Browsing by Author "Rudd, A"
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Item A regional partnership approach to developing a sustainable sugar cane system : SRDC Final report MAS001(SRDC, 2007) Rudd, A; Parker, DThe Mossman milling area has a unique place in the Australian sugar industry; not only is it the most northern of all mill areas but the Mossman Central Mill is one of the oldest independent milling companies and still substantially owned by its cane suppliers. It also has also established a reputation for innovation in both the processing and growing of sugarcane. By 2002 Mossman and most of the Australian sugar industry was suffering significant financial difficulties following a decade of expansion.Item Better targeting new cultivars : SRDC Grower Group Innovation Project(2012) Rudd, AAim: Better targeting of new cultivars for soiltypes/environments not covered by BSES. Conduct: Trials with advanced clones and other best bet’s were planted in 2009, 2010 & 2011 were planted in both the Mossman and Tableland mill areas. The 2009 trials were assessed in 2010 and 2011 and the 2010 trials assessed in 2011. Ten overseas clones with a degree of smut resistance were included in the Mossman trial at the request of the local industry. Key Results: Provided key personnel and district growers with yield data supporting recently released and prospective varieties on local soil types and in local environments. No overseas clones warranted further testing. Key Learnings: Data obtained was a factor in the providing local growers with the confidence to rapidly adopt new varieties.Item Final report SRDC Project CLW009 Improving yield and ccs in sugarcane through the application of silicon based amendments(2003) Berthelsen, S; Noble, AD; Kingston, G; Hurney, A; Rudd, A; Garside, AUnder high leaching environments common to the wet tropics, soils undergo significant weathering, which, when combined with accelerated chemical and physical degradation due to soil perturbation and crop removal, results in increased soil acidification and dissolution of the alumino-silicate clay minerals (de-silication). The consequences are both a loss of plant available Si through leaching and a decline in cation exchange capacity and hence an inability to retain essential plant nutrients. The current project has highlighted that large areas of cane-growing soils in North Queensland have sub-optimal levels of plant-available Si. Based on the current soil test, some 85% of soils that were evaluated in the six mill areas on the wet tropical coast have sub-optimal to marginal levels of available Si. Hence the implications of silicon deficiency for substantial areas under sugarcane production, and therefore the benefit of prophylactic applications of silicate materials may have a significant impact of productivity. One of the primary objectives of this study was to quantify responses in cane yield and ccs to Si application. To address this objective, three field trials were established in Bundaberg, Innisfail and Mossman, using a range of application rates of calcium silicate slag. At Innisfail, over the 2 years of the trial, a rate of 9t/ha Ca-silicate gave a 32% increase in total cane yield (189 t/ha) when compared to the control treatment (128 t/ha). At Mossman, a rate of 12 t/ha gave a 35% total yield increase (161 t/ha) compared to the control (105 t/ha) over the same period. At Bundaberg, over a crop cycle of 3 years, the 12 t/ha rate of Ca-silicate resulted in a 23 % increase (278 t/ha) compared to the control (213 t/ha). The results clearly indicate that Si should be treated as an integral part of any fertilizer strategy associated with cane production on these soils.Item Improving harvest efficiency in the Mossman Central Mill area : SRDC Final report(2006) Rudd, AThe Mossman sugar industry in 2004 was characterised by small farms and small blocks, an excessive kilometer/tonne transport ratio, an aging transport infrastructure with a bin fleet of limited capacity, a decreasing area of supply and a harvest window limited by topography. A project to improve the overall efficiency of the harvest and transport sector of the Mossman sugar industry commenced in 2005. Changes to improve the efficiency were developed through a series of workshops with representatives from the Mossman Central Mill, Mossman CANEGROWERS, the Queensland branch of the Mechanical Cane Harvesters Association and Mossman Agricultural Services. This group looked at a range of payment and harvest management issues. The project was managed through two broad work programs; industry consultation looking at payment options and monitoring of a group of harvesters.