Grower seed inspections, including RSD sampling, will commence in early March (weather dependent) and continue until 3rd May. After the 3rd May seed inspections and RSD sampling will be limited to field staff availability.
Important Information;
HCPSL will be using the QPCR LSB (Leath Sheath Biopsy) method.
Seed cane must be at least (7) months old.
Once samples are collected, results may take up to 3 weeks (typically 2 weeks).
1 test per 20 hectares = no charge for HCPSL members (otherwise $10 per sample).
Growers must supply a farm map with the location of blocks requiring inspections.
For bookings or further enquires please contact the HCPSL Office on 4776 1808.
Abergowrie grower, John Russo discusses how he utilises applications of Moddus® on his property.
John shares insight into his experience using the product. “We target our river flat country, which is low and gets flooded easily. The idea is, to make sugar. We can cut the crop first or second round, then the ratoon cane is up and away before Christmas floods.”
Want to know more? Contact HCPSL on (07) 4776 1808 to speak with Project Catalyst team members – Megan or Bethany.
Project Catalyst is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Coca-Cola Foundation and WWF-Australia.
With lower-than-average CCS in last year’s cane crop and high sugar prices on the market again this season, growers are looking at ways to increase CCS value in their crops for the upcoming harvest season.
Moddus® & Grappa are products with a foliar-absorbed plant growth regulator that has been shown to increase sugar yield. The products give growers opportunities to improve early and late CCS in their crops as a harvest management tool to increase grower profitability.
Interested in learning more about these products? View the Project Catalyst Factsheet below.
Project Catalyst is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Coca-Cola Foundation and WWF-Australia.
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.
The Herbert Variety Committee meeting was held on the 5th of April 2023. The outcomes from the meeting are as follows:
The industry delegates approved the RELEASE of SRA40 (seedling number- QS07-7049) for Herbert growers. This variety will now be propagated by HCPSL for distribution through their Approved Seed plots in 2025. Growers who wish to order tissue culture cane for delivery in 2024, please contact Rhiannan Harragan (HCPSL Field Officer)- 47761808 or 0400 558 766.
The meeting reviewed the smut data on SRA31, and it was decided to distribute SRA31 from HCPSL Approved Seed plots in 2023.
The industry delegates voted against the release of QN08-2274 based upon smut concerns. Growers who have this seedling planted in HCPSL strip trials and growers who have obtained from other sources are not permitted to plant this clone any further.
The industry delegates voted to put SRA37 on hold based on sugar quality concerns. SRA will continue to undertake research on this variety.
The industry delegates voted to put on hold QS10-8459, QS10-7130 and SRA21 pending more data on smut and mill characteristics.
Governance of the RVC:
The Herbert RVC have established governance procedures in which the meetings are run and managed. Governance procedures that need to be followed:
SRA and HCPSL present variety data to the committee and they do not have a vote on the progression or release of any variety.
Currently, the voting delegates consist of representatives from the following groups- 3 miller representatives and 3 grower representatives (currently 2 delegates from CANEGROWERS Herbert River collective and 1 delegate from the combined ACFA, AgForce and HCQR collectives).
Clones and varieties being considered for HOLDING or MAX PROPAGATION are voted upon by the delegates. The decision from the delegates will be by majority rules.
Clones and varieties being considered for RELEASE to industry will be voted upon by the delegates also. In this situation for a variety to proceed to RELEASE the vote must be unanimous, with all delegates voting in favour.
SRA31- Distribution through HCPSL Approved Seed plots
During 2022, it was decided to hold off on the distribution of SRA31 based upon some observations of smut. Critical review of the situation indicated the unusual smut infection was likely due to the interaction between very high temperatures and herbicide application. During the 2023 Herbert RVC meeting it was decided to proceed with the distribution of the variety to growers from HCPSL Approved Seed plots.
Growers who are wishing to purchase SRA31 from the HCPSL Approved Seed plots are requested to contact the HCPSL office- 47761808, immediately to order planting material.
Rogue clone found in SRA28
HCPSL and SRA staff identified a rogue clone in some HCPSL Approved Seed plots during their routine inspections of the plots for diseases and variety correctness. QN05-1380 has been found to be mixed with SRA28 with some cane supplied to growers in the past 2 years.
QN05-1380 was discarded by the SRA plant breeding program because its poor yield performance.
Variety tracing activities have been undertaken by both HCPSL and SRA staff to identify how the mix up occurred, however there are no clear leads on how QN05-1380 became mixed with SRA28 in the first place.
The HCPSL Approved Seed plots of concern are as follows:
HCPSL Central plot
HCPSL Abergowrie Erkkila plot
HCPSL Fairford Farming plot (Hamleigh)
The impacted growers have been recently contacted. These growers have been asked to obtain new stocks of SRA28 from HCPSL, if they wish to continue growing the variety to ensure variety correctness.
Growers can be reassured that cane purchased from HCPSL Approved Seed plots is RSD free.
HCPSL is requesting all growers to be on the lookout for the rogue clone and report it to HCPSL immediately. Photographs on the next 2 pages will highlight the visual differences between SRA28 and QN05-1380. QN05-1380 has a similar stalk colour appearance to MQ239.
HCPSL and SRA apologise for any inconvenience caused. HCPSL will ensure that growers who wish to obtain new SRA28 planting material in 2023, will be able to do so.
Join Sugar Research Australia and engage with industry representatives of growers, millers, and productivity service organisations. Regional Variety Committees (RVCs) decide on the final stages of the breeding pipeline and whether a variety is released and to be grown commercially.
When: 8.30am – 12.30pm, Wednesday 5 April 2023 Where: Royal Hotel, 44/40-46 Lannercoast Street, Ingham
For more information and to RSVP by Friday 31 March Contact Linda Di Maggio Plant Breeding Technician – Herbert Email: ldimaggio@sugarresearch.com.au or call 0459 877 126
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.
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.
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