Centre for Plant & Water Science - Central Queensland University

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Centre for Plant & Water Science 2008 Annual Report species, and their potential role in annual cropping systems. Under the auspices of the Australian Institute for Agricultural Science and Technology, and with funding from HAL, he organised a public meeting for researchers and others to understand potential to develop IP, and was on the organising committee for an AIAST function. “Challenges and Opportunities for Agriculture in a Changing Carbon Economy” held in Brisbane in September. He gave invited presentations to the Australian Society of Horticultural Science, to the U3A, to Probus, and served as a resource person for a USAID review of the SANREM CRSP in the Philippines. He also did some project review work for the CGIAR and continued with editorial responsibilities for Experimental Agricultural and the Journal for Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, and participated on the committee planning the 2014 International Horticultural Congress for Brisbane. SANREM Partners Gerald Shively of Purdue University’s agricultural economics department and David Midmore were interviewed on ABC Radio Australia about the impact of falling coffee prices on poor farmers across Southeast Asia. The segment aired Oct. 15 on the network’s current affairs program “Connect Asia”. The Non-invasive Group 2008 activities focused on the development of applications for the NIR handheld technology (delivered through Integrated Spectronics P/L). Work was undertaken within the Calypso mango program (with OneHarvest and Ololo Farm Management P/L, using the NIR technology to assess fruit maturity, and thus the time of harvest. Activity was based within large (60,000 tree) farms in Darwin, Katherine, Mataranka, Mareeba and Bundaberg, using the technology to assess spatial variation in fruit maturity on tree, and within orchard. Extension of results to the wider mango industry also occurred through presentation at the Australian Mango Industry Association meetings. A smaller exercise was also undertaken in terms of application to the mandarin industry. This groundwork laid the foundation for a new research direction and grant opportunities in 2009. The year 2008 strengthened our research focus on biofuels. An RIRDC project and a merit grant project awarded to A/P Ashwath investigated the potential of native species in biodiesel production. More than 100 native species were evaluated for biodiesel potential and one species was thoroughly tested for fuel quality and efficiency. The attendance at a second generation workshop by A/P Ashwath, in Canberra, opened up further opportunities to interact and collaborate with the leading biofuels researchers. The national research project on phytocapping (A-ACAP), sponsored by an ARC Linkage grant, is progressing well and is providing the data needed to convince regulatory authorities to accept phytocapping as a viable capping system for landfill remediation. Rotary Australia sponsored an extended visit to India by A/P Ashwath in which he promoted the use of Australian native species in waste land reclamation and for biofuel feedstock production. He gave lectures to a wide range of organisations, including Rotary Clubs, Universities, schools and research institutes and promoted phytocapping amongst a number of research institutes, city councils and pollution control authorities. Dr Surya Bhattarai, following his Endeavour Foundation Scholarship to Taiwan in 2007, gained significant research funding from AVRDC to support molecular and physiological research on tomato drought tolerance, and from AINSE for oxygation, strengthening our international reputation in the area of horticultural science. We continue to involve the local community in our research, with visits from local schools and societies and talks given to a number of schools and associations. One prime example of community involvement was the official opening of Hole Number 9 at the Rockhampton Golf Club, made possible by our support of the club in gaining a Commonwealth Water Grant. 3
Centre for Plant & Water Science 2008 Annual Report Section B STAFFING PROFILE There was approx 1.95 EFT academic staff, 2.65 EFT research officers, 4.6 EFT research workers & 1.6 EFT administrative staff associated with the Centre. Table 1. Staff and Honorary Research Fellows associated with the Centre Staff Category EFT Name Area Academic 0.5 A/Prof Ashwath, Nanjappa* Ecophysiology 0.2 A/Prof Harrower, Keith* Microbiology 0.6 Prof Midmore, David* Crop physiology 0.05 Dr. Newby, Robert* Entomologist 0.05 Prof Reed, Rob 2* Microbiology 0.05 Dr Roe, Brett * Aquaculture, Hydropoinics 0.1 Dr Sinclair, Billy* 1 Molecular biology 0.5 A/Prof Walsh, Kerry*● Plant physiology Research Officers 1.0 Dr Bhattarai, Surya* Oxygation 1 Dr Subedi, Phul* Non-invasive research 0.05 Kele, Ben * Sunrise at 1770 0.05 Dr Twomey, Amanda Biofuels, agroforestry Research Workers 0.7 Conaghan, Jeffrey 2 Technician 0.95 McDonald, Brock Vermiculture, aquaponics 0.3 Lowry, Robert 1 Plant growth facilities 0.5 Fox, Graham 2 Plant growth facilities 0.05 Bhattarai, Bhima Aerating saline irrigation 0.2 Barden, Vicki 1 Native vegetation on clay soil sites 0.2 Painter, Lynda 2,1 Native vegetation on clay soil sites 0.1 Lata, Sunita Native vegetation on clay soil sites 0.7 Subedi, Roshan Native vegetation on clay soil sites & Solid waste management Administration 1.0 Ahern, Linda Administration Officer Staff 0.1 Bunt, Enid 2 Administrative Assistant 0.2 Crane, Brie 1 Administrative Assistant 0.05 Percival, Neil 1 Administrative Assistant Honorary Research Dr Sands, Jim + Emerald Agricultural College Fellows Dr Burrows, William QDPI, Rockhampton - Woodland ecology Dr Carroll, Chris + QDNRM, Rockhampton – Irrigation Dr Dixon, Robert QDPI, Rockhampton Dr Radford, Bruce QDNRM, Biloela – Soil Science Rank, Andrew * Consultant – stevia Visitors - Scholars 0.2 Dr Din Zahid Pakistan Higher Education Council 0.4 Dr Xinming Chen China Scholarship Council 0.8 Dr Sanjay Singh N.D.University of Agriculture & Technology, India - Students 0.3 Varinderjit Khattra Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India 0.4 Delphine Lacombe Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Rennes, France 0.4 Loic Burtin Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Rennes, France Status (EFT) of academic staff is calculated as a percentage of research-active time. * Research active: named participant on a research project attracting external research income; named author on a DEST-qualified research publication; or supervisor to a research higher degree candidate. + Members of Centre for Plant & Water Science Advisory Committee. # Includes postgraduate supervision. ● 0.2 of salary drawn from external sources. 1 Left during 2008 2 Started during 2008 4
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