Completed projects and reports

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Sugar Research Australia, Sugar Research Development Corporation and BSES reports from completed research projects and papers.

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End date: 2009

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 531
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    An analysis of sugar production issues in the Ord River Irrigation Area : SRDC technical report 01/2000
    (Sugar Research and Development Corporation, 2000) Leslie, JK; Byth, DE
    The analysis considered both cane yield and sugar content. A Preliminary Report in October 1998 utilised 1996 and 1997 production data, and concentrated on whether that data evidenced any changes from the pilot phase of 1977-1983. It concluded that there has been no apparent change in yield or quality of millable stalk. The pilot projections of commercial expectations did not discount sufficiently for the effects of mechanical harvesting. Cane losses, extraneous matter and soil contamination have reduced pol in commercial deliveries on average 2.33% pol below the level in millable stalk. This report updates those conclusions and extends to several other issues.
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    Opportunities for the Australian sugar industry in greenhouse gas abatement and carbon trading : final report QUT027
    (Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2009) Hobson, P
    New policies and market drivers are currently being implemented to stimulate additional investment in technologies and energy sources which result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In addition there is a rising demand from stakeholders and customers for information about the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of products (carbon footprint).
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    Development of a large capacity haulout bin : SRDC Final report DDI1S
    (Sugar Research Council, 1990) Harris, HD; Pearce, F
    This report is submitted to the Sugar Research Council as a summary and description of the haulout bin designs which have been generated under project DDI 1 S. Progress with the project has been partly detailed in the Progress Report submitted in October, 1989, the paper on the measurement of hitch loads in haulout bins submitted to the 1990 Conference of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists, and the paper prepared for presentation to the November 1990 Conference on Agricultural Engineering. Copies of these two papers are attached as Appendix D.
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    Selecting clones for better ratooning under wet harvesting conditions : SRDC final report CSR10S
    (1997) Jackson, P; Braunack, M; Foreman, J; Peatey, T; Wood, A
    There were three broad aims of this project: (i) To develop and evaluate a method for screening genetic material under conditions where there is (a) stool damage from harvesting machinery under wet conditions, and (b) waterlogging shortly after harvest. (ii) To evaluate a range of genetic material for ratooning under these conditions, including material generated from previous introgression breeding programs by CSR. (iii) To determine if a breeding program aimed at improving ratooning under wet conditions would be worthwhile, and if so, what sort of methods should be used.
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    Improving extension capacity : final report BSS279
    (BSES, 2006) Matthews, RW; Chapple, D
    The extension staff in the Burdekin district are both fresh-faced and full of new ideas. One of their largest hurdles to jump is the implementation of science into the real world. Growers are some of the hardest nuts to crack, and the attendance at this conference provided some usual insight on how to make inroads with the local industry. the staff members that attended the conference gained form the experiences that other extension officers (change practice agents) have utilised in their everyday lives.The key learnings from the conference have been discussed with local industry staff to encourage a more positive outlook towards change management. Discussions revolved around how can we do things better locally, and how can we improve the use of the Burdekin Cane Productivity Initiative and BSES' PROSPER project to maximise the impact of research and development. The rapid adoption of the use of double-disc-opener cane planters is one of the big positives to have been driven successfully by CPI and local RD&E.
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    The transfer of high CCS traits from wild relatives to sugarcane using biochemical markers
    (2003) Grof, C; Manners, J
    Over the last 40 years of sugarcane breeding in Australia there have been significant improvements in cane yield but little to no improvement in commercial cane sugar (CCS). It has been hypothesised that this lack of gain is due to the narrow genetic base of current breeding programs and has provided the impetus to examine new sources of germplasm that may provide desirable traits. Broadening the genetic base through the introgression of new Saccharum germplasm could allow the incorporation of 'new' genes for CCS into commercial sugarcane and result in increased CCS. However carefully targeted approaches are required to identify favourable genetic components of value from available new germplasm for introgression.
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    Evaluation and re-structuring of regional selection programs to maximise efficiency and speed of cultivar release
    (2002) Chapman, SC; Rattey, A; Jackson, PA
    Continual delivery of new cultivars is required to maintain resistance to existing and new pests and diseases, and to provide constant improvement in crop productivity, quality and profitability for an internationally competitive sugar industry. Sugarcane breeding comprises two major activities: genetic variation is created by crossing parents (selected on historical performance of their progeny in the case of proven parents, or performance for heritable traits in trials in the case of new parents), and the best clones for release are selected through a multi-stage selection process that involves progressively more intensive testing of fewer clones over several years in multiple sites. In Australia, the geographic variation in climate and other conditions in the different regions, the difficulties of moving sugar cane planting material, and differences between regions for some diseases (e.g. the Fiji disease line between the Central and Burdekin regions) had resulted in six cultivar crossing and selection programs, each targeting different regions: North (inc. Atherton Tableland), Herbert, Burdekin, Central, South and northern NSW. The small Ord irrigation area is serviced via testing and selection of elite clones from all of these regional trials. Currently crosses are made in each of four specific regions based on performance of parents (in trials or via progeny performance) in that region. Clones from crosses are initially chosen from small plots in one site per region. In further selection, breeders conduct multi-row plot trials across sites and seasons, with intensive testing within regions, and later exchange of the most promising clones between regions. At the start of this project, there was no basic information on whether clones generated directly from crosses generally perform consistently relative to each other between regions, or whether many clones exhibit specific adaptation to regional environments. This information, and quantifying the relative sizes of genotype, genotype x region interaction, and genotype x within-region interaction variances, in genetic populations generated in breeding programs, is basic information needed for designing an optimal selection system that collectively targets all regions.
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    Scoping study - remote sensing of sugarcane leaf diseases : FSRDC final report BSS295
    (BSES, 2006) Magarey, RC
    Estimation of the incidence of sugarcane leaf diseases in the Australian sugar industry is largely confined to subjective estimates by Cane Productivity Services personnel. Resistance ratings for leaf diseases are applied to clones in the plantimprovement program through intense infield disease assessments of onfarm trials. Both methods have problems – either the inability to objectively measure diseases over large areas, or the very high time input required to capture the data. Remote sensing of leaf diseases offers the possibility of obtaining objective diseaseincidence data, both on a regional basis, but also for individual crops. Small plots in field trials also could be assessed for disease resistance through remote sensing techniques. Consultation with researchers in ENSIS and Mackay Sugar centred on the remotesensing technologies available in Australia. The one considered most suitable for initial studies is the Hyperion hyperspectral technology. This has been used previously to detect orange rust in sugarcane crops in the Mackay area. The involvement of Hyperion in initial studies would also allow the simulation of other types of remotesensing technology, such as SPOT IV, Landsat, and other multispectral detection capabilities. A threeyear research program was devised that would initially test the technology for remote sensing of leaf diseases. The adaptation of these techniques to a whole district would follow in the two subsequent years. The Herbert River district was selected as a model district, since all three major leaf diseases occur in this area (yellow spot, orange rust and brown rust) and there is a greater likelihood of obtaining satellite images in this area compared to the wet tropics (Tully). Following the successful development of the remotesensing technology, project work would involve milling and grower sectors of the industry. There would be a concentration on the uses and delivery of the crop and industry disease information, as presented in a GIS format. At the same time, research on highresolution imagery of small plots in field trials would lead to methods for assigning disease resistance ratings for clones in plantimprovement trials. This work will follow naturally on from the technology development associated with wholecrop disease detection. Researchers from both Mackay Sugar and ENSIS agree that sugarcane is a very suitable crop for remote sensing technology, with a high chance of successful disease detection.
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    The economic advantage of reduced tillage planting of sugarcane in Australia
    (2003) Braunack, MV; McGarry, D; Halpin, NV
    Land preparation for planting sugarcane is a major cost to growers. Currently growers may undertake up to eight tillage passes to prepare a seedbed for planting. However, this number of passes is considerably less than that practised thirty years ago. Good crop establishment is necessary to ensure yield and ratoon longevity for the next crop cycle. However, it was hypothesised that the number of tillage passes could be reduced without compromising crop performance and would offer considerable savings in crop establishment costs.
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    Improving the yields of ratoon crops of sugarcane : SRDC Final report BS7S
    (SRDC, 1992) Chapman, LS; Ferraris, R; Ludlow, MM; Hurney, AP
    The economics of sugarcane growing improve with the number of ratoon crops which can be grown from a single planting. In Australia, declining yields with increase in the number of ratoons limit a cycle to three to five ratoons, according to district. However, studies by BSES indicate that the most economic strategies involved growing up to six ratoons. If this decline in yield could be reduced, then more ratoons could be obtained from a single planting with the associated economic benefits.