On Wednesday, HCPSL’s Project CaNE team hosted a ‘Smarter Pesticide Use’ workshop. Over 80 growers from across the Herbert came along to learn and discuss pesticides available to industry and how to use them appropriately on their farms. Highlights from the day included presentations from Associate Professor Michael Warne (Director, Reef Catchments Science Partnership) on the Pesticide Decision Support Tool and Senior Reef Project Officer, Andrew Ygosse (DAF) on changes to the regulations.
Throughout the day, numerous industry experts presented on a range of topics. From pesticides in waterways, to managing drift, pest control using drones, crop ripening and new herbicide technologies.
HCPSL and the Project CaNE team would like to thank all growers who attended the workshop, shared ideas and discussed experiences around pesticide use.
Project CaNE is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
If you are a Cane Farmer or work in the industry then come along to this exciting event of networking and sharing of practical information.
Learn from farmers who are innovating and making changes to their farming system as they share their experience in the paddock.
The forum will include small group visits to 4 farms in the Ingham district over 2 days along with a fantastic social night of networking and a chance to meet innovative companies supporting cane farmers who are sponsoring the event.
HCPSL will start seed cane inspections for growers tomorrow (Tuesday 31 January) for all Herbert growers. This year things will be done a little differently. HCPSL will be using three different methods of testing this season.
SRA’s Molecular Plant Pathologist Dr Chuong Ngo and Translational Research Pathologist Dr Rob Magarey visited HCPSL on 24 January to train HCPSL staff on the new Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD) testing method called leaf sheaf biopsies (LSB).
A core (otherwise called a leaf punch) is taken from the leaf sheath of the cane plant, mixed with distilled water, and then sent off to the laboratory for analysis. The RSD bacteria weeps from the leaf punch into the distilled water over a few hours and is then analysed.
Photo above – Dr Chuong Ngo, Molecular Plant Pathologist, presents at the HCPSL training day.
This sampling method is just as accurate as the expressed xylem sap method and both use the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test that was made available to growers two years ago by HCPSL. However, the LSB method is more efficient in the field for collection of samples. It can also be done earlier in the year that phase contrast microscopy (PCM) method. The PCM (microscope) method will still be made available to growers, but this method can be less accurate when detecting RSD than LSB and qPCR.
HCPSL staff will only be testing cane that will be used for planting in 2023. Growers will only be permitted to sample one block/variety for every 20 ha farmed. This ruling has been put in place to allow HCPSL staff to get across all farms. There will be no charge for Herbert growers using the seed inspection service.
Growers who wish to undertake a whole of farm RSD survey will be invoiced accordingly. This is not a core HCPSL service. Full farm RSD surveys will only be undertaken mid-year after all seed inspections are completed for cane to be planted this season.
The other change this year is that growers will need to come into the HCPSL office with their most recent farm maps, downloaded from the Wilmar website, to book a seed cane inspection with HCPSL staff. Due to changes at Wilmar concerning data management and security, HCPSL currently does not have copies of grower farm maps and data.
HCPSL is working with Wilmar to gain access to farm data, but new computer systems will need to be upgraded before growers can go online through the Wilmar website to grant permission to HCPSL to gain data access. Both HCPSL and Wilmar apologise for the inconvenience caused and are working together to resolve this matter.
Photo above (Left) – HCPSL field staff expressing sap for a xylem sample.
Photo above (Right) – A leaf punch collected for a LSB sample.
The turnaround time from collection to receiving your results using the LSB and qPCR methods is about two weeks, so growers will need to plan which varieties/blocks they want tested. RSD samples will be processed by both the SRA and Metagen labs located in Brisbane and Gatton respectively.
HCPSL and SRA data have shown that growers who utilise Approved and disease-free planting material will grow on average 11 tonnes cane per hectare (tch) more than growers who don’t.
Don’t take it for granted that the cane you are planting this year is disease free, get it tested!
Growers are urged to contact the HCPSL office ASAP to organise a seed cane inspection by HCPSL field staff.
To download a copy of the Press Release, view the document below.
As 2022 draws to a close, HCPSL reflects on some of the highlights from the year. With the support and backing of growers, Wilmar and the community, the HCPSL team is proud of the many triumphs made for the Herbert industry throughout 2022.
Over 150 growers attended the HCPSL Walk & Talk 2022
19,250 tissue culture plants ordered and delivered to growers
4335 tonnes Approved Clean Seed purchased by Herbert growers
40.5 tonnes of cane treated at the Hot Water Treatment Tanks
3 Project Catalyst Innovation Trials that were focused on precision agriculture were concluded.
150 ha of land EM mapped under Project Catalyst grower support program
Cultivate Farms Project facilitated 3 Herbert farm matches
Numerous on-farm trials and demonstrations
Various Shed Meetings, Back to Basics and grower workshops
Hosted Work Experience students
Assisted the Ingham Show Cane Section
Hosted the 2022 Combined Productivity Services Conference
HCPSL would like to take this opportunity to thank growers in the Herbert. Thank you for assisting with trials, attending workshops, coming along to meetings and providing feedback on the services HCPSL provides.
The HCPSL team looks forward to continuing to service and work with Herbert growers in 2023.
Throughout the year, many of the HCPSL staff team reached remarkable milestones in terms of years of service.
With many staff serving the local industry for the past decade and beyond, the team would like to recognize the following individuals for their valuable work in the Herbert and broader sugar industry.
Tony McClintock – 46 years with HCPSL and in the Industry
Sue Beccaris – 28 years with HCPSL – 39 years in the Industry
Sandra Coco – 16 years with HCPSL – 22 years in the Industry
Graeme Holzberger – 15 years with HCPSL – 22 years in the Industry
Lawrence Di Bella – 11 years with HCPSL -32 years in the Industry
Adam Royle – 10 years with HCPSL – 23 years in the Industry
Melissa Royle – 10 years with HCPSL – 17 years in the Industry
To acknowledge the past and ongoing efforts of HCPSL staff members, the team has compiled some images from the archives! Through the work of committed staff and passionate Herbert growers HCPSL is proud of the many advances made by our local industry.
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