Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation - UQ eSpace

The environmental fate of diuron under a conventional production regime in a sugarcane farm during the plant cane phase

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The expected value of seasonal stream-flow forecasts to a grain-cotton irrigator in the Condamine-Balonne catchment

2012-02-10T00:00:00Z

The formation of wine lactone from grape-derived secondary metabolites

2012-11-30T00:00:00Z

The four (4R)-p-menthane-1,2,8-triols

Carman, Raymond M. og Fletcher, Mary T. — 2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The four (4R)-p-menthane-1,2,8-triols have been synthesized, separated and characterized.

The freezing characteristics of wheat at ear emergence

2011-10-06T00:00:00Z

The gene for fragrance in rice

2011-02-09T00:00:00Z

The guinea pig as a model for Equine Amnionitis and Foetal Loss

2013-04-12T17:35:53Z

The identification of candidate genes and SNP markers for classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy susceptibility

2012-12-23T00:04:01Z

The immunogenicity and pathogenicity of Pasteurella multocida isolated from poultry in Namakkal

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

Five field isolates of Pasteurella multocida from poultry in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India were serotyped as Heddeleston serotype 1 (three isolates) and Heddeleston type 1 with weak cross reactivity to 4 and 14 (two). The pathogenicity of one isolate has been studied and a killed vaccine was developed. The vaccine provided good homologous protection.

The importance of amylose and amylopectin fine structures for starch digestibility in cooked rice grains

2013-03-03T00:26:25Z

Statistically and causally meaningful relationships are established between starch molecular structures (obtained by size-exclusion chromatography, proton NMR and multiple-angle laser light scattering) and digestibility of cooked rice grains (measured by in vitro digestion). Significant correlations are observed between starch digestion rate and molecular structural characteristics, including fine structures of the distributions of branch (chain) lengths in both amylose and amylopectin. The in vitro digestion rate tends to increase with longer amylose branches and smaller ratios of long amylopectin and long amylose branches to short amylopectin branches, although the statistical analyses show that further data are needed to establish this unambiguously. These new relationships between fine starch structural features and digestibility of cooked rice grains are mechanistically reasonable, but suggestive rather than statistically definitive.

The importance of grasslands for animal production and other functions: a review on management and methodological progress in the tropics

Boval, M. og Dixon, R.M. — 2012-05-07T19:21:49Z

The global importance of grasslands is indicated by their extent; they comprise some 26% of total land area and 80% of agriculturally productive land. The majority of grasslands are located in tropical developing countries where they are particularly important to the livelihoods of some one billion poor peoples. Grasslands clearly provide the feed base for grazing livestock and thus numerous high-quality foods, but such livestock also provide products such as fertilizer, transport, traction, fibre and leather. In addition, grasslands provide important services and roles including as water catchments, biodiversity reserves, for cultural and recreational needs, and potentially a carbon sink to alleviate greenhouse gas emissions. Inevitably, such functions may conflict with management for production of livestock products. Much of the increasing global demand for meat and milk, particularly from developing countries, will have to be supplied from grassland ecosystems, and this will provide difficult challenges. Increased production of meat and milk generally requires increased intake of metabolizable energy, and thus increased voluntary intake and/or digestibility of diets selected by grazing animals. These will require more widespread and effective application of improved management. Strategies to improve productivity include fertilizer application, grazing management, greater use of crop by-products, legumes and supplements and manipulation of stocking rate and herbage allowance. However, it is often difficult to predict the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of such strategies, particularly in tropical developing country production systems. Evaluation and on-going adjustment of grazing systems require appropriate and reliable assessment criteria, but these are often lacking. A number of emerging technologies may contribute to timely low-cost acquisition of quantitative information to better understand the soil-pasture-animal interactions and animal management in grassland systems. Development of remote imaging of vegetation, global positioning technology, improved diet markers, near IR spectroscopy and modelling provide improved tools for knowledge-based decisions on the productivity constraints of grazing animals. Individual electronic identification of animals offers opportunities for precision management on an individual animal basis for improved productivity. Improved outcomes in the form of livestock products, services and/or other outcomes from grasslands should be possible, but clearly a diversity of solutions are needed for the vast range of environments and social circumstances of global grasslands.

The influence of macromolecular architecture on the critical aggregation concentration of large amphiphilic starch derivatives

2013-03-10T01:10:44Z

The intrinsic plasticity of farm businesses and their resilience to change. An Australian example

2011-10-05T00:00:00Z

The isomeric 1,3,3-Trimethyl-2-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-6-ol (2-Hydroxy-1,8-cineoles)

Carman, Raymond M. og Fletcher, Mary T. — 2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The stereochemistry of the title compounds, and of the two 1,2-epoxy-p-menthan-8-ols, is discussed.

The limit to wheat water-use efficiency in eastern Australia. I. Gradients in the radiation environment and atmospheric demand

Rodriguez, D. og Sadras, V. O. — 2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

In the wheatbelt of eastern Australia, rainfall shifts from winter dominated in the south (South Australia, Victoria) to summer dominated in the north (northern New South Wales, southern Queensland). The seasonality of rainfall, together with frost risk, drives the choice of cultivar and sowing date, resulting in a flowering time between October in the south and August in the north. In eastern Australia, crops are therefore exposed to contrasting climatic conditions during the critical period around flowering, which may affect yield potential, and the efficiency in the use of water (WUE) and radiation (RUE). In this work we analysed empirical and simulated data, to identify key climatic drivers of potential water- and radiation-use efficiency, derive a simple climatic index of environmental potentiality, and provide an example of how a simple climatic index could be used to quantify the spatial and temporal variability in resource-use efficiency and potential yield in eastern Australia. Around anthesis, from Horsham to Emerald, median vapour pressure deficit (VPD) increased from 0.92 to 1.28 kPa, average temperature increased from 12.9 to 15.2°C, and the fraction of diffuse radiation (FDR) decreased from 0.61 to 0.41. These spatial gradients in climatic drivers accounted for significant gradients in modelled efficiencies: median transpiration WUE (WUEB/T) increased southwards at a rate of 2.6% per degree latitude and median RUE increased southwards at a rate of 1.1% per degree latitude. Modelled and empirical data confirmed previously established relationships between WUEB/T and VPD, and between RUE and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and FDR. Our analysis also revealed a non-causal inverse relationship between VPD and radiation-use efficiency, and a previously unnoticed causal positive relationship between FDR and water-use efficiency. Grain yield (range 1-7 t/ha) measured in field experiments across South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland (n = 55) was unrelated to the photothermal quotient (Pq = PAR/T) around anthesis, but was significantly associated (r2 = 0.41, P < 0.0001) with newly developed climatic index: a normalised photothermal quotient (NPq = Pq . FDR/VPD). This highlights the importance of diffuse radiation and vapour pressure deficit as sources of variation in yield in eastern Australia. Specific experiments designed to uncouple VPD and FDR and more mechanistic crop models might be required to further disentangle the relationships between efficiencies and climate drivers.

The limit to wheat water-use efficiency in eastern Australia. II. Influence of rainfall patterns

Sadras, V. O. og Rodriguez, D. — 2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

We investigated the influence of rainfall patterns on the water-use efficiency of wheat in a transect between Horsham (36°S) and Emerald (23°S) in eastern Australia. Water-use efficiency was defined in terms of biomass and transpiration, WUEB/T, and grain yield and evapotranspiration, WUEY/ET. Our working hypothesis is that latitudinal trends in WUEY/ET of water-limited crops are the complex result of southward increasing WUEB/T and soil evaporation, and season-dependent trends in harvest index. Our approach included: (a) analysis of long-term records to establish latitudinal gradients of amount, seasonality, and size-structure of rainfall; and (b) modelling wheat development, growth, yield, water budget components, and derived variables including WUE B/T and WUEY/ET. Annual median rainfall declined from around 600 mm in northern locations to 380 mm in the south. Median seasonal rain (from sowing to harvest) doubled between Emerald and Horsham, whereas median off-season rainfall (harvest to sowing) ranged from 460 mm at Emerald to 156 mm at Horsham. The contribution of small events (≤ 5 mm) to seasonal rainfall was negligible at Emerald (median 15 mm) and substantial at Horsham (105 mm). Power law coefficients (τ), i.e. the slopes of the regression between size and number of events in a log-log scale, captured the latitudinal gradient characterised by an increasing dominance of small events from north to south during the growing season. Median modelled WUEB/T increased from 46 kg/ha.mm at Emerald to 73 kg/ha.mm at Horsham, in response to decreasing atmospheric demand. Median modelled soil evaporation during the growing season increased from 70 mm at Emerald to 172 mm at Horsham. This was explained by the size-structure of rainfall characterised with parameter τ, rather than by the total amount of rainfall. Median modelled harvest index ranged from 0.25 to 0.34 across locations, and had a season-dependent latitudinal pattern, i.e. it was greater in northern locations in dry seasons in association with wetter soil profiles at sowing. There was a season-dependent latitudinal pattern in modelled WUEY/ET. In drier seasons, high soil evaporation driven by a very strong dominance of small events, and lower harvest index override the putative advantage of low atmospheric demand and associated higher WUE B/T in southern locations, hence the significant southwards decrease in WUEY/ET. In wetter seasons, when large events contribute a significant proportion of seasonal rain, higher WUEB/T in southern locations may translate into high WUEY/ET. Linear boundary functions (French-Schultz type models) accounting for latitudinal gradients in its parameters, slope, and x-intercept, were fitted to scatter-plots of modelled yield v. evapotranspiration. The x-intercept of the model is re-interpreted in terms of rainfall size structure, and the slope or efficiency multiplier is described in terms of the radiation, temperature, and air humidity properties of the environment. Implications for crop management and breeding are discussed.

The meleagrid herpesvirus 1 genome is partially resistant to transposition

2013-04-17T13:03:51Z

The molecular epidemiology of a fowl cholera outbreak in free range broilers

2011-10-06T00:00:00Z

The novel and endemic pathogen hypotheses: Competing explanations for the origin of emerging infectious diseases of wildlife

2011-08-10T00:00:00Z

The Pacific Agribusiness Research for Development Initiative (PARDI): A novel approach to horticultural development in the Pacific

2012-03-23T00:00:00Z

Pacific island countries face significant challenges in improving livelihoods and overcoming poverty, particularly with the food and fuel price surges in 2008, the impact of the global economic crisis, a number of natural disasters, difficulties maintaining infrastructure, and the negative effects of climate change. In addressing some of these challenges, Pacific island countries and international agencies recognise that improving the competitiveness of industries, which provide a platform for stronger economic growth, is the basis of overcoming many of these challenges. The importance of agricultural development in alleviating poverty and providing a catalyst for sustainable economic growth has been widely documented. In the Pacific, agricultural productivity tends to be derived from traditional small-holder farming systems, with horticultural production and associated supply chains representing one of the fastest growing components. Issues affecting the horticultural sector in the Pacific include distance from markets, small and inconsistent scale of production, high transport costs, eroding tariff preferences, technical market access barriers, migration of skilled labour, resource depletion and degradation, and risks from climate change. In meeting these challenges, a network of Australian universities and agencies, the Secretariat of Pacific Island Communities (SPC) and the University of the South Pacific, supported by ACIAR, have developed an innovative approach to horticultural development based around intervention priorities generated by supply chain and market analysis. Rather than pre-defining a specific set of commodities or researchable priorities the Pacific Agribusiness Research for Development Initiative (PARDI) incorporates a 'market-oriented' approach to identify horticulture products and chain opportunities. PARDI delivery has integrated horticultural scientists with social scientists and market analysts. This paper outlines the methodologies and preliminary project outcomes, with specific focus on horticulture development in Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

The performance of Brahman-Shorthorn and Sahiwal-Shorthorn beef cattle in the dry tropics of northern Queensland. 3. Birth weights and growth to weaning

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The birth weights and weaning weights of Bos indicus cross calves from 4 inter se mated herd groups in a dry tropical environment were studied. The calving season commenced in late October, about 2 weeks before the start of the pasture-growing season. Second and subsequent generations of 1/2 Brahman and 1/2 Sahiwal crosses and first backcross, and later generations of 3/4 Brahman and 3/4 Sahiwal crosses, were represented. The Bos taurus component of the crosses was primarily Beef Shorthorn. In general, Brahman crosses were heavier at birth and grew faster to weaning than Sahiwal crosses (P<0.05), with consequent advantages in weaning weights of 11 and 6 kg in first backcross and late generation crosses, respectively. There was a birth weight advantage (P<0.05) of 1/2 crosses over 3/4 crosses, which was eroded by the time of weaning. Superior growth rates of 3/4 crosses were primarily expressed in years with greater nutritional stress and appeared to be due to better adaptation to environmental stresses by the calf. The only difference between filial generations was the growth rate advantage (P<0.05) of F2 1/2 crosses over F3 1/2 crosses, apparently due to suckling of F1 and F2 dams, respectively. Males exhibited an 8% average advantage (P<0.05) over females for all weight and growth traits in late generation calves. Calves with mature dams were 1.8 kg heavier (P<0.05) at birth. This, along with their higher (P<0.05) preweaning growth rate (19-49 g/day), resulted in calves with mature dams being 4-10 kg heavier (P<0.05) at weaning than calves of young cows. Differences between years in birth weights and preweaning growth rates were <25% (P<0.05). Birth weight was affected by nutrition of the dam in late pregnancy (early calves were generally about 1 kg lighter than late calves), and growth of calves was higher in years when the pasture growing season commenced earlier.

The performance of Brahman-Shorthorn and Sahiwal-Shorthorn beef cattle in the dry tropics of northern Queensland .5. Scrotal circumference, temperament, ectoparasite resistance, and the genetics of growth and other traits in bulls

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The performance of Brahman-Shorthorn and Sahiwal-Shorthorn cattle in the dry tropics of northern Queensland. 4. Postweaning growth and carcass traits

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

Postweaning growth to slaughter at 42 months of age in males and to initial mating at 27 months of age in females was studied in 4 inter se mated Bos indicus crosses in a dry tropical environment. Six-monthly growth periods from weaning (at about 6 months of age) generally coincided with wet and dry seasons. The cattle represented were second and subsequent generations of 112 Brahman and 112 Sahiwal crosses and first backcross and later generations of 314 Brahman and 314 Sahiwal crosses, The Bos taurus component of the crosses was primarily Beef Shorthorn. Annual growth averaged 300 g/day, with annual gain ranging from 60 to 180 kg. Average growth rates were about 50 g/day in the dry season (-352 to +374 g/day) and 500 g/day in the wet season (221-830 g/day). Postweaning growth of Brahman crosses was about 4% higher than Sahiwal crosses, with most of this advantage expressed in wet seasons. Sahiwal crosses were earlier maturing than Brahman crosses. Wet season growth was higher in 314 crosses than in 1/2 crosses, which probably reflected significant environmental stress in this period. Higher growth of 3/4 crosses tended to be maintained during dry seasons. Calves born late in a wet season grew more rapidly in dry seasons than early-born calves, so that liveweight differences which were apparent at weaning were reduced by one-third at 24 months of age. The difference between liveweights of weaners with young dams and those with mature dams was also reduced from 12-18 kg to 5-6 kg by 24 months. Dressing percentages of 3/4 cross steers at slaughter were 0.6 units higher than in half crosses, with no difference between Brahman and Sahiwal crosses. Sarcomere lengths, Warner-Bratzler shear force values, and Instron compression values together showed that M. longissimus dorsi muscle samples from 1/2 Brahman steers were the most tender of the breed crosses studied. Samples from Sahiwal cross and 3/4 Brahman steers appeared most affected by connective tissue toughness. Those from 3/4 Sahiwals appeared most affected by meat processing factors, causing them to be the least tender.

The pharmacokinetics of equine medications

2012-03-23T00:00:00Z

The physiology of senescence in detached pak choy leaves (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) during storage at different temperatures

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The polled locus maps to BTA1 in a Bos indicus x Bos taurus cross

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The potential contribution of wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp spontaneum) germplasm to drought tolerance of cultivated barley (H. vulgare ssp vulgare)

2011-08-17T00:00:00Z

The potential value of seasonal climate forecasting in managing cropping systems

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The Poultry CRC and the RIRDC - Current Research Topics And Their Objectives.

Blackall, P.J. — 2011-10-06T00:00:00Z

The presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-independent Haemophilus paragallinarum in Mexico

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The prevalence of lice on sheep and control practices in South Australia

James, P.J. og Riley, M.J. — 2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

The recombinant rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus VP60 protein obtained from Pichia pastoris induces a strong humoral and cell-mediated immune response following intranasal immunization in mice

2011-08-09T00:00:00Z

The relationship between the concentration of phosphorus in the diet and in faeces of cattle grazing tropical grass and grass-legume pastures

Dixon, R. M. og Coates, D. B. — 2011-10-12T14:06:22Z

The relationship between the stay-green trait and grain yield in elite sorghum hybrids grown in a range of environments

2012-05-28T23:29:21Z

The responses of sorghum and sunflowers to 2,4-D and dicamba residues in clay soils in central Queensland

2011-08-11T00:00:00Z

The residual phytotoxicity of 2,4-D mine and dicamba to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) was investigated under central Queensland conditions of variable rainfall and high temperatures. Effects of soil water content, sowing depth, and leaching in clay soils were determined. Phytotoxicity, as measured by decreases in shoot dry matter in pots, increased with herbicide rate and decreased rapidly in moist soil (34% w/w) but was maintained for at least 14 days in dry soil (114% w/w). 2,4-D and dicamba were phytotoxic when leached into the soil but not when they remained on the soil surface. Seedling growth and yield were not affected by 2 kg 2,4-Dha applied at 7 or more days pre-sowing, or by 0.5 kg 2,4-D/ha and 0.14 kg dicamba/ha applied at 1 day pre-sowing, in 5 field environments. When either herbicide was applied at higher rates 1 day pre-sowing, seedling growth was reduced if 25 mm of irrigation was received within 4 days of sowing, and yields were reduced in the field environment that received 144 mm of rainfall within 14 days of sowing.

The rhabdoviruses: Biodiversity, phylogenetics, and evolution

2011-10-10T00:00:00Z

The ripening wine grape berry skin transcriptome

2011-02-09T00:00:00Z

The sugarcane genome challenges: Strategies for sequencing a highly complex genome

2012-02-08T00:00:00Z

The sustainable intensification of maize-legume farming systems in eastern and southern Africa (SIMLESA) program

2012-02-10T00:00:00Z

The use and misuse of Penh in animal models of lung disease

2010-11-17T00:00:00Z

The use of faecal NIRS to improve nutritional management of cattle in northern Australia

Dixon, R. M. og Coates, D. B. — 2011-10-12T13:23:51Z

The use of genetic correlations to evaluate associations between SNP markers and quantitative traits

2012-12-23T00:00:00Z

The vaccination-challenge trial: The gold standard test to evaluate the protective efficacy of infectious coryza vaccines

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

Infectious coryza is an upper respiratory tract disease of chickens with the major impact occurring in multi-age flocks. We investigated the relationship between the level of antibodies, as detected by a haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assay, in infectious coryza-vaccinated chickens and the protection against challenge in those chickens. In one experiment, chickens given a single dose of either of two infectious coryza vaccines lacked a detectable HI response to vaccination but showed significant levels of protection 11 weeks after vaccination. In contrast, in chickens given two doses of an infectious coryza vaccine and challenged 3 weeks after the second vaccine dose, there was a strong serological response with 36/40 birds having a HI titre of 1/20 or greater. In this trial there was an apparent relationship between titre and subsequent protection, with none of the 32 chickens with a titre of 1/40 or 1/80 showing any clinical signs and only one of the same group yielding the challenge organism on culture. In contrast, three of the four vaccinated chickens with a HI titre less than 1/5 developed the typical clinical signs of coryza and yielded the challenge organism on culture. Overall, our results suggest that HI titres cannot be regarded as a definitive predictor of vaccine efficacy. We suggest that the vaccination-challenge trial is the gold standard for the evaluation of the immune response to infectious coryza vaccines.

The value of developing variety specific agronomy packages: A northern Australian perspective

2011-09-26T00:00:00Z

The value of skill in seasonal climate forecasting to wheat crop management in a region with high climatic variability

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

In Australia, and particularly in the northern part of the grain belt, wheat is grown in an extremely variable climate. The wheat crop manager in this region is faced with complex decisions on choice of planting time, varietal development pattern, and fertiliser strategy. A skilful seasonal forecast would provide an opportunity for the manager to tailor crop management decisions more appropriately to the season. Recent developments in climate research have led to the development of a number of seasonal climate forecasting systems. The objectives of this study were to determine the value of the capability in seasonal forecasting to wheat crop management, to compare the value of the existing forecast methodologies, and to consider the potential value of improved forecast quality. We examined decisions on nitrogen (N) fertiliser and cultivar maturity using simulation analyses of specific production scenarios at a representative location (Goondiwindi) using long-term daily weather data (1894-1989). The average profit and risk of making a loss were calculated for the possible range of fixed (i.e. the same every year) and tactical (i.e. varying depending on seasonal forecast) strategies. Significant increase in profit (up to 20%) and/or reduction in risk (up to 35%) were associated with tactical adjustment of crop management of N fertiliser or cultivar maturity. The forecasting system giving greatest value was the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) phase system of Stone and Auliciems (1992), which classifies seasons into 5 phases depending on the value and rate of change in the SOI. The significant skill in this system for forecasting both seasonal rainfall and frost timing generated the value found in tactical management of N fertiliser and cultivar maturity. Possible impediments to adoption of tactical management, associated with uncertainties in forecasting individual years, are discussed. The scope for improving forecast quality and the means to achieve it are considered by comparing the value of tactical management based on SOI phases with the outcome given perfect prior knowledge of the season. While the analyses presented considered only one decision at a time, used specific scenarios, and made a number of simplifying assumptions, they have demonstrated that the current skill in seasonal forecasting is sufficient to justify use in tactical management of crops. More comprehensive studies to examine sensitivities to location, antecedent conditions, and price structure, and to assumptions made in this analysis, are now warranted. We have examined decisions related only to management of wheat. It would be appropriate to pursue similar analyses in relation to management decisions for other crops, cropping sequences, and the whole farm enterprise mix.

The wake of the double helix - From the green revolution to the gene revolution'

Henry, R. J. — 2011-10-21T00:00:00Z

The wheat Em promoter drives reporter gene expression in embryo and aleurone tissue of transgenic barley and rice

Furtado, Agnelo og Henry, Robert James — 2011-02-09T00:00:00Z

Threats to shorebirds and conservation actions

2012-07-27T00:00:00Z

Times changes on starch structure in germinating grains

2011-09-28T00:00:00Z

Tospoviruses - an Australian perspective

2011-02-22T00:00:00Z