studies in wool follicle development. Genes of signifi cance have been submitted to the Sheep Genome database.

• Catalogued genetic material of sheep displaying problematic skin, fi bre and fl eece phenotypes. Ironically, sheep displaying unfavourable wool qualities caused by random genetic mistakes offer scientists one of the most effi cient ways to locate the site of helpful genes that are critical to wool follicle formation and wool synthesis.

• Proved the mortality of twin born lambs can be reduced, by supplementing feed to help ewes meet their maintenance requirements during lambing.

• Launched varieties: > Rasina Vetch > Angel Medic > SARDI Ten Lucerne. (more details refer to Commercialisation section)

Livestock and farming systems

• Identifi ed a single gene involved in boosting the tolerance of medics to soil residues of a class of SU-herbicides used across six million hectares during crop production. The development of a diagnostic marker will allow this economically important trait to be more quickly bred into pasture varieties and help ensure that strong healthy pasture stands are established following cropping.

• Measured differences in the expression of genes between two distinct meat muscle types at various growth stages in sheep. Novel molecular techniques will aid the development of DNA tests, helping producers to make critical selection decisions to improve the genetic potential of their fl ock.

• Developed a new software application, in conjunction with Adelaide University, to chart gene families in both sheep and beef. The software will help determine interactions between gene families.

Squeezing more from citrus exports

PROFILE >Dr Peter Taverner

Export markets can open or close in an instant when pests and diseases are found in shipment containers, with major consequences felt in regional communities.

Keeping the door open is Dr Peter Taverner, recognised as an Australian authority in citrus post-harvest research, specialising in sanitation and market access.

The emphasis on fresh citrus exports worth $165 million a year has meant that advice and techniques developed from Dr Taverner’s programs have been critical to the viability of Australia’s citrus industry.

The research has infl uenced sanitation practices around the world, especially fungicide compatibility research, extending to New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the USA.

Recently, Dr Taverner’s expertise through SARDI’s Food Innovation and Value Chain team kept one million cartons of citrus exports open to a key export market, despite the removal of a previously permitted pest treatment. His team moved quickly to identify and formulate food grade oils that proved effective in protecting fruit from surface pests of citrus. The oil has since been patented by Caltex Australia for use in Australia and several overseas countries. Ongoing development work continues to refi ne the oil formulation.

In another project, Dr Taverner assisted a packing shed to conduct a survey of fungicide application methods in citrus packing lines for export to the USA. The incidence of decay in the previous season had increased and led to signifi cant repacking, and consequently, reduced returns to growers. Dr Taverner conducted a monitoring program that provided rapid feedback, which allowed the packers to successfully modify their fungicide application during the season.

These achievements, among many, illustrate why Dr Taverner’s unit has earned a reputation for providing timely and technically sound research.

Whether in the laboratory, providing technical expertise to regulators, dealing with chemical suppliers or in the packing shed, Dr Taverner is equally adept at translating research fi ndings into outcomes for the citrus industry.

Throughout the full spectrum of the food value chain, Dr Taverner has forged strong partnerships leading to the best solutions being identifi ed, supported and taken up on-the-ground.

Staying in front of constantly shifting pest and disease threats and regulatory environments ensures exporters can deliver high-quality, healthy produce to meet strict trade regimes.

The uncertainty over water allocations and global warming is expected to lift the requirement for post-harvest horticulture to make every piece of fruit more valuable. Under Dr Taverner’s leadership, SARDI’s post harvest team is well-placed to provide the advice to respond to these threats in a positive way to keep squeezing value from Australia’s $335M citrus industry.

Acknowledgement:

Citrus post-harvest and decay survey

work has been fi nancially supported by

Horticulture Australia Limited and Riversun

Export Pty Ltd; the citrus post-harvest

oil work has been fi nancially supported

by Horticulture Australia Limited, Caltex

Australia, South Australian Citrus Industry

Development Board, Murray Valley Citrus

Board and Riverina Citrus.

As an Australian authority in providing robust research solutions, Dr Peter Taverner keeps the door open for citrus exports.

SARDI >Growing prosperitySARDI >Growing prosperity

42 SARDI >Improving well-being

Scientists at SARDI:• Recommended practical ways to retain

the nutritional content of vegetables and fruit for remote indigenous communities of northwestern South Australia. A study, supported by the South Australian Freight Council and the Nganampa Health Council, identifi ed temperature control as the priority. Technologies to improve temperature control, especially where frozen and chilled products are carried in the one load, include thermal blankets, insulated boxes, and pallet-sized self-contained temperature compartments.

• Secured endorsement for a food safety risk assessment approach to guide the classifi cation of all food business sectors based on their likelihood of contributing to foodborne disease. The framework, developed in collaboration with the University of Tasmania and NSW Food Authority, is being applied in a whole-of-government approach to more closely align risk ratings to assign appropriate risk management regimes consistently and effi ciently across food supply chains.

IMPROVING WELL-BEING


Post-harvesting handling and food safety research at SARDI meets societal expectations for quality of life and health at home and abroad by helping to safeguard community health.

Food safety research at SARDI meets societal expectations for quality of life and health at home and abroad by helping to safeguard community health.

• Developed a computer based mathematical model to help maintain a low risk of food poisoning by specifi c strains of E. coli. in beef trim. The model, developed for Meat and Livestock Australia, assesses the potential risk for contamination and predicts contamination risk at each step of the food value chain. This allows the potential of different interventions to be assessed.

• Provided a through-chain food safety risk profi le for eggs to industry and Food Standards Australia New Zealand on which to base the development of a new primary production and processing standard.

43

44 45

IMPROVING WELL-BEING

Smoothing the track for healthy produce

Aboriginal communities in remote outback areas of SA and the NT are benefi ting from the expertise of SARDI’s post-harvest specialists.

There is currently a major focus on improving the health of people living in these communities and the team of post-harvest specialists in SARDI’s Food Innovation and Value Chain team is playing a vital role in this initiative.

`Post-harvest` is a complex discipline that covers all aspects of fresh produce storage and handling from when it is picked to when it is consumed.

The focus on healthy eating in SA’s outback communities is being driven by groups such as Nganampa Health, which is championing the importance of a balanced diet incorporating good-quality fruit and vegetables. Ensuring community stores can offer nutritious, good-quality, attractive fruit and vegetables is critical to increasing consumption of fresh produce and achieving the desired health outcomes.

The SARDI post-harvest team headed by Research Scientist Michael Rettke, in partnership with the South Australian Freight Council (SAFC), has helped improve the supply chain that carries fresh fruit and vegetables from the Adelaide Fresh Produce Market at Gepps Cross to the community stores in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands.

Previous work with SAFC has included development of temperature and handling recommendations and materials including wall charts, pocket guides and check lists.

Neil Murphy, General Manager of the Council, describes these materials as ‘an excellent series of resources that were needed by industry to help them improve their cold-chain performance’; a claim supported by the fact that they can be found in the offi ces of international airlines and the despatch bays of fresh produce markets.

SAFC recently contracted SARDI’s post-harvest experts to improve the quality of fruit and vegetables reaching consumers in the State’s remote communities.

This is no easy task, given that the 2,000 kilometre weekly road trip from Adelaide suppliers to the remote APY communities includes several hundred kilometres of corrugated open-surface road that poses a challenge to trucks, let alone delicate produce such as soft stone and pome fruits.

The primary objective was to look at whether ethylene-absorbent sachets and fi lters could reduce fruit and vegetable deterioration over the week of travel. However, it turned out the big challenge is temperature management inside the refrigerated trailers, which often carry frozen goods in the same load as temperature-sensitive fruit and vegetables.

This is not surprising, given that tomatoes, basil and bananas, for example, are damaged by holding at low temperatures, but lettuce and broccoli require low temperatures if they are to arrive in good condition.

Options to improve temperature management in mixed loads include thermal blankets or insulated boxes to maintain temperatures of the various produce lines, use of pallet-sized temperature-regulated compartments within the truck and segmented multi-temperature vans.

The scientists also identifi ed potential improvements in storage and cooling, before the produce was loaded onto the truck and after delivery, that could improve the transport outcomes and so contribute to increased purchases and health outcomes.


Focusing on the best ways to keep fresh produce in peak condition to remote indigenous communities are Neil Murphy, General Manager of the SA Freight Council and SARDI post-harvest researcher, Michael Rettke.

47

ATTAINING SUSTAINABILITY


Research platforms deliver technologies to:

• optimise and effectively manage arable land, water and energy resources in primary production industries

• promote green industries, including bioenergy, recycled organics, nutrient recycling and reuse of saline ground water

• reduce the ecological footprint of primary production

• protect marine and inland biodiversity and ecosystem integrity

• safeguard industries from the impact of pest and disease incursions

• increase the adaptive capacity of regional communities to adjust to a variable and changing climate.

Scientists at SARDI:

• Demonstrated the commercial viability of recycling nutrient-laden waste water at a regional abattoir into a resource for rearing ornamental fi sh and returning clean waters to the environment.

• Launched a new cost-effective monitoring tool designed to lessen the risk of root zone salinity emerging under highly effi cient irrigation regimes that would otherwise cause losses of $100M to South Australian horticulture industries.

SARDI research programs are dedicated to providing science-driven solutions that support sustainable production and develop new environmental industries.


• Rated the extent of degradation in reef ecosystems in close proximity to urban developments, as a result of impacts connected to human activity.

• Completed a critically acclaimed study of the potential effects of fi shing on the pelagic ecosystems of southern Spencer Gulf and the Great Australian Bight, and assessed the potential for establishing ecological performance indicators for the South Australian Sardine Fishery.

• Identifi ed and quantifi ed ways to mitigate seal interactions with various fi shing industries, with a view to limiting by catch.

SARDI >Attaining sustainability46

48 49

When the wetland at Kingston-on-Murray in SA’s Riverland was allowed to drain and dry out in mid-February 2007, thousands of carp were left behind on the bare mudfl ats.

SARDI scientist and national carp expert, Dr Ben Smith, says while some native fi sh were trapped in the wetland, carp was by far the dominant fi sh.

“Once the wetlands drained, the only large fi sh exposed were the carp. These fi sh stayed behind and became trapped, while most of the native fi sh took off before the wetland was emptied. We’ve always suspected that native fi sh would be well adapted to drying events because historically these riverine wetlands would have dried out every few years,” says Dr Smith.

“The carp actually swam into the out-fl owing water, sealing their fate as they made their way even deeper into the wetlands.”

Dr Smith says this adds signifi cantly to the knowledge base scientists need to control carp, which is estimated to cost Australia around $16 million annually in economic and environmental impacts.

“The common carp is suspected of many things – reducing water quality, and affecting the abundance and diversity of native fi sh, water bugs and submerged vegetation – but we have never before had the opportunity to properly measure these impacts. The draining of Banrock Station’s wetland will provide a unique opportunity to really evaluate these impacts.”

Dr Smith is leading a Murray-Darling Basin Commission funded project at Banrock Station, which is the fi rst in the world to quantitatively measure and demonstrate the effects of carp on the aquatic environment and the benefi ts of their removal. The project is a collaboration between SARDI, the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Council, the Environment Protection Authority, PIRSA Fisheries, the SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board, Banrock Station and regional Local Action Planning groups.

Dr Smith has come a long way from spending his summer holidays as a kid spearing carp in the backwaters of the Murray.

“I’ve worked with carp for nearly ten years, and the only way we will control them is by employing a comprehensive range of scientifi cally based management strategies,” he said.

“You might not like carp, but you have got to be impressed by them. While they are native to Asia – where they are now an endangered species – the majority of carp in the River Murray stem from an aquaculture strain from Germany. These fi sh were specifi cally bred with all the unwanted traits that characterise invasive fi sh today – high tolerance to varied environmental conditions, early maturation, massive egg production capabilities and a long life span of 15 or more years. The larger fi sh don’t have any animal predators in Australia, and one large female can produce up to three million eggs a year,” said Dr Smith.

“Little wonder carp has become the scourge of the Murray. But through studying their behaviour, working out what they are doing, when they are doing it and why they are doing it, we can begin to work out how best to manage them. In the past fi ve years there’s been a move away from just trying to kill carp to working smarter and collecting the key biological data that we need to exploit their behavioural weaknesses.”

Discovering carp’s weakness

The Banrock Station wetland was refi lled in June 2008 and Dr Smith and his team will continue to monitor carp movements and establish experiments to evaluate its environmental impact on the wetland.

“We know carp is attracted to fl owing water, and that they move between the river and wetlands in spring and summer to breed. We also think that wetland water contains specifi c odours that are especially attractive to carp. To get to the wetlands, they often have to move through narrow inlet channels so we can exploit this predictable movement by trapping, and by using sensory attractants we hope to optimise our trapping success.”

Much of the knowledge gained from this project will assist Dr Smith in two other projects focused on the ecology and management of carp in SA.

A three year Invasive Animals CRC funded project aims to develop carp separation cages suited to wetland conditions, and to evaluate sensory attractants, such as water fl ow, temperature gradients, and food, plant and soil odours, to increase trapping success.

The second project, again funded by the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board, is evaluating carp exclusion screens installed at wetland inlets in SA, NSW and Victoria, to inform the development of operational standards for their future use within the MDB.

Dr Smith says the screens currently don’t comply with any standards, and may block the passage of native fi sh and fauna.

Dr Smith says he loves his work. “It’s myth buster stuff. Our research is based on ideas of what might happen, but until we do it, we don’t really know.”

The drying of the Banrock Station wetland has ‘busted a myth’ about the common carp, revealing a key behavioural trait that will eventually help scientists control this invasive River Murray fi sh.

SARDI >Attaining sustainabilitySARDI >Attaining sustainability

Dr Ben Smith found that carp were so focused on swimming into the out-fl owing water as the wetland was drained, that they were oblivious to everything else around them.

50 51

SARDI science programs embrace industry and community requirements to meet emerging market needs that underpin internationally competitive and ecologically sustainable industries.

Recently, SARDI has put in place a new fl exible organisational structure to position the organisation and its key science programs for future growth and relevance. This is against a background of shifting State and National research agendas.

The structure emphasises SARDI’s core science strengths through dedicated science programs that have been carefully selected. These programs are designed to contribute in a signifi cant way to the achievements of primary and environmental industries.

Supporting this is a shared value of fostering a culture of creativity to encourage ideas to fl ourish with the exchange of expertise from research teams to build new capabilities and advance enabling technologies.

The majority of programs at SARDI are focused on research to underpin an innovative, competitive and world-renowned food sector featured in this edition of Impacts.

FOSTERING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

Meteorologist of the ocean

PROFILE >Dr John Middleton

SARDI’s Dr John Middleton is looking forward to playing a signifi cant role in an “exciting new chapter in SA marine science.”

Top Australian oceanographer, Dr Middleton, was the fi rst high-level appointment made in SA under the Marine Innovation SA (MISA) initiative.

He led the recent successful South Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (SAIMOS) bid for nearly $3M of Federal funding through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. The funds, along with around $1M in kind, will support the deployment of ocean moorings and sub-surface gliders used to measure currents, temperature and biological properties of the oceans off SA.

The data will be used to understand the ocean current systems that underpin SA’s valuable fi sheries in future collaborative projects with Flinders University and the University of Adelaide.

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES

“A permanent mooring off Kangaroo Island with live telemetry will tell us about events in the ocean – when peculiar and interesting events happen, we’ll send out the gliders to investigate.

SARDI >Fostering creativity SARDI >Fostering creativity

“We’ve secured two gliders for the fi rst four months of next year under the NCRIS program. They each weigh 70 kilos and cost $140,000 including satellite time. They are really remarkable things – they don’t have a motor, they sink in the water by letting water in and acoustic sensors tell the glider when it has hit the sea fl oor. Then its wings open up, the glider squirts out the water and rises to the surface again, sampling on the way up. Once the glider surfaces, it sticks its tail at the satellite and sends up the information. We can get the gliders to profi le every 10 to 20 minutes.”

52 53

Researchers and plant breeders around the world are on a mission to develop drought-tolerant crops that are able to produce more food more reliably with less water.

Unearthing the hidden half of plant production

Dr Alan McKay and SARDI’s Diagnostics team have developed an ‘elegant and ingenious’ new molecular soil test that may improve their chances of success.

The new method, SARDI’s 2007 Breakthrough Innovation of the Year, has the potential to cast new light on the hidden world of plant roots.

Roots and their interactions with the soil are vital to the performance of crops but are not well understood because they are diffi cult to observe and access.

This method is a new application of the DNA technology developed by Dr McKay and his team to measure root diseases of major concern to cereal growers.

When fully developed, the novel technology is expected to offer researchers and plant breeders a quick and effi cient means of determining ‘root architecture’, an underground map of root form through the soil profi le. This will provide valuable glimpses into the behaviour of crop and pasture roots and how they respond under different environments and management systems.

Until now, scientists studying the location of roots in the soil have been limited to growing plants in soil columns in a glasshouse or digging up plants in the fi eld and washing the roots.

DNA assays are being developed so researchers will be able to determine where the roots of each crop or weed are in the soil. They also detect only DNA in live roots, so dead roots from previous crops will not interfere with the results.


Digging up plants and hand-washing roots is a diffi cult, physically demanding, time-consuming and inherently inaccurate method. Many times, it is impossible to distinguish between the roots of crop plants and weeds or the roots of this year’s and last year’s crop.

The new method still involves physical work – driving a metal cylinder into the soil to obtain the soil samples – but is otherwise far simpler than hand washing of roots.

New perspectives on understanding root architecture, the researchers believe, could prove a turning point in expanded efforts to develop water-effi cient, drought-tolerant crops. Scientists can explore how various root structures – shallow, deep, narrow or spreading – make use of whatever water is available through the soil profi le, as well as the risks and benefi ts of each.

Researchers should also be able to ‘see’ the links between root location and sub-soil limitations such as compacted layers or ‘hostile’ environments such as saline or highly acid soil.

DNA assays are currently being calibrated for wheat, barley, annual ryegrass, sub-clover, phalaris, barley grass, silver grass and lucerne. These assays detect only the target species, so researchers will be able to determine where the roots of each crop or weed are in the soil. They also detect only DNA in live roots, so dead roots from previous crops will not interfere with the results.

The new root assay method is being developed with the support of research partners including the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), South Australian Grains Industry Trust and the Pasture Soil Biology Program funded by Meat & Livestock Australia, GRDC and Australian Wool Innovation.

Unearthing the hidden half of plant production could pave the way for more drought-hardy crops. L to R: Dr Ian Riley, Russell Burns, Teresa Mammone, Danuta Szot, Dr Alan McKay, Dr Herdina, Ina Dumitrescu, Irena Dadej and Aidan Thomson.


54 55

Food safety risk assessment and risk management procedures are vital when it comes to protecting public health and safety and can also help facilitate trade access. However, risk assessment is a complex and extremely costly exercise, so it makes sense to focus the resources available on managing the most serious risks.

The Australian food industry now has a risk profi ling framework that it can use to prioritise areas of risk so it does not waste valuable risk management resources in areas where they are not needed.

Use of this national framework, developed by a team including risk assessment experts from the Food Safety Research Group of SARDI’s Innovative Food and Plants Division, also improves Australia’s ability to clearly demonstrate its food safety credentials and risk management processes.

The framework, for which the SARDI Food Safety Research team provided much of the technical risk assessment expertise, can be applied throughout a food supply chain from production to consumption and is applicable to all food production ‘from chocolate to red meat’.

It takes into account biological, chemical and physical hazards to identify areas of highest risk, based on likelihood and potential severity, and the potential to control those risks.

Senior Research Scientist Dr Ian Delaere describes it as a high-level tool with the potential to improve food safety, increase effi ciency and reduce costs.

The value of the risk classifi cation framework is enhanced by the fact that it is a ‘transparent’ tool that provides clear outcomes and encourages open discussion of risk, which benefi ts the producer or operator, the consumer, the industry and, in the case of export industries, the nation, Dr Delaere said.

From chocolate to red meat: playing it safe

The framework uses ‘decision trees’ to identify the contribution of food businesses to the overall risk associated with a particular food on a through-chain basis from primary production to retail. The framework presents a series of logical consequential questions that enables users to identify whether or not there is potential for a hazard to be introduced into a food, and if so the likelihood of the hazard being present and the severity of the hazard with respect to human health.

This allows an initial assessment of the risk, as opposed to a detailed risk assessment that can take many months to complete. The risk classifi cation framework allows industry and government to use a logical series of questions to rapidly assess risk and to target areas of highest priority.

The risk classifi cation tool, which was developed over almost two years, from April 2005 to February 2007, is also designed to be used by regulatory authorities to identify and prioritise operator and supply-chain risk. The process aims to provide a logic-based approach to the harmonisation of food safety arrangements nationally.

Keeping food safe: Dr Ian Delaere undertakes food safety risk assessments.

Thousands of tonnes of backyard green waste recycled by householders is being turned into a frontline weapon for commercial market gardeners in their battle against soil-borne diseases.

Each year, more than 180,000 cubic metres of waste collected from kerbside green bins is turned into compost in SA.

Reducing the amount of waste going to landfi ll will help to meet South Australia’s target of a 25% reduction in landfi ll by 2014. At the same time it creates a great resource that can be returned to the soil. Composts are already well recognised for reducing water use and improving soil structure. They are also generally recognised to improve ‘soil health’ although the precise way they achieve this is less well understood.

SARDI scientists are now investigating its use as a natural weapon against numerous soil-borne diseases affl icting crops grown by market gardeners. The research and associated extension activities are also playing an important role in developing sustainable end markets for the SA composting industry.

Researchers Matthew Ayres and Ross Ballard are involved in the three-year project funded by Zero Waste SA and a consortium of compost producers, Peats, Jeffries and Van Schaik’s Bio Gro, to help market gardeners suppress crop diseases naturally.

SA market gardeners have been struggling to deal with ‘root rot’ diseases since the banning of the fumigant, methylbromide, a few years ago. Some are even considering turning to hydroponics to grow their vegetable crops.

From backyard waste to better soils

“But the soil already at their disposal is such a rich resource – it just needs a little help.”

Ross and Matthew said there was already evidence that organisms in compost suppressed root related diseases that restricted the growth of the plant.

“We are trying to identify the composts that contribute most to disease suppression. Down the track, the group hopes to identify specifi c microbes which promote disease suppression and fi nd ways to use those organisms to make the composts work more effectively.”

SARDI is working with Virginia market gardeners in trials initially involving tomatoes, capsicums and cucumbers.

A number of trials have been conducted in SARDI greenhouses, using soils collected from commercial greenhouses at Virginia. These trials have demonstrated that signifi cant suppression of plant root diseases is possible, using compost incorporated into the soil.

Researchers are also interested in looking at the possible benefi ts of using composts to achieve broader integrated pest management outcomes in greenhouse systems, with a view to improving food quality and reducing pesticide usage.



PROFILE >Dr Ian Delaere Senior Research Scientist, SARDI

56 57

The project is part of a Beef CRC program which is striving to add more than $50 million to the value of the beef food chain within four years.

Working with other agencies, SARDI molecular biologist Dr Greg Nattrass hopes to shed light on ways to optimise the expression of genes linked to favourable meat quality traits.

This involves getting to the crux of how and when cattle, carrying genes for tender beef, deliver the expected quality and product integrity – and when they don’t.

“It’s one thing to breed cattle that have the genetic predisposition for tender meat, but it’s another to try and understand how the critical genes are switched on,” he said.

“There are often many genes involved and everything from climate to feeding regimes and breed type can infl uence gene activity.

“From the consumer’s perspective, we are trying to maximise the chance of them purchasing a consistently high quality piece of beef – which comes from improving the compliance rate of cattle produced to Meat Standards Australia (MSA) requirements.”

The work

Dr Nattrass’ speciality is in gene expression studies. He is looking to see when and how genes are actively being switched on and to identify the complex pathways that regulate gene expression. This entails understanding the molecular detail of messenger RNA molecules (mRNA), increasingly recognised as the cutting edge of gene research. RNA molecules decode gene libraries – ie DNA – spitting out proteins that function in biological pathways, in this case those that infl uence meat quality.

“There are the genes that generate the proteins that infl uence meat quality. There are desirable traits which make the meat tender or undesirable traits which make meat tough. Sitting behind all of that are the genes that modulate biological pathways and control these processes,” he explains.

“My research will provide insight into how genes that promote tenderness are switched on and if this translates into positive effects for the eating attributes of meat.”

So far, Dr Nattrass has demonstrated that the commercially-available GeneSTAR® DNA markers for tenderness alter messenger RNA levels of several genes involved in tenderising meat.

The project compared the predicted breeding merit of cattle raised in two distinct production systems with 400 cattle selected from an original pool of 6,000 animals. Selected animals carried none, one or two sets of the GeneSTAR® DNA markers.

The cattle were raised on pastures and fi nished in feedlots in two states to see how the genes performed under different environments. Dr Nattrass found benefi ts generally increased with increasing dosage of genes, with some differences between environments. This has provided an incentive for the project to push ahead with further gene expression studies.

Researchers hope to further fi ne-tune breeding programs to optimise the expression of tenderness genes under particular climatic and feeding regimes and rearing systems.

The collaborative effort brings together quantitative geneticists, meat scientists and molecular biologists from across the country, all conversant with the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) approach to deliver specifi ed product of guaranteed eating quality.

Beef CRC scientists interstate are handling the ‘bioinformatics’ side of the research using technology that gives them the ability to scan 50,000 changes in the DNA in one assay and to use this information to pinpoint additional genes involved in producing tender, juicy meat.

With approximately 30,000 genes in the bovine genome and three billion base pairs to sift through, the task is no mean feat. As new meat trait genes are identifi ed by his colleagues, Dr Nattrass will also examine how and when they are switched on.

“It comes down to a complex series of events, being driven by a tiny proportion of subtle genetic differences, which make all the difference to putting better beef on everyone’s table,” Dr Nattrass said.

SARDI >Fostering creativity

Making meat more marketable, Dr Greg Nattrass works from SARDI’s gene function laboratories at both the Waite Campus and Livestock Alliance at Roseworthy.

A normal day at the ‘offi ce’ entails using liquid handling robots, putting into swing real-time polymerase chain reactions (QRT-PCR), the central enabling platform to measure evidence of gene activity, and charting detailed studies of gene families and how they interact.


PROFILE >Dr Greg Nattrass Placing juicy, tender, high quality beef on the plates of consumers every time is the focus of a visionary genomics project underway at SARDI.

58 59

SARDI is committed to effectively delivering research services and outcomes, refl ected in a successful track record of commercialisation and communication products. Strategic links with commercial entities and service delivery government agencies ensure that research solutions are delivered on the ground.

RESEARCH COMMERCIALISATION

Commercialisation highlights

> Scientist, Dr Tapas Biswas, licensed a simple to use, portable and cost-effective monitoring tool designed to help irrigators meet the challenge of root zone salinity as they strive to achieve highly effi cient water use. Left unchecked, root zone salinity could cost Riverland and Sunraysia industries more than $100M. The product is marketed world-wide under the name of SoluSAMPLER and is being manufactured and distributed by Adelaide based company, Sentek Sensor Technologies.

> Pasture researcher Rade Matic is credited with developing `Rasina’ vetch, bred to give SA growers in low rainfall zones a competitive, viable and versatile grain legume option. A hardy variety, designed for lower rainfall zones where drought is a major environmental stress, it will give growers more fl exibility to stay competitive and profi table. Features include resistance to disease and pod shattering and tolerance to grazing and it is highly versatile, suited for grain or grazing

production and can be cut for hay or used as a green manure crop to condition the soil. Rasina was the fi rst variety to be launched through the recently formed Australian Pastures Alliance with Seedmark Pty Ltd, a commercialisation initiative ensuring faster market delivery.

> The pasture unit also launched Angel, a breakthrough pasture variety, which promises to revitalise Australia’s pasture industry. It is the world’s fi rst medic that can tolerate minute residues from a class of herbicides used on at least six million hectares of land across Australia. The variety gives farmers the ability to grow regenerating pasture straight out of cereals sprayed with the SU class of herbicides, allowing them to profi tably graze as well as crop. The variety was developed in collaboration with the CRC for Weeds, Adelaide University and was commercialised through partner Plant Tech, a partner with the Australian Pastures Alliance.

Pasture researcher Rade Matic is credited with developing `Rasina’ vetch, bred to give SA growers in low rainfall zones a competitive, viable and versatile grain legume option. A hardy variety, designed for lower rainfall zones where drought is a major environmental stress.


>

The pasture unit also launched Angel, a breakthrough pasture variety, which promises to revitalise Australia’s pasture industry.

>

David Shannon, Chair of the Southern Panel, Grains Research and Development Corporation with SARDI’s Vetch Breeding team, Stuart Nagel, Rade Matic and Greg Kirby.

Dr Tapas Biswas and the Minister for Agriculture, Food & Fisheries, the Hon. Rory McEwen, at the launch of a new root zone salinity monitoring tool.

>

60 61

Communication packages

> Launched a new-look `PestFacts’ email newsletter updating producers in SA and Victoria on pest threats and options for managing them to protect crop income.

> Released a spray calibration handbook capturing SARDI-developed methods that will change the way orchards and vineyards will be treated around the world while helping Australian growers adjust to major new pesticide label changes. The publication authored by Geoff Furness was launched at Orlando’s Jacobs Creek Heritage Vineyard, in the Barossa Valley. The grower friendly handbook is the fi rst to explain the concept of a new technique that matches the chemical rates and spray volume to canopy size and density, as well as the distance that the equipment is travelling.

> Provided major input into a new website capturing national herbicide tolerance trial results, launched by the Grains Research and Development Corporation. It has become widespread knowledge that some herbicides used to control weeds in crops can also harm them with growers keen for independent performance results. SARDI, as the National coordinator of the herbicide tolerance program, worked with the Grains Research and Development Corporation to make data easily available.

> Released a highly regarded guide on producing quality oaten hay based on 10 years of research, earning recognition as the defi nitive resource to support expansion of the SA and national export hay industry.

> Delivered a ‘Revegetation by Design Guidebook’ to the Virginia Market Community demonstrating how to minimise pest damage and reduce spray costs through planting native vegetation.

> Launched two major climate application publications designed to assist agricultural businesses to adapt to climate variability and more broadly climate change. These are: A Guide to Climate Change and Adaptation in Agriculture, and, Managing Frost: A guide for Southern Australian Grains.

> Developed innovative, educational material interpreting the science behind caring for reef ecosystems through the SARDI-led reef health initiative.

> Achieved acclaim for the national release of

SARDI Selection Demonstration Flock Project Results with Australian Wool Innovation captured in a booklet, Merino Breeding for Profi t. The publication gives growers insights into how breeding methods impact on profi ts, based on a decade of results from SARDI’s Demonstration Selection Flock at Turretfi eld Research Centre, tracking the progress of different breeding approaches used in the Merino industry. The AWI described the concluding project as a landmark initiative.

> The Entomology Unit produced a DVD educational package The Reality of Resistance. The DVD, supplied to chemical stores around Australia, explains how insecticide resistance develops in insect populations and ways of delaying its development. The DVD was produced for the Australian National Diamondback Moth Project, and was facilitated by Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) in partnership with AUSVEG, funded by the National Vegetable levy. The Australian Government provides matched funding for all of HAL’s R&D activities.

> Minister for Agriculture, Food & Fisheries, the Hon. Rory McEwen, launched two horticultural product inventions aimed at helping farmers to spray their crops more effectively and effi ciently. Developed by Geoff Furness, the products have been commercialised by Adelaide-based Croplands Equipment, and will help horticulturists and vignerons better control disease and reduce spray drift:

• A new spray fan, based on a larger model successfully used by growers in Australia, the US, Africa and New Zealand, will cater for fi eld crops, vegetables and smaller orchard crops. Smaller in size, its appeal will be broader in overseas markets where canopies in vineyards are often smaller than those in Australia.

• A user-friendly spray drift and evaluation kit, which makes a previously complicated procedure simple. The approach combines use of a special pigment and a torch to identify where sprays have landed, enabling growers to implement measures to minimise drift and ensure excellent coverage to protect crops. It comes with a spray coverage chart so growers can compare their coverage against the ideal.

> SARDI contributed to the successful release of the disease resistant red lentil variety, Nipper and large seeded green lentil Boomer through a Pulse Breeding Australia initiative. The release of the two new lentil varieties bred for Australian conditions should bring greater stability to the country’s $100M lentil industry, offering broader disease coverage to reduce risk and costs to growers.

SARDI >Fostering creativity SARDI >Growing prosperity

Dr John Heap, Dr Chris Preston (Adelaide University), Jake Howie and Professor Rob Lewis at the launch of Angel medic.

62 63

SARDI:> Contributed to successful bids for three new

cooperative research centres from the Federal Government to support the seafood, sheep and future farm industries. These are:

• the Australian Seafood CRC, headquartered in SA

• CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation, with SA a major node

• Future Farm Industries CRC, with SA a major node.

> Secured two major National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy grants for South Australia in collaboration with the Department of Further Education, Employment Science and Technology and science partners.

• A grant worth $5M towards a national photo-bioreactor facility at SARDI’s Aquatic Sciences facility at West Beach to demonstrate the commercial viability of novel biofuels production.

• Ocean monitoring instruments worth $3.8M ($2.8M in cash plus $1M in kind) leveraged through the State Government’s Marine Innovation SA initiative. Recently launched, this equipment forms part of the $6.4M Southern Australia Integrated Marine Observing System (SAIMOS). SAIMOS will study ocean current systems that underpin South Australia’s valuable fi sheries.

> Appointed key positions supported by Marine Innovation SA funding to drive innovation in aquaculture development, ecosystems fi sheries management and biosecurity in collaboration with Flinders University and the University of Adelaide. The appointments include oceanographers, an ecosystem modeller and shark and cetacean ecologists.

INVESTMENT IN SCIENCE, RESEARCH

AND INNOVATION

> Completed construction of the Waikerie Inland Saline Aquaculture Centre for researching and demonstrating the potential to farm estuarine and marine species in the Riverland regions. The facility uses saline ground-water discharged from salt interception schemes.

> Completed the new outdoor pool farm research facility at the South Australian Aquatic Sciences Centre at West Beach for replicated experimental research. Current research aims to improve and develop manufactured feeds to support southern bluefi n tuna farming and increase the knowledge of nutritional needs for yellowtail kingfi sh so as to optimise manufactured feed formulations and farm feeding strategies. (see full story on page 66).

> SARDI also monitors construction of the Lincoln Marine Science Centre redevelopment project, through the Marine Innovation SA initiative and is assisting with concept development of a physical, biological containment facility.

Key SA role in $140 million seafood CRC

New opportunities for seafood innovation in SA are expected to fl ow from the establishment of Australia’s largest cooperative research centre - the $140M Australian Seafood CRC. SARDI, Flinders University and the University of Adelaide are the SA research provider participants in the national CRC. The Australian Seafood CRC’s work over the next seven years will strengthen efforts already underway in SA to support the State Seafood Plan which aims to more than double the value of the SA seafood industry to $2 billion per annum by 2015.


SARDI provides a leading point of contact for industries and business to initiate collaborative research. Our researchers and collaborators are supported through impressive facilities, which we continually update.

At the Australian Seafood CRC launch are: (standing L to R), Lyndon Giles, TafeSA, former Federal Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz, FRDC Chair Dennis Byrne, (seated L to R) PIRSA Chief Executive, Geoff Knight, Hagen Stehr of Clean Seas Tuna and CRC Chair Peter Dundas Smith.

64 65

0

6

12

18

24

30

Funding sourcesFor the year ending 30th June 2007

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Amount

ACIAR - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research 590,799

Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board 54,600

Adelaide University 340,681

Australian Pork Ltd 330,108

Centre for Natural Resource Management 1,718,876

Cooperative Research Centres 3,592,318

Commercial Receipts 9,971,000

CSIRO 51,750

Dairy Research & Development Corporation 34,350

Department for Environment & Heritage 269,272

Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts 60,000

NSW Department of Primary Industries 88,637

Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity Conservation 784,262

Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Board 148,700

Fisheries Research & Development Corporation 2,294,572

Grains Research & Development Corporation 6,394,083

Grape & Wine Research & Development Corporation 786,793

Horticulture Australia Ltd 2,047,522

International Wool Secretariat 449,051

Land & Water Australia 65,260

Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd 545,432

Murray Darling Basin Commission 561,957

National Heritage Trust 55,000

Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation 282,873

South Australian Grains Industry Trust 845,758

South East Murray Darling Basin Commission 181,059

Service Level Agreements 4,373,000

State Net Appropriations 19,153,000

Other External Funders 2,491,689

Total 58,562,402

66 67

The SARDI Aquatic Sciences’ new $1.2 million experimental Tank Farm at West Beach provides infrastructure comparable to the best in Australia for tank based research targeted at temperate water and freshwater fi sh, crustacean and mollusc species.

Tank farm boosts SA aquaculture research

Chief strengthens aquatic science research

South Australia is the focus of developing aquaculture sectors, such as yellowtail kingfi sh and mulloway. This state-of-the-art facility will boost the development of the SA seafood industry by providing excellent facilities for research focused on feed development, nutrition, product quality and husbandry.

The farm comprises 80 tanks of varying sizes allowing experiments to be reproduced in a larger number of tank environments, thereby providing more conclusive results.

A number of experiments have already been conducted including looking at ways of increasing healthy omega 3 fatty acids in fi sh, and how dietary oxidised products and antioxidants interact to infl uence the quality of fi sh.

A joint MISA-SARDI project currently underway is looking at the winter dietary requirements of yellowtail kingfi sh and mulloway. Growth of these species is limited by reduced feed intake at low water temperatures during winter.


Additionally prolonged retention times of feed in the digestive tract of yellowtail kingfi sh at low water temperatures may also cause a condition known as ‘winter syndrome’ or enteritis. This condition may impact fi sh health and ultimately farm profi tability.

The project, being conducted by honours student Richard Miegel from the University of Adelaide, aims to determine the gut transit times of yellowtail kingfi sh and mulloway at summer and winter temperatures, as well as examine changes in the morphology and histology of the digestive tract of both species due to reduced water temperature.

This information will help investigations into nutrition and health for both species grown at low winter water temperatures in South Australia.

The tank farm is available to the aquaculture industry for experiments in conjunction with SARDI Aquatic Sciences.

Prof Mehdi Doroudi, leader of SARDI’s Aquatic Sciences portfolio.


PROFILE >Professor Mehdi Doroudi

The challenge of helping to guide the future of South Australia’s growing fi sheries and aquaculture industries was a key factor in luring Professor Mehdi Doroudi from Victoria to lead SARDI Aquatic Sciences.

“South Australia has the potential to be a major force in temperate marine research in Australia because of the size of its local seafood industry and the capability already available within SARDI,” said Prof Doroudi.

As part of his drive to achieve the momentum required, Prof Doroudi is fostering close relationships between research, education and industry networks to boost the State Government’s Marine Innovation SA initiative (full story overleaf).

Since Prof Doroudi was appointed to SARDI in 2006, he has also driven SARDI’s involvement as a key participant in the establishment of the $140M Australian Seafood CRC, a collaboration of 37 Australian industry and research participants, which has been headquartered in Adelaide.

The CRC has led to new programs for seafood industry development at SARDI, which are being developed through a new unit called the Food Innovation and Value Chain. Projects include processing and new product development, shelf life, packaging of seafood products and ‘fi nished foods’. SARDI’s Aquaculture program is also busy investigating hatchery technologies for propagated southern bluefi n tuna, a topic of international interest, and a selective breeding program for abalone, while its Wild Fisheries Program is fi nding ways to make southern rock lobsters more valuable to international markets.

At SARDI, Prof Doroudi directs a $15M research budget invested by a broad range of state and national stakeholders including government and industry for aquatic sciences research and development.

SARDI Aquatic Sciences comprises 86 research and technical staff and 40 postgraduate positions operating programs in wild fi sheries, marine environment and ecology, inland waters and catchment ecology, aquaculture and oceanography.

Prof Doroudi’s qualifi cations include a doctorate (DVM) in Veterinary Medicine and a doctorate (PhD) in aquaculture from Tehran University in Iran and James Cook University in Australia, respectively. He also has an Affi liate Professorial position with the University of Adelaide.

Professor Doroudi, who was previously Research Director for Marine and Freshwater Systems with the Department of Primary Industries in Victoria, is nationally respected for his knowledge of biosecurity and aquatic animal health. He has worked extensively overseas and within Australia involved in the management of fi sheries and aquaculture research projects and management of commercial aquaculture operations with an emphasis on fi sh and shellfi sh diseases.

He was a principal investigator in developing a national Code of Practice which vastly improved biosecurity for the abalone industry in Australia following the outbreak of Ganglioneuritis, a herpes-like virus infection of abalone, in Victoria in early 2006. The management strategies developed included disease monitoring, detection and response and control measures in both farmed and wild stocks.

68 69

Through the CRC, the seafood industry will invest in ways to make use of fi sh traditionally discarded at sea, to reduce waste through processing, and to develop more innovative seafood products.


Signs are strong that the South Australian Government’s Marine Innovation SA (MISA) initiative is fulfi lling its aim to position SA as a world-class centre for marine science, education and industry development.

Marine Innovation SA inspires excellence

Marine Innovation SA (MISA), an initiative of the SA Government, is a collaboration between SARDI, Flinders University, University of Adelaide, the SA Museum and the seafood industry.

The initiative is credited as a major factor behind SA’s prominent role in establishing the national $140 million CRC for Seafood in 2007.

Infl uential marine scientist Prof Mehdi Doroudi also attributes MISA as a major reason for joining SARDI’s Aquatic Sciences portfolio.

“South Australia’s seafood industry has enormous potential,” said Prof Doroudi. “MISA, which is about building capabilities in both infrastructure and expertise, provides the platform that SA needs to achieve its strong and sustainable growth.”

“By integrating existing expertise and infrastructure in the education and research sectors and providing a basis for better interaction between the partners, it is envisaged that marine research undertaken through MISA will positively impact South Australia’s seafood industry and further establish the State as an internationally recognised centre for temperate marine research.”

Under Prof Doroudi’s guidance, closer working relationships with Flinders University, the University of Adelaide and the Department for Environment and Heritage have been established

that will enhance the research capability within South Australia. As part of this, there have been several joint research positions created between the agencies including two oceanographers, an ecosystem modeller, a seafood physiologist and shark and cetacean ecologists.

MISA also provided a critical collaborative platform to attract $2.8M in funding through the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) for the $6.4M Southern Australia Integrated Marine Observing System (SAIMOS) which will help our scientists understand the ocean currents that underpin SA’s valuable fi sheries.

A major expansion of the Lincoln Marine Science Centre at Port Lincoln funded by the South Australian Government ($4.49M) and Flinders University ($2.10M) will provide one of several bases from which marine scientists can work on new industry-driven research programs. The building, completed in July 2008, houses up to 20 scientifi c and technical staff representing the many partners involved in MISA. This will greatly enhance SA’s research capability to further deliver on seafood industry outcomes.

As well, MISA funds have underpinned the appointment of more than 32 scientists over the past two years who are working on nearly 76 projects supported by MISA. They work across a range of pre and post-harvest projects covering both long term strategic and short term tactical R&D such as biosecurity, aquaculture innovation, ecosystem services and product quality and value adding.

“MISA is seeking to develop aquatic animal health capability within South Australia to improve biosecurity,” added Prof. Doroudi. “This is an area that lacks expertise nationally and is of particular interest to me. I intend to play a major role in helping to position South Australia as a national provider of this critical research.”

For this to happen, MISA partners are working to develop a Physical Biocontainment facility in South Australia to securely contain aquatic pathogens

and pests. Such a facility will allow rigorous research to be conducted to understand the consequences of new incursions and how to control them, without the risk of spreading the outbreak to new areas.

70

Collaborations

An example of a global initiative is a project with Canadian scientists to develop crops for new markets that are better able to cope with climate change. Gene function scientists at SARDI’s Innovative Food and Plants division are working with the Department of Plant Science from the University of Manitoba, to identify critical genes that offer tolerance to drought in Brassica crops such as canola. The initial study is valued at $600 000 (Aus) and arises from an agreement signed between South Australian and Manitoban research institutes.

SARDI’s development of microalgae as a source of biofuel feedstock has come to the fore with its Sustainable Systems division leading efforts to establish the Australian Biofuels Institute. The concept for the institute was conceived and developed by SARDI in consultation with national partners, and will focus on hastening technologies and knowledge to ensure a profi table and sustainable Australian biofuels industry.

Cooperative Research Centres:

In 2007 SARDI contributed to successful bids for three new cooperative research Centres including the:• Australian Seafood CRC (see story on page 63)• Future Farm Industries CRC• CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation.

One of these is the new-look Sheep CRC launched during 2007 that aims to increase the profi tability of Australia’s $6.2 billion sheep, meat and wool industries. Ewe fl ocks at Turretfi eld and Struan Research Centres will form an integral part of a national information nucleus fl ock. The fl ocks are designed to ensure producers have access to results of fl ock improvement efforts.

In total, SARDI’s involvement in cooperative research centres extends to:• Australian Poultry CRC• Australian Seafood CRC• CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation• CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies• Environmental Biotechnology CRC• Future Farm Industries CRC• CRC for Irrigation Futures• Molecular Plant Breeding CRC• CRC for an Internationally Competitive Pork

Industry• CRC for National Plant Biosecurity• Invasive Animals CRC• e-Water CRC.

SARDI’s collaborative approach is designed to enhance research performance that delivers high quality, reliable research solutions.

As of July 2008, SARDI is moving forward with these research partnerships:

> 12 Cooperative Research Centres

> Marine Innovation SA

> SA Food Plan 2007-2010

> The Federal Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy

> Memorandums of understandings held with national and international universities and research organisations.

During 2007, scientists celebrated a 26 year collaboration between Birdwood farmer Jim Rathjen and SARDI’s National Oat Breeding team during 2007. Jim provided land to help plant breeders to develop high-quality hay and milling varieties which are producing yields 40% higher than when the collaboration fi rst began.


Key industry representatives actively shape science programs at SARDI. Pictured with Dr Pauline Mooney at a science forum are Malcolm Sargent, Geoff Thomas, Rowan Ramsey, Brian Caddy and Dr Jim Fortune.

>

71

72 73

Ongoing signifi cant State and National collaborations include:

Adelaide Coastal Water Study, Seagrass Rehabilitation and Reef Health. These three projects take a `whole of government’ approach across SA State entities to enhance understanding of the impacts of urban settlement on marine environments and to better manage and rehabilitate SA’s coastal environments. SARDI’s role is to provide the scientifi c expertise to deliver a suite of interlinked projects, including ground-breaking methods to rehabilitate seagrass meadows.

The CLLAMMecology Cluster. The Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth form one of Australia’s largest estuaries. This estuary is degraded and several of its fi sh and bird species are threatened. Through CSIRO’s Flagship Collaboration Fund, the CLLAMMecology Cluster brings together scientists from a range of disciplines to study the ecology of the Coorong and Lower Lakes and develop models of ecological responses to fl ows and management actions. SARDI Aquatic Sciences is a key partner, working also with the University of Adelaide and Flinders University, with support from the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage, the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Land & Water Australia and Geoscience Australia. The CLLAMMecology Program provides cutting- edge science to underpin policy and management for the region. A whole-of-systems approach has been implemented where the effectiveness of management actions (eg. fl ow releases and barrage operations) have been linked to changes in hydrodynamics; biogeochemistry (transformation and food webs) and ecological response in a spatially and temporally explicit manner.

Crown Rot Strategic Initiative, funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). This is aimed at developing innovative solutions for management of Fusarium crown rot in Australia. Major collaborators are CSIRO Plant Industry and the Departments of Primary Industries in NSW and Victoria.

Harvest Plus, an international Global Challenge Program focused on developing bio-fortifi cation of staple food crops for developing countries. SARDI’s role is the genetic evaluation of iron and zinc content in wheat seed.

Integrated Biosystems (IBS). This initiative was set up in May 2005 and focuses on the effi cient recycling and reuse of both waste nutrients and waste water to prevent organic pollution and enhance production, income and industry sustainability. The project will establish a model for a commercial scale, integrated waste-water treatment system that uses piggery waste. Scientists cover a wide range of disciplines, including engineers, aquaculture and livestock specialists, microbiologists, agronomists and horticulturists. This initiative is led by SARDI in alliance with the University of South Australia. Collaborators include Murdoch University, Flinders University and The University of Adelaide.

Murray Fishway Assessment Project. Staff from SARDI’s Inland Waters program are major contributors to this Murray-Darling Basin Commission initiated effort to restore fi sh migration to over 2000 km of the Murray River, from the sea to the Hume Dam. The program comprises a team of scientists and engineers drawn from all states of the Murray-Darling Basin (NSW, Victoria, SA and Queensland) who have: determined fi shway design criteria; constructed new fi shways; and are assessing the performance and long term benefi ts of fi shway construction. The multi-state approach represents one of the largest collaborative freshwater research projects ever undertaken in Australia.

New strategies to improve grain legumes for food and feed, a Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations project. SARDI will be responsible for the development and distribution of Medicago truncatula (barrel medic) accessions to international laboratories. Dr Ram Nair played a pivotal role in progressing the concept, which will involve collaborating with more than 50 global research bodies.

Pasture Soil Biology Alliance, funded by Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation and GRDC. Collaborators include the CSIRO Entomology and CSIRO Plant Industry. The aim of this program is to develop a range of research tools to defi ne and manage soil-borne biological constraints in pastures.

Pulse Breeding Australia, a world-class breeding and germplasm enhancement program which unites SARDI with Adelaide University, GRDC, Pulse Australia and interstate primary industry departments (NSW, Vic, WA & Qld) and industry partners. The initiative will help deliver superior pulse varieties to market more quickly, encouraging better coordination, resource sharing and the interchange of ideas.

Processing Potato R&D Program, funded by the Australian Government via Horticulture Australia Ltd, and processing levies to provide solutions for the management of major potato-borne pathogens and virus diseases. Collaborators are the Victorian and Tasmanian Departments of Primary Industries, and New Zealand Crop and Food Research.

SA Food Plan 2007-2010. The project is a State Government Initiative implemented by PIRSA. SARDI’s contribution is to provide robust scientifi c solutions to meet food targets of the Plan. Researchers organise research resources and also supply contract research services to develop new products, improve shelf-life, package products attractively and ensure exported products meet international requirements for quality and food standards.

Sheep Genomics Program. Initiated and co-funded by Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia, the focus is on the discovery of genes required for optimal production of meat and wool. SARDI has collaborative links with both national (CSIRO) and interstate primary industries departments, Universities and international agricultural research laboratories.

Tri-State Salinity Project: `Salinity Impact on Lower Murray Horticulture’, a collaborative three-year project between SARDI, the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, the Departments of Primary Industries in NSW and Victoria and the CSIRO’s base at Merbein. The program is funded by Land & Water Australia, the Murray Darling Basin Commission and the River Murray Catchment Water Management Board.

Wine Innovation Cluster: The cluster brings together fi ve leading grape and wine research agencies at the famous Waite Precinct. The collaboration aims to contribute in an important and identifi able way to the success, reputation and sustainability of Australian wine industry participants, wherever in the value chain they are situated.

SARDI holds a Memorandum of Understanding with the Dalian Fisheries University in China. During 2007 twelve students participated in research supervised externally by Dr Xiaoxu Li, who leads SARDI’s Aquaculture subprogram in Genetics, Reproduction & Biotechnology. On conferring their degrees, the University advised that the SARDI supervised students achieved the highest rate of publication success in international scientifi c journals of all their externally supervised students.

Major State and National collaborations


74 75

Celebrating staff success

Honorary university and industry appointments

Dr Thomas Banhazi: elected as the President of the Australian Society for Engineering in Agriculture.

Dr Tapas Biswas: awarded Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the School of Natural and Built Environment at the University of South Australia.

Dr Forbes Brien: elected as Vice-President for the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics for the 18th conference, to be held in South Australia 2009.

Dr Ian Carmichael: confi rmed as convenor for the Livestock Symposium for the 3rd Annual Conference of the Australian Society for Parasitology.

Steven Clarke: appointed to the Australian Fisheries Management Forum Sub-Committee for Science and Research. Steven was also a fi nalist of the 2007 South Australian Science Excellence Awards in the category of Science Leadership and Management Excellence. Steven, who leads aquaculture research at SARDI, was acknowledged as a key fi gure in development of aquaculture in SA, and was awarded $5000 to use in his research programs.

Associate Professor Simon Goldsworthy: appointed Associate Editor for the Journal of Marine Mammal Science.

Dr Rob Lewis, Executive Director of SARDI: awarded Professorial status with The University of Adelaide’s School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, March 2008. The affi liation with the University recognises that Professor Lewis has risen to prominence as a research leader and manager, and his continuing contribution to the research community in South Australia. During 2006, Rob was also awarded $5000 as the runner-up for the Premier’s Science Excellence Awards for research management excellence.

Peter McCormack: appointed Vice-Chair of the Australian Fodder Industry Association for 2007/08.

Dr Ahmad Maqbool: nominated as an expert panel member of the Science Development Network to review research proposals for international PhD and post-doctoral fellowships.

Dr John Middleton: appointed as an Associate Professor by the University of New South Wales.

Dr Andrew Pointon: appointed to the Research and Development Advisory Committee of Australian Pork Ltd. He will chair a specialist group covering Biosecurity, Food Safety and Quality Assurance.

Trent Potter: elected Vice-President of the Australian Oilseeds Federation.

Dr Victor Sadras: awarded Associate Professorial status within the School of Agriculture and Wine, at The University of Adelaide. Dr Sadras has also been appointed to the INTERDROUGHT III Steering Committee. INTERDROUGHT III is the Third International Conference on integrated approaches to crop production in drought prone environments, scheduled for Shanghai, China in 2009.

Dr Gerrit Schrale: appointed member of the Technical Organising Committee for the 2nd International Salinity Forum, convened April 2008.

Awards

Geoff Auricht: awarded the Qilu Friendship Award from China’s Shandong Province, December 2007 for improving lucerne performance in diffi cult environments on the Yellow River Delta. This has helped the Province, which carries the biggest dairy herds in China, to meet high demand for fodder. Geoff’s research has also increased exports of lucerne seed benefi ting SA lucerne growers.

Chris Bice, Paul Jennings, Ian Magraith, David Short and Brenton Zampatti: awarded the 2007 SAWIN SA Seafood Industry Fishing for the Future Environment Award. Their efforts, as members of the tristate research team, focused on the Murray Darling Basin Commission ‘Sea to Hume Fishways project’. The work was recognised for integrating science management, engineering and construction to conserve and restore native fi sh populations in the Murray Darling Basin.

Nancy Cunningham: awarded a Pat Barkley Foundation Scholarship (2008), a prominent citrus industry honour, supporting her attendance at the 11th International Citriculture Congress in China.

Dr Phil Thomas of Flinders University with SARDI researchers Dr Kate Rodda and Dr Ib Svane were recipients of the FRDC-sponsored South Australian Women’s Industry Network 2007 Seafood Industry award for Research & Development Excellence.

Dr Peter Hayman: awarded the Grains Research and Development Corporation Seed of Light Award (Southern Region), November 2006. The award recognised his leading role in helping the Australian grains industry manage the risk of climate change.

Dr Ib Svane, Dr Kate Rodda and Dr Phil Thomas (Flinders University): awarded the South Australian Women’s Industry Network 2007 Seafood Industry Research & Development Excellence Award, sponsored by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Judges recognised the researchers, based at the Lincoln Marine Science Centre, for their innovative work for the Prawn Fishery By-catch and Discards project, and for clarifying the relationships in marine ecosystems analysis that will have an ongoing infl uence on the management of the Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery.

Dr Belinda Rawnsley: won the Innovation prize in Plant Pathology at the 16th Australian Plant Pathology Society Conference, Adelaide September 2007 for her presentation “Irrigation with reclaimed water: impacts on soil microbes under grapevines.”


76 77

SARDI Awards

Dr Bob Holloway: was made a SARDI Fellow in recognition of his distinguished research career, which spanned nearly four decades, 30 years of which he was based at Minnipa Agricultural Centre. Dr Holloway is acknowledged as an innovator in farming systems and for his research on liquid fertilisers and the impacts of herbicides on pasture establishment.

Associate Professor Victor Sadras: awarded the 2007 Publication of the Year Award for a paper he co-authored on the limit to wheat water use effi ciency in eastern Australia, published in the Australian Journal of Agricultural Research. The paper was selected on the basis of its impact and effi cacy in sharing research outcomes among the scientifi c and academic communities.

Dr Chris Williams, the late Norbert Maier, Louise Chvyl, Dr Kerry Porter, Dr Nancy Leo and Lee Bartlett: awarded the 2007 Delivery to Industry Award. The team was the fi rst to report that molybdenum defi ciency can be a major factor in a worldwide fruit set disorder in wine grapes.

Adrienne Twisk: awarded the 2007 Service to SARDI Award for managing all the administrative requirements, funding and reporting processes that support SARDI’s involvement with the Grains Research and Development Corporation, South Australian Grains Industry Trust, and Horticulture Australia Limited.

Louise Chvyl was one of the team members which identifi ed that molybdenum defi ciency can be a major factor in a worldwide fruit set disorder in wine grapes. The team was awarded the 2007 Delivery to Industry Award.

John Cooper, Shane Walker, Colin Windebank and James Stewart: awarded the 2007 Research Support Award for their outstanding contributions to the management and feeding of cattle under tight fi nancial and drought constraints to enable the establishment of the Beef CRC experimental herds at Struan.

Dr Peter Taverner and Glenys Wood: awarded the 2007 Service to the Community Award. The team developed a Guidebook for growers, landholders, local government and consultants to help them re-establish native vegetation in a way that maximises benefi ts for horticultural production by reducing pests and diseases, while increasing benefi cial insects.

Bonny Vogelzang: awarded the 2008 SARDI Women’s Suffrage Science Bursary. Bonny, a PhD student supervised at SARDI, works through the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity to progress innovative studies to better predict potential disease fl are-ups. The Bursary of $1500 will fund her travel to an international conference and to several laboratories in Italy and France. The award was established during the 1994 Suffragette Centenary celebrations in SA to encourage women to continue higher tertiary studies, where they are under-represented.

Sheep gene research aimed at helping maximise wool production for Australian producers, is shedding light on a human genetic hair and skin disorder.

While studying for a PhD at Adelaide University, student Hayley McGrice won the 2007 SARDI Suffrage Science Bursary for her research into the genes and molecular signals that affect wool follicle formation in lambs. The research has placed SA at the forefront of international sheep skin and wool research. While nearing the fi nal stages of her PhD, Hayley joined SARDI’s gene function team.

Her research has used novel techniques to look at the signals and pathways involved in turning on genes involved in the formation of wool follicles in sheep skin. Two of the genes measured in this way are known to be important in the human genetic condition, ectodermal dysplasia. People with this genetic condition are often born with extremely sparse hair and have abnormal or missing teeth and poorly developed sweat glands.

“Wool follicles are only initiated once during any mammal’s life so if we can determine which genes or pathways are responsible, we can manipulate the development of follicles – perhaps producing many more wool follicles – so as to maximise the lifetime wool producing potential of sheep,” Ms McGrice said.

Ms McGrice said this fundamental research into the genes and pathways involved in wool follicle initiation could lead to the production of pharmaceuticals or food additives with the potential to increase the number of follicles initiated during development, or increase the rate of wool growth. Similarly it could lead to benefi ts for human hair conditions such as ectodermal dysplasia.

The SARDI Bursary attracted global attention and the Science Bursary enabled Ms McGrice to attend the 5th International Congress of Hair Research in Vancouver in June to present her fi ndings.

PROFILE >Hayley McGrice


78 79

PHD

stu

den

ts a

t SA

RD

I

Stu

den

tN

ame

of P

roje

ctU

niv

ersi

ty In

volv

edSA

RD

I su

per

viso

rU

niv

ersi

ty S

up

ervi

sor

Fun

din

gYe

ar t

o b

e co

mp

lete

d

Ham

ish

Aik

enEp

idem

iolo

gy o

f b

lood

fl u

ke

infe

ctio

n in

sou

ther

n b

luefi

n t

un

aU

niv

ersi

ty o

f Tas

man

iaC

. Hay

war

dB.

Now

akA

qu

afi n

CRC

2008

Soh

bat

Bah

ram

inej

adB

iolo

gica

l act

ivit

y of

sec

ond

ary

met

abol

ites

in o

at (A

ven

a sa

tiva

)A

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyP.

Zw

erC

. Sch

ult

zG

over

nm

ent

of Ir

an20

06

Ott

i Baj

saIn

vest

igat

ion

of

pat

hog

en d

ie

off

and

dep

ura

tion

du

rin

g va

riou

s st

ages

of

inte

grat

ed b

io

pro

cess

ing

of w

aste

(dig

esti

on,

aqu

acu

ltu

re)

Mu

rdoc

h U

niv

ersi

tyM

. Ku

mar

G. H

oEn

viro

nm

enta

l B

iote

chn

olog

y C

RC20

08

Sita

Bal

shaw

Tem

por

al a

nd

sp

acia

l var

iab

ility

in

mer

cury

resi

du

e co

nte

nt

of

farm

ed S

outh

ern

blu

efi n

tu

na

(Th

un

nu

s m

acco

yii)

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyB.

Dau

ghtr

yK

. Ros

s J.

Edw

ard

sA

qu

afi n

CRC

2008

Alis

tair

Bay

lisFo

ragi

ng

ecol

ogy

of N

ew Z

eala

nd

fu

r se

als

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

S. G

old

swor

thy

D. P

aton

Fish

erie

s Re

sear

ch a

nd

D

evel

opm

ent

Cor

por

atio

n20

08

Pau

l Bie

rman

Rem

ote

sen

sin

g of

wat

er c

olu

mn

co

nst

itu

ents

in t

he

tun

a fa

rmin

g zo

ne

off

Port

Lin

coln

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

J. Ta

nn

erM

.Lew

is

B.O

sten

dor

fA

qu

afi n

CRC

2009

Sam

anth

a B

urg

ess

Geo

chem

ical

Eco

logy

of

the

tem

per

ate

cora

l: Pl

esia

stre

a ve

rsip

ora

Au

stra

lian

Nat

ion

al

Un

iver

sity

T. W

ard

M. M

cCol

luch

Au

stra

lian

Nat

ion

al

Un

iver

sity

, SA

RD

I20

07

Agn

es C

anti

nPo

pu

lati

on d

ynam

ics

and

eco

logy

of

th

e m

ud

coc

kle,

Kat

elys

ia

spp.

, wit

h im

plic

atio

ns

for

its

sust

ain

able

use

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyA

. Fow

ler

S. D

ittm

ann

Mar

ine

Scal

efi s

h F

ish

ery

Man

agem

ent

Com

mit

tee

and

Hol

swor

th W

ildlif

e Re

sear

ch E

nd

owm

ent

2009

Tai-Y

an C

hen

Seas

onal

ity

of re

pro

du

ctio

n in

p

igs

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

P. H

ugh

esP.

Sto

ttU

nd

er n

egot

iati

on20

08

Stu

den

tN

ame

of P

roje

ctU

niv

ersi

ty In

volv

edSA

RD

I su

per

viso

rU

niv

ersi

ty S

up

ervi

sor

Fun

din

gYe

ar t

o b

e co

mp

lete

d

Kath

erin

e C

hes

hir

eRi

ver

regu

lati

on a

nd

th

e ea

rly

life

his

tory

of

fres

hw

ater

fi sh

es: w

ith

sp

ecifi

c re

fere

nce

to

the

Mu

rray

-D

arlin

g B

asin

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

Q. Y

eB.

Gill

and

ers

A. K

ing

(AR

I)A

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty, C

SIRO

, So

uth

Au

stra

lian

Mu

rray

D

arlin

g B

asin

Nat

ura

l Re

sou

rce

Man

agem

ent

Boa

rd/M

urr

ay D

arlin

g B

asin

Com

mis

sion

2009

An

thon

y (R

ex) C

onal

linEv

alu

atio

n o

f C

arp

Sep

arat

ion

C

ages

for T

rap

pin

g an

d R

emov

ing

Car

p a

t W

etla

nd

Inle

ts

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

B. S

mit

hB.

Gill

and

ers

K. W

alke

rSo

uth

Au

stra

lian

Mu

rray

D

arlin

g B

asin

Nat

ura

l Re

sou

rce

Man

agem

ent

Boa

rd,

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

an

d P

layf

ord

Mem

oria

l Tr

ust

Sch

olar

ship

2009

Row

ena

Dav

eyD

isea

se s

up

pre

ssio

n o

f Rh

izoc

ton

ia r

oot

rot

in U

pp

er E

yre

Pen

insu

la a

gric

ult

ura

l soi

ls

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

S. B

arn

ett

A. M

cNei

lV.

Gu

pta

G

rain

s Re

sear

ch a

nd

D

evel

opm

ent

Cor

por

atio

n20

09

Jen

ny

Dav

idso

nEp

idem

iolo

gy o

f as

coch

yta

blig

ht

of fi

eld

pea

s in

Sou

th A

ust

ralia

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

E. S

cott

Sou

th A

ust

ralia

n G

rain

s In

du

stry

Tru

st20

13

Wet

jen

s D

imm

lich

Ecol

ogy

and

fi sh

erie

s b

iolo

gy o

f th

e A

ust

ralia

n a

nch

ovy

in S

A

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

T. W

ard

M. G

edd

esA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty, S

AR

DI

2008

Alis

tair

Dou

glas

Inve

stig

atio

ns

into

th

e q

ual

itie

s of

farm

ed, f

resh

sou

ther

n b

luefi

n

tun

a, a

ir-f

reig

hte

d f

rom

Por

t Li

nco

ln, S

outh

Au

stra

lia t

o To

kyo,

Ja

pan

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyJ.

Car

ragh

erP.

Th

omas

G. M

air

Aq

uafi

n C

RC, F

ish

erie

s Re

sear

ch a

nd

D

evel

opm

ent

Cor

por

atio

n

2008

Luke

Ein

oder

Fora

gin

g an

d re

pro

du

ctiv

e ec

olog

y of

sh

ort-

taile

d s

hea

rwat

ers

tern

sA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyS.

Gol

dsw

orth

yD

. Pat

onFi

sher

ies

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

2008

Gre

g Fe

rgu

son

The

bio

logy

an

d e

colo

gy o

f m

ullo

way

(Arg

yros

omu

s ja

pon

icu

s)

in S

outh

Au

stra

lia

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

T. W

ard

M. G

edd

esA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty20

08

Yuk

Fun

g Le

un

gRe

pro

du

ctio

n p

hys

iolo

gy o

f th

e zo

opla

nkt

on, D

aph

nia

ca

rin

ata

and

Moi

na

aust

ralie

nsi

s:

Imp

licat

ion

s as

live

food

for

aqu

acu

ltu

re h

atch

ery

and

a b

io-

rem

edia

tion

too

l for

was

tew

ater

tr

eatm

ent

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

M. K

um

arK

. Kin

dPr

ivat

e20

09

80 81

Stu

den

tN

ame

of P

roje

ctU

niv

ersi

ty In

volv

edSA

RD

I su

per

viso

rU

niv

ersi

ty S

up

ervi

sor

Fun

din

gYe

ar t

o b

e co

mp

lete

d

Ale

x G

ould

ing

Effe

cts

of in

trod

uce

d fi

sh

spec

ies

on t

he

nat

ura

l as

sem

bla

ge s

tru

ctu

re o

f fi

sh

(an

d in

vert

ebra

tes)

in f

resh

wat

er

syst

ems

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

B. S

mit

hB.

Gill

and

ers

Au

stra

lian

Res

earc

h

Cou

nci

l an

d A

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty

2010

Nad

ine

Hac

kett

Rep

rod

uct

ive

bio

logy

of

the

wes

tern

kin

g p

raw

n (M

elic

ertu

s la

tisu

lcat

us)

in t

emp

erat

e So

uth

A

ust

ralia

n w

ater

s

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

ty S

. Rob

erts

C. D

ixon

T. W

ard

T. B

olto

nU

nd

er N

egot

iati

on20

12

Der

ek H

amer

Inte

ract

ion

s b

etw

een

pro

tect

ed

spec

ies

and

som

e co

mm

erci

al

fi sh

erie

s in

Sou

th A

ust

ralia

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

S. G

old

swor

thy

T. W

ard

P. S

hau

ghn

essy

Fish

erie

s Re

sear

ch a

nd

D

evel

opm

ent

Cor

por

atio

n,

Dep

artm

ent

of

Envi

ron

men

t an

d H

erit

age

2009

Shel

ley

Har

riso

nIn

tera

ctio

n o

f Si

lver

Gu

lls w

ith

Tu

na

Farm

s in

Por

t Li

nco

lnFl

ind

ers

Un

iver

sity

J. C

arra

gher

I.

Svan

eJ.

Rob

erts

onFl

ind

ers

Un

iver

sity

, A

qu

afi n

CRC

, Fis

her

ies

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

2008

Karl

Hill

yard

Eval

uat

ion

of

carp

exc

lusi

on

scre

ens

at w

etla

nd

inle

tsA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty

B. S

mit

hB.

Gill

and

ers

K. W

alke

r M

urr

ay D

arlin

g B

asin

C

omm

issi

on, A

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty

2009

Lily

Ho

Dev

elop

men

t of

en

han

ced

an

aero

bic

dig

esti

on s

yste

m fo

r tr

eati

ng

anim

al w

aste

s

Mu

rdoc

h U

niv

ersi

tyM

. Ku

mar

G. H

oEn

viro

nm

enta

l B

iote

chn

olog

y C

RC20

08

Ala

n H

um

ph

ries

Luce

rne

for

cere

al r

otat

ion

sA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyG

. Au

rich

tT.

Rat

hje

n

B. B

ello

tti

SAR

DI

2007

Emly

n Jo

nes

Sed

imen

t re

susp

ensi

on a

nd

n

utr

ien

t re

gen

erat

ion

in

sou

thw

este

rn S

pen

cer

Gu

lf

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyM

. Fer

nan

des

J. Ka

emp

f A

qu

afi n

CRC

, Fis

her

ies

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

2009

Roh

an K

imb

erEp

idem

iolo

gy a

nd

sig

nifi

can

ce o

f C

erco

spor

a le

af s

pot

(C.z

onat

a) o

f fa

ba

bea

ns

in S

outh

ern

Au

stra

lia

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

J. D

avid

son

E. S

cott

J. Pa

ull

Gra

ins

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

2009

Ch

eryl

Kn

owla

nd

Con

tin

uou

s ti

me

mod

els

of c

oral

co

mm

un

ity

dyn

amic

sU

niv

ersi

ty o

f Li

verp

ool

J. Ta

nn

erSp

ence

rU

niv

ersi

ty o

f Li

verp

ool

2010

Stu

den

tN

ame

of P

roje

ctU

niv

ersi

ty In

volv

edSA

RD

I su

per

viso

rU

niv

ersi

ty S

up

ervi

sor

Fun

din

gYe

ar t

o b

e co

mp

lete

d

Bao

Lam

Hu

yhn

Gen

etic

ch

arac

teri

zati

on a

nd

QTL

m

app

ing

for

grai

n f

ruct

ans

in

wh

eat

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

H. W

allw

ork

D. M

ath

erA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty,

Mol

ecu

lar

Plan

t B

reed

ing

CRC

2008

Yan

Li

Eval

uat

ing

the

imp

act

of

rep

rod

uct

ion

on

met

abol

ism

an

d

imm

un

ocom

pet

ence

of

the

Paci

fi c

oyst

er, C

rass

ostr

ea g

igas

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyX

.Li

J. Q

inK

. Ben

ken

dor

ffJ.

Mit

chel

l

Inte

rnat

ion

al

Post

grad

uat

e Re

sear

ch

Sch

olar

ship

, Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

ty

2008

Jod

i Lill

Ind

irec

t ef

fect

s of

cu

rren

t sp

eed

on

Sou

th A

ust

ralia

n s

eagr

asse

sFl

ind

ers

Un

iver

sity

M. F

ern

and

esP.

Fai

rwea

ther

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

ty,

Dep

artm

ent

of

Envi

ron

men

t an

d H

erit

age

2010

Kath

erin

e Li

nse

llG

enet

ic a

nd

ph

ysio

logi

cal

char

acte

risa

tion

of

resi

stan

ce t

o ro

ot le

sion

nem

atod

e Pr

atyl

ench

us

sp. i

n w

hea

t

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

K. O

ldac

hI.

Rile

yH

. Wal

lwor

k

K. O

ldac

h, I

. Rile

y as

af

fi lia

tes

of A

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

ty

Gra

ins

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

, M

olec

ula

r Pl

ant

Bre

edin

g C

RC

2011

Cob

y M

ath

ews

Bio

logy

an

d e

colo

gy o

f G

oolw

a co

ckle

s (D

onax

del

toid

es) f

rom

th

e C

ooro

ng

, Sou

th A

ust

ralia

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

A. F

owle

rM

. Ged

des

PIRS

A, S

AR

DI

2008

Bry

an M

cDon

ald

Spat

ial s

calin

g of

sea

gras

s/ep

ifau

na

inte

ract

ion

sFl

ind

ers

Un

iver

sity

J. Ta

nn

erP.

Fai

rwea

ther

Nat

ion

al H

erit

age

Tru

st20

07

Reb

ecca

McI

nto

shLi

fe h

isto

ry a

nd

pop

ula

tion

s d

emog

rap

hic

s of

th

e A

ust

ralia

n

sea

lion

La T

rob

e U

niv

ersi

tyS.

Gol

dsw

orth

yP.

Sh

augh

nes

sySe

aWor

ld R

esea

rch

an

d

Resc

ue

Fou

nd

atio

n, S

A

Wild

life

Con

serv

atio

n

Fun

d

2007

Lach

ie M

clea

yFo

ragi

ng

and

rep

rod

uct

ive

ecol

ogy

of c

rest

ed t

ern

sA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyS.

Gol

dsw

orth

yT.

War

dD

. Pat

onFi

sher

ies

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

2009

Mar

gie

Mor

rice

Feed

ing

ecol

ogy

of b

lue

wh

ales

of

f SA

Dea

kin

Un

iver

sity

T. W

ard

P. G

illD

eaki

n U

niv

ersi

ty, S

AR

DI

2009

Bak

hyt

Nu

rzh

anu

lyG

enet

ic a

nal

ysis

of

dro

ugh

t to

lera

nce

in a

cro

ss b

etw

een

tw

o b

road

ly a

dap

ted

bre

ad w

hea

t ge

not

ypes

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

H. W

allw

ork

D. M

ath

erM

olec

ula

r Pl

ant

Bre

edin

g C

RC20

08

Dav

id P

adu

laRe

sid

ues

an

d c

onta

min

ants

of

trad

e im

por

tan

ce in

Au

stra

lian

m

arin

e fi

nfi

sh

Un

iver

sity

of T

asm

ania

A. P

oin

ton

B. N

owak

A

qu

afi n

CRC

2009

82 83

Stu

den

tN

ame

of P

roje

ctU

niv

ersi

ty In

volv

edSA

RD

I su

per

viso

rU

niv

ersi

ty S

up

ervi

sor

Fun

din

gYe

ar t

o b

e co

mp

lete

d

Kri

stia

n P

eter

sM

olec

ula

r an

d m

orp

hol

ogic

al

anal

yses

of

Au

stra

lian

sea

lion

die

tA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyK

. Op

hel

kelle

rS.

Gol

dsw

orth

yS.

Gol

dsw

orth

yN

atio

nal

Her

itag

e Tr

ust

2008

Sam

uel

Ph

ua

Prop

osed

Th

esis

tit

le:

Exp

erim

enta

l Stu

die

s an

d

Pred

icti

ve M

odel

ling

of D

ioxi

ns

(PC

DD

/Fs)

an

d P

olyc

hlo

rin

ated

B

iph

enyl

s (P

CB

s) in

Au

stra

lian

Fa

rmed

Sou

ther

n b

luefi

n t

un

a (T

hu

nn

us

mac

coyi

i)

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

B. D

augh

try

P. A

shm

anK

. Dav

eyD

. Lew

is

Aq

uafi

n C

RC20

08

Sap

to P

utr

oSt

ud

ies

on t

he

stru

ctu

re a

nd

d

istr

ibu

tion

of

mac

rob

enth

ic

asse

mb

lage

s in

hab

itin

g co

arse

se

dim

ents

ad

jace

nt

to S

outh

ern

b

luefi

n t

un

a ca

ges

at S

outh

ern

Sp

ence

r G

ulf,

Sou

th A

ust

ralia

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyI.

Svan

eJ.

Rob

erts

onA

usA

id, A

qu

afi n

CRC

2007

Am

y Ri

char

ds

Man

agin

g ro

ot z

one

salin

ity

un

der

p

reci

sion

irri

gate

d v

itic

ult

ure

in

the

Lan

ghor

ne

Cre

ek d

istr

ict

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyM

. McC

arth

yG

. Sch

rale

J. H

uts

onC

RC Ir

riga

tion

Fu

ture

s 20

08

Mic

hae

l Rob

erts

Fles

h q

ual

ity

char

acte

rist

ics

in

sou

ther

n r

ockl

obst

erFl

ind

ers

Un

iver

sity

J. C

arra

gher

K. B

enke

nd

orff

Fish

erie

s Re

sear

ch a

nd

D

evel

opm

ent

Cor

por

atio

n,

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

ty

2008

Pau

l Rog

ers

Mov

emen

t, d

iet

and

pop

ula

tion

st

ruct

ure

of

pel

agic

sh

ark

pop

ula

tion

s in

sou

ther

n A

ust

ralia

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyS.

Gol

dsw

orth

yL.

Seu

ron

tFl

ind

ers

Un

iver

sity

SAR

DI A

qu

atic

Sci

ence

sSA

Dep

artm

ent

of

Envi

ron

men

t &

Her

itag

eN

atu

re F

oun

dat

ion

SA

Inc

Wid

life

Con

serv

atio

n F

un

d

2010

Ab

olfa

zl S

arp

eleh

Role

of

Pyre

nop

hor

a te

res

toxi

ns

in n

et b

lotc

h o

f b

arle

yA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyH

. Wal

lwor

kA

. Ab

leG

over

nm

ent

of Ir

an20

07

Rich

ard

Sau

nd

ers

Recr

uit

men

t d

ynam

ics

of s

nap

per

in

nor

ther

n S

pen

cer

Gu

lfA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyA

. Fow

ler

B. G

illan

der

sM

arin

e Sc

alefi

sh

Fis

her

y Fi

sher

y M

anag

emen

t C

omm

itte

e

2008

Stu

den

tN

ame

of P

roje

ctU

niv

ersi

ty In

volv

edSA

RD

I su

per

viso

rU

niv

ersi

ty S

up

ervi

sor

Fun

din

gYe

ar t

o b

e co

mp

lete

d

Thor

Sau

nd

ers

Op

tim

isin

g th

e sp

atia

l sca

le o

f ab

alon

e fi

sher

y m

anag

emen

tA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyS.

May

fi el

dS.

Con

nel

Fish

erie

s Re

sear

ch a

nd

D

evel

opm

ent

Cor

por

atio

n,

SAR

DI

2008

Dav

id S

chm

arr

Stoc

k st

ruct

ure

of

blu

e m

acke

rel

in s

outh

ern

Au

stra

liaA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyT.

War

dW

hit

tin

gton

O

ven

den

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

, FF

ish

erie

s Re

sear

ch a

nd

D

evel

opm

ent

Cor

por

atio

n,

SAR

DI

2008

Shai

sta

Shafi

qD

isco

veri

ng

and

map

pin

g re

pro

du

ctiv

e fr

ost

tole

ran

ce g

enes

in

Pis

um

sat

ivu

m L

. gen

ome

usi

ng

mol

ecu

lar

tech

niq

ues

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

A. M

aqb

ool

J. Pa

ull

Sou

th A

ust

ralia

n G

rain

s In

du

stry

Tru

st20

09

Kh

alid

Sh

amim

Mat

hem

atic

al m

odel

ling

of

the

mic

rob

ial i

nte

ract

ion

s, a

nd

n

utr

ien

t u

pta

ke, t

ran

sfor

mat

ion

an

d re

leas

e d

uri

ng

vari

ous

stag

es

of in

tegr

ated

bio

pro

cess

ing

.

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

M. K

um

arD

. Lew

isEn

viro

nm

enta

l B

iote

chn

olog

ies

CRC

2008

Ad

am S

lugg

ett

Un

der

stan

din

g so

lute

dyn

amic

s u

nd

er a

dva

nce

d fe

rtig

atio

n –

a 3

D

mod

ellin

g ap

pro

ach

Flin

der

s U

niv

ersi

tyT.

Bis

was

J. H

uts

onC

RC fo

r Ir

riga

tion

Fu

ture

s20

10

Car

los

Teix

eira

Spen

cer

Gu

lf C

ircu

lati

on, C

ross

-sh

elf

exch

ange

an

d U

pw

ellin

g.

Un

iver

sity

of

New

So

uth

Wal

esJ.

Mid

dle

ton

M. R

ough

anB

razi

lian

Gov

ern

men

t C

oun

cil

2010

Tu A

nh

Vu

Th

anh

Path

ogen

era

dic

atio

n u

sin

g p

ista

chio

die

bac

k as

a m

odel

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

M. S

osn

owsk

iE.

Sco

ttD

. Gib

lot

Du

cray

End

eavo

ur

Post

grad

uat

e A

war

d S

chol

arsh

ip(A

ust

ralia

n F

eder

al

Gov

ern

men

t)

2011

Cat

hry

n T

odd

Rhiz

octo

nia

dis

ease

on

pot

atoe

sA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyK

.Op

hel

kelle

rT.

Wic

ksE.

Sco

ttH

orti

cult

ure

Au

stra

lia

Lim

ited

2009

Pau

l van

Ru

thPr

imar

y p

rod

uct

ivit

y in

th

e Ea

ster

n G

reat

Au

stra

lian

Big

ht

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

T. W

ard

G. G

anf

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

, Fi

sher

ies

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

, SA

RD

I

2008

Feedback SARDI welcomes any feedback you may have on our activities as they are articulated in this Impacts Report.

Please send comments to: SARDI Business Services GPO Box 397 Adelaide SA 5001or email: [email protected]

www.sardi.sa.gov.au

Stu

den

tN

ame

of P

roje

ctU

niv

ersi

ty In

volv

edSA

RD

I su

per

viso

rU

niv

ersi

ty S

up

ervi

sor

Fun

din

gYe

ar t

o b

e co

mp

lete

d

Will

iam

van

Wet

tere

Nu

trit

ion

& m

anag

emen

t of

th

e re

pla

cem

ent

gilt

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

P. H

ugh

esP.

Sto

ttPo

rk C

RC20

08

Kyle

igh

Vic

tory

An

alys

is a

nd

cla

ssifi

cati

on o

f an

tim

icro

bia

l com

pon

ents

p

rod

uce

d b

y m

icro

alga

e an

d

cyan

obac

teri

a

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

M. K

um

arD

. Lew

isEn

viro

nm

enta

l Te

chn

olog

ies

CRC

an

d

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

2007

Ber

nad

ette

Vog

elza

ng

Nov

el a

pp

roac

hes

to

surv

eilla

nce

fo

r ai

rbor

ne

fun

gal p

lan

t p

ath

ogen

s

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

J. D

avid

son

K. O

ph

elke

ller

E. S

cott

Nat

ion

al P

lan

t B

iose

curi

ty

CRC

2010

Scot

te W

edd

erb

urn

Ecol

ogy

and

con

serv

atio

n

bio

logy

of

the

Mu

rray

har

dyh

ead

(C

rate

roce

phal

us

fl u

viat

ilis)

Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

B.

Zam

pat

tiM

. Ged

des

K

. Wal

ker

Sou

th A

ust

ralia

n M

urr

ay

Dar

ling

Bas

in N

atu

ral

Reso

urc

e M

anag

emen

t B

oard

, Ad

elai

de

Un

iver

sity

, G

oolw

a-W

ellin

gton

Loc

al

Act

ion

Pla

nn

ing

Boa

rd,

Coo

ron

g an

d D

istr

ict

Loca

l A

ctio

n P

lan

nin

g B

oard

, N

atu

re F

oun

dat

ion

SA

2008

An

nel

ise

Wie

bki

nFo

ragi

ng

and

rep

rod

uct

ive

ecol

ogy

of li

ttle

pen

guin

sA

del

aid

e U

niv

ersi

tyS.

Gol

dsw

orth

y T.

War

dD

. Pat

onFi

sher

ies

Rese

arch

an

d

Dev

elop

men

t C

orp

orat

ion

2008

84

impacts food on the table - pir.sa.gov.au · dedicated food science programs at sardi cover the...

Documents