HCPSL recently welcomed Alwyn (Al) Maree to the team. Al takes on the position of Lead Field Technician after the departure of Jason Caruso and has already hit the ground running, working with fellow HCPSL staff to distribute and plant approved seed plots. Having grown up on a sugarcane farm in South Africa, Al has managed and worked his own farm as well as several other cropping operations before arriving at HCPSL. If you bump into Al in the paddock please welcome him to the Herbert.
This is a reminder for Tissue Culture Orders for Spring 2024 delivery.
If you are wanting the new SRA 40 for your farm this will be the only way of receiving it. SRA 40 will not be released from HCPSL plots until 2025.
Plant costs are currently sitting between $2.05 and $2.50 (GST INC) – Any other approved planting varieties can be ordered in Tissue Culture for pick up next Spring 2024.
Orders need to be placed by 23rd of October 2023
Please contact Rhiannan Harragon HCPSL on 0490 905 367 or the Main Office on 4776 1808 to place your orders or for any question regarding Tissue Culture.
On Tuesday the 25th of July, HCPSL was on show with Herbert grower representatives attending a bus trip to HCPSL sites. Representatives from ACFA, AgForce, Herbert River CANEGROWERS and HCQR, as well as HCPSL Board members and staff, got to view firsthand the on-ground services and extension activities that HCPSL delivers to the Herbert cane industry.
Photo above- Lawrence Di Bella (HCPSL Company Manager) and Rhiannan Harragon (HCPSL Field Agronomist) discussing Approved Seed cane options and tissue culture.
Grower representatives had presentations or viewed firsthand the following:
Visited the HCPSL Ingham Line, Central and Macknade Approved Seed plots.
Discussed different Approved Seed methods available to growers.
A presentation from Adrian Mizzi on their grower group concerning how they have combined their resources to better utilise Approved Seed cane from the HCPSL Approved Seed program.
The tissue culture plants to be planted out by HCPSL and growers in the next few weeks.
Visited the HCPSL Ratoon Variety Trial at the Orient to see varieties grown on sodic soils.
An update from Project CaNE and Project Catalyst projects.
An update on the HCPSL GPS basestation network and precision agriculture services provided by HCPSL.
An update on the Hinchinbrook Community Feral Pig Management Program and Project Squealer.
The activities and extension services HCPSL undertakes and provides in weed and pest management.
HCPSL’s role in the Soil CRC, the research undertaken and outcomes from this program that will benefit the local industry.
Rhiannan Harragon (HCPSL Field Agronomist) also presented data on the number of growers who requested RSD testing of seed cane for planting and the level of RSD infection. To date it was revealed that 69% of growers had not tested their seed cane prior to planting and that 9% of the samples tested were infected with RSD. The grower representatives all agreed it is very concerning growers were not testing their seed cane sources before planting and that there was a high level of RSD infection in growers seed cane. Growers are urged to purchase Approved Seed cane from HCPSL to curb the infection of RSD in commercial cane crops and to take advantage of the free seed cane inspection service HCPSL provides.
The day was very successful with Grower representatives leaving satisfied with the services being provided by HCPSL to their members.
Photo above- Adam Royle (HCPSL Senior Extension Agronomist) and Luke Buono (JCU Tropwater Water Quality Technician) presenting to the delegates.
For more information on the services offered by HCPSL please refer to the company website- www.hcpsl.com or contact the Company Manager- Lawrence Di Bella.
Are you considering planting tissue culture in 2024?
To secure your tissue culture for June 2024 delivery, please place an order by Tuesday 20th June.
If your considering planting SRA40, seed cane will not be available until 2025. So if you wish to obtain this variety in 2024, it will only be available via tissue culture seedlings.
To place a tissue culture order, contact HCPSL on (07) 4776 1808 to speak with Rhiannan.
Last week, HCPSL and Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS) hosted productivity services groups from across the industry at the 2022 Combined Productivity Services Group Conference. Productivity groups from Mossman to Isis were in attendance. Over 60 industry agronomists and advisors visited the Herbert to explore news ideas, discuss issues, and share findings.
Conference attendees visiting the Macknade site.
Over 2 days the groups focused on a range of topics, including – diseases, varieties, pests, technology, weeds, and nutrition. Throughout the conference, the groups discussed industry and district specific issues they faced.
Alike to the Herbert, delivering clean seed was a key triumph and core focus for many productivity groups. While RSD, pigs and rats were highlighted as common issues across various districts.
Initial presentations became the catalyst for extensive group discussion around methods for managing RSD and the effective delivery of clean seed. Conference participants then visited the Macknade site, where varieties were spotlighted. Presenters from across the industry explored the use of genomic selection, molecular markers and tissue culture.
During Day 2 the management of 2,4-D drift, weeds and feral pigs was discussed by the groups. Finally, the benefits of nutrient management, soil sampling and soil health were explored in detail by presenters. Presentations highlighted the need for soil health in sustaining productivity. To conclude the conference, interested participants were invited to visit the HCPSL hot water tanks at Victoria Mill.
Presentations and discussions from across the 2 days proved widely beneficial for all in attendance. HCPSL thanks all productivity groups and industry professionals who attended the conference and shared knowledge, contributed ideas and engaged in robust discussions.
HCPSL would like to acknowledge the following Sponsors of the 2022 Combined Productivity Services Group Conference – Wilmar, Nufarm, SRA and Burdekin Productivity Services.
Almost 16,000 tissue culture sugarcane plants were received by Herbert growers from HCPSL last week. HCPSL will have ordered over 30,000 tissue cultured plants this year. The next shipment of plants will arrive from the nursery around September this year.
This year growers have ordered new varieties like SRA 26, SRA28, SRA31 and SRA36 and older varieties like Q200, Q208, Q231, Q232 and Q253.
The uptake of tissue cultured cane has been growing steadily over that past 4 years in the region. Many growers have opted to purchase the new SRA varieties, so that they can get more cane on farm next year.
Growers who wish to order tissue cultured cane for next year, please contact Rhiannan Harragon on 4776 1808.
Pictured below: (1) HCPSL Staff Rhiannon Harragon & Jason Caruso with tissue culture plants at Macknade. (2) Herbert Grower, Quentin Bosworth receiving his tissue culture last week. (3) Tissue culture plants ready to be dispatched to Herbert growers.
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