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Archive for the ‘Press Release’ Category

Press release: DEAD LEAVES IN SRA36 – NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

In the past week you may have noticed dead leaves in your young SRA36 cane crops. Dr. Rob Magarey (SRA Pathologist), HCPSL Company Manager- Lawrence Di Bella, SRA plant breeding team members Dr. Fengduo Hu, Juan Briceno and Linda Di Maggio spent Wednesday the 16th of November in the field inspecting blocks of SRA36 across the district.

On inspecting impacted fields, it was noted a physical damage of the top uncurled top leaves of SRA36 was present; often in the 3rd uncurled leaf. The damage consisted of leaf senescence and yellowing of the tissue of the leaf blade, occurring as a stripe in one or both sides of the midrib, and other times the whole leaf blade. No callus or necrotic line separating live tissue from dead tissue was observed, ruling out a reaction of the plant to a pathogen or parasite. New leaves continue to grow unaffected in the inspected canes; the new leaves and the whole plant did not show any signs of further damage.

Above: Note the yellow senescence on the leaf in a cane stool.
Above: Note the 3rd unfolded leaf that has yellow senescence.

The senescence of the leaves in the SRA36, was due a climatic event that occurred 3 weeks earlier. At that time a number of high dew mornings and fog, followed by high daily temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius in field occurred, with an actively growing crop making it an ideal situation for crop damage. In this particular situation, the soft leaf tissue in the growing point had water present (due to the fog) and the high temperatures experienced during the day caused the plant tissue cells to become damaged. As the plant continued to grow these damaged leaves elongate and become fully unfolded exposing the damaged leaves.

It is anticipated that no yield loss will occur, and the variety will continue to grow to its full potential.

If you see anything usual in the field at any time, please contact HCPSL on 47761808.

HCPSL Press Release – SRA36 Dead Leaves, No Cause for ConcernDownload

Press Release: PERMIT GRANTED TO CULL NATIVE RATS

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

HCPSL has been granted a Damage Mitigation Permit (permit number WA0047339) on the 11/11/2022, for the culling of rats in Herbert sugarcane fields from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES).

Under the permit Herbert River canefarmers will be permitted to cull the Grassland melomys (Melomys burtoni) and Cane rat (Rattus sordidus) found in sugarcane fields. The registered rat baits available to the industry are Ratoff® and Racumin®.

Conditions under the permit:

The HCPSL Company Manager would like to thank Rod Nielson (HCPSL staffer) and Mick Quirk (CANEGROWERS Brisbane) who have assisted with the permit submission documentation and meeting with key DES staff.

For more information concerning the permit, please contact Lawrence Di Bella- HCPSL Company Manager on 0448084252

HCPSL Press Release – Rat permit approvalDownload

HCPSL Board members and Company Manager head south to investigate new technologies.

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

Last week HCPSL Board members Gino Zatta and Greg Erkilla and HCPSL Company Manager Lawrence Di Bella visited research facilities, machinery manufacturers and other industries to investigate new technologies and equipment that could be used by HCPSL and the Herbert cane industry.

HCPSL Board members and staff at a grain’s property outside of Dalby.
Ellie McVeigh in front of cotton bales at the farm in which James Formosa is employed.

The group ventured in cotton and grain country visiting HCPSL Extension Officer- Ellie McVeigh, who now resides near Dalby with her partner James Formosa. Ellie continues to work for HCPSL on Project CaNE and Cultivate Farms projects, delivering nutrient management plans for Herbert growers and supporting other activities in which the company is undertaking.

The group got to view firsthand Swarm Farm’s robotic driverless spray units which operate on the cotton farm in which James is employed. The group also got to review other grain and cotton technologies and operations during the visit.            

Photo above (left to right): Ellie McVeigh, James Formosa, Greg Erkilla and Gino Zatta in front of a Swarm Farm spray unit, near Dalby.

On the way to Dalby and Toowoomba the group visited the Metagen labs and process facilities in Gatton. At this site the HCPSL team met with Dr Anthony Young (University of Queensland lecturer and scientist) and Shane Fitzgerald (owner/ Director of Metagen) and his team to review the LSB RSD testing lab and general company operations.

Photo above (left to right): Shane Fitzgerald, Lawrence Di Bella, Greg Erkilla, Dr. Anthony Young, Gino Zatta and Dr. Neil Wilson at Metagen, Gatton.

The HCPSL team also visited Gessner in Toowoomba to investigate small billet planters that could possibly be used to plant HCPSL approved seed plots into the future. At this stage HCPSL is still considering what machinery options it may use to plant its Approved Seed plots into the future given labour shortages and the requirement to plant hot water treated cane.

Gino Zatta and Lawrence Di Bella in front of a large ripper used by the Western Australia grains industry at the Gessner factory in Toowoomba.
Tissue culture cane grown at SRA Indooroopilly ready for shipment to regional propagation sites.

When back in Brisbane, the HCPSL team visit Drs. Clair Bolton and Chuong Ngo at SRA Indooroopilly to view firsthand the SRA RSD and tissue culture labs. The tissue culture propagation process was a real eye opener for both Greg and Gino. From one sugarcane meristem many tissue culture plants can be generated for industry use. HCPSL obtains annually tissue culture plants from SRA for Herbert growers to propagate on their own farms.

The final visit for the team was to meet with Dr. Weijin Wang (Queensland government soil scientist) at Queensland government’s Ecoscience Precinct in Brisbane. The team discussed opportunities to work together in the future and visit the largest soils and water laboratory in the southern hemisphere. HCPSL has had a long working relationship with Dr. Weijin Wang, working jointly on projects to better understand nitrogen loss pathways, cover crops and enhanced efficiency fertilisers. Dr Wang’s team does the research, with HCPSL Extension Agronomy staff taking the research and making practical outcomes on the ground for local farmers.

The 3-day trip was informative, thought provoking and will greatly assist HCPSL drive its operations and the local industry forward into the future.

JCU Student, Ethan Waters Receives awards for his innovative work into RSD detection.

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

Congratulations to Ethan Waters the winner of 2022 C.N. Barton Medal for best JCU engineering thesis seminar. He received the award on Thursday evening of the 27th of October at JCU. Additionally, Ethan was the runner-up for the Engineers Australia | Institute of Engineering Technology Student Seminar Competition QLD Finals for Software, Electrical & Electronic Engineering. He received the award on Wednesday night, the 19th of October, at the Engineers Australia office in Brisbane.

Ethan was the James Cook University representative, presenting his thesis on “Sugarcane Health Monitoring and Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD) Detection with Freely Available Multispectral Satellites”.

Ethan thanked Engineers Australia and the Institute of Engineering Technology for hosting the events. He also thanked his JCU supervisors, Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi and Carla Ewels, for their guidance and the team from HCPSL who assisted him with his studies.

Ethan will continue to work (as a JCU student) with HCPSL staff to progress the research he has undertaken into RSD detection.

Once again congratulations Ethan, your dedication and hard work has paid off.

Download a copy of the Press Release below:

HCPSL Press Release: Ethan Waters receives award for work on RSD detectionDownload

Press Release: IT’S TIME TO RAT BAIT YOUR CANE CROPS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE!

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

High numbers of rats and significant crop damage has been observed across the Herbert cane growing region in the past few weeks.

Large areas of devastated cane have been observed in the Abergowrie area, with rat damage now starting to occur across the district.

Rat damaged cane

Because of the large crop to harvest this year and the late finish to the harvest season, growers are urged to monitor fields yet to be harvested for rat activity.

As a part of an Integrated Rat monitoring approach, rat baiting can be considered. HCPSL has been working with the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science and CANEGROWERS Brisbane to secure an aerial rat baiting permit, for use in the Herbert cane growing region.

HCPSL proposes to have a series of shed meetings to discuss the rat issue and several other topics on the following dates:

10th of October        6pm Bambaroo Rural Fire Brigade Shed

11th of October –      7am HCPSL Macknade office

                                    6pm Long Pocket Finn’s Hall

12th of October –      7am Stone River CWA Hall

                                    6pm HCPSL Ingham office

To achieve a coordinated approach to the rat issue, growers are urged to attend the meeting in their relevant area (if possible). A coordinated approach to rat baiting is now being proposed.

A severely rat damaged cane block in the Abergowrie area.

RSVP:  For catering purposes and to have your farm maps available for the meeting, please phone 47761808 if you will be attending.

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE HCPSL SHED MEETINGS.

To download the Press Release, view the document below.

2022 HCPSL Press Release Aerial Rat BaitingDownload

Press Release: Closure of HCPSL Approved Clean Seed plots-2022.

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

HCPSL still has some cane varieties available from the HCPSL Approved Clean Seed Stone River and Macknade farms. If you wish to obtain cane from these plots, please contact:

The Ingham Line, Central and Abergowrie plots are already closed or will close by Friday the 30th of September because all cane has been collected or allocated.

All HCPSL Approved Clean Seed cane plots will be closed on the 7th of October.

The HCPSL hot water treatment tanks will remain open until the end of October, if growers are wishing to treat cane.

Growers are urged to contact HCPSL as soon as possible to obtain Approved Clean Seed cane in 2022.

To download a copy of the Press Release, view the file below.

2022 HCPSL Press Release Closure of Approved Seed PlotsDownload

PRESS RELEASE: JCU student is working with HCPSL to try identifying RSD using satellite technology

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

Ethan’s Story:

My name is Ethan Waters, I am in my 4th year for a double bachelor’s in electrical engineering and data science. I am currently conducting my honours thesis with the goal of detecting RSD with the satellite sentinel-2. I am in the process of developing a free prototype program that will inform farmers which of their blocks likely contain RSD. This will allow them to make more informed decisions to prevent the spread of RSD, increasing yield and profits for farmers. The benefit of using large scale imaging with a satellite is the ability to analyse an entire farm for RSD at the same time, rather than relying on a limited number of samples. Therefore, this will provide a more accurate indication of whether a block contains RSD than sample testing.

Brief Methodology Explanation:

Sentinel-2 is a multispectral satellite which captures the reflectance of different waves, including those that cannot be seen with the human eye. A number of different vegetation indices will be calculated for each satellite image and used as an input to an algorithm I develop. I am specifically interested in vegetation indices that look at moisture and water retention of plant matter, given that RSD reduces water retention. 

Above: JCU Student, Ethan Waters.

Future Plans: 

Demonstrating a successful prototype would provide strong grounds to apply for a number of grants and investments into sugarcane research to identify and prevent disease. This will help growers in the industry increase yield and profits. 

We need your help!

HCPSL staff will be contacting growers over the next few days asking for permission for Ethan (JCU student) and HCPSL staff to access your farm data to undertake this study. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

If Ethan is successful in identifying RSD using satellite imagery, it will greatly assist growers better understand and manage the disease.

For more information on the project contact Ethan Waters on 0435 626 685.

Download a copy of Press Release below.

HCPSL Press-Release: JCU Student Working on RSDDownload

Press release: Keep an eye out for Rats

Posted by Bethany Donker

Rat numbers are on the increase across the Herbert cane growing region. Growers are urged to monitor crops for rat infestations over the next few months and take the necessary action to manage this pest before significant crop damage occurs.

Lodged and open crops, since the recent rains have allowed for weeds to emerge within the crop and for rats to easily forage on laying down cane stalks. Significant crop damage due to rats was observed late last year and will continue again this season, due to ideal conditions being experienced.

HCPSL and Project Catalyst, recently conducted a workshop on “Rats, Pigs and Soils”, where Travis Van Dooren from Travearth Drone Services (mobile: 0423 638 628) showcased his drone mounted rat bait dispensing device. The device can drop industry approved rat baits from a drone precisely and accurately into large standing and lodged crops of cane. This service will allow farmers to target smaller blocks and blocks where larger aircraft cannot service.

Local aerial operators Liddles and Travearth are available to undertake rat baiting activities of large or small cane blocks in the local area.

As a part of an integrated rat management program farmers are also urged to manage weed infestations within crop and along riparian areas. Weed seed is a source of protein for rats and allows them to reproduce into significant numbers, if left unmanaged.

Growers should consider rat baiting problematic blocks as a part of their integrated rat management program before significant crop losses occur this year.

For more information about implementing an integrated rat management program, please contact a HCPSL Extension Agronomist.

Travis Van Dooren showcasing his drone-mounted rat bait dispenser at the recent HCPSL & Project Catalyst workshop.

PRESS RELEASE: HCPSL Warren’s Hill GPS Base Station is operational

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

PRESS RELEASE


HCPSL Warrens Hill GPS base station is operational.


Recently HCPSL has made a significant investment, with the installation of a new GPS base station to its community network. The new base station will operate on frequency 466.1000. Like all HCPSL base stations in its network, it has been surveyed in for transferability between other base stations when operating across the district.


The new installation is part of a strategy to improve GPS base station signal across the Herbert cane growing region.
During HCPSL’s recent Strategic Planning process (conducted in late 2021 and early 2022), HCPSL members identified the GPS network as critical to farm operations in the district and requested the company to continue to provide this service to its membership. The HCPSL Board recently approved its 2022-23 budget, with further upgrades and maintenance of the GPS network approved to be undertaken over the next few months.


For more information concerning the HCPSL GPS base station network please contact the HCPSL Manager.

PRESS RELEASE: HCPSL Warrens Hill Base StationDownload

Press Release: Theft of cane from Approved Seed Plot

Posted by Ellie McVeigh

Last week cane was stolen from one of the HCPSL Approved Seed plots. The variety stolen was SRA36. If you have any information pertaining to the theft it can be reported confidentially to the HCPSL Manager by phoning 0448 084 252 or emailing ldibella@hcpsl.com.au

HCPSL has cameras located at some of its Approved Seed plots to prevent this from occurring. HCPSL is currently reviewing all its camera footage and asks that those involved with this specific activity to come forward to discuss the matter with the HCPSL Manager, free of reprisals in this specific case. HCPSL is concerned that hygiene practices were not followed.

Theft from HCPSL Approved Seed plots means that growers who were allocated cane may unfairly miss out and that hygiene in relation to disease management maybe compromised. The area in which the cane was removed will now be isolated and monitored over the next 12 months to ensure that no diseases (like RSD) has been introduced into the plot.

If a anyone is found trespassing on HCPSL Approved Seed plots and stealing cane, the matter will be forwarded to the police and dealt with accordingly. Entering HCPSL Approved Seed plots and farms is only permitted when accompanied by a HCPSL Employee or when permission is granted by HCPSL.

HCPSL has completed RSD testing of all its farms and Approved Seed plots for 2022, with no RSD being detected. HCPSL is required to follow strict hygiene practices to ensure that the cane sold from Approved Seed plots is free of RSD; with acts of theft compromising our position.
All HCPSL Approved Seed plots are now open, so please contact the appropriate HCPSL staff to collect cane ordered.

To download a copy of the Press Release, view the document below.

Press Release: Theft from HCPSL Approved Seed PlotDownload

HCPSL