Project Title: Better targeting of new cultivars for north Queensland through additional trials in four areas
Group Name: Mossman Agricultural Services
Objectives
Better target emerging clones/cultivars for soil types/environments which are not covered by BSES Limited's core trial program.
This will result in improved productivity in these areas. This information will be available in QCANESelect, the new decision support tool developed by BSES with SRDC support.
Group members will be involved in the planting, sampling, and harvesting of the trials, as well as participate in making selection decisions on the clones tested in this program. BSES staff will advise and assist with trial designs used, will operate the weigh truck, and collect and analyse the quality component and trial data.
Project Activities:
- Plant one replicated trial in each of Mossman, Tableland, Innisfail, and Tully each year with approximately 25 advanced clones (tentative selections), emerging from the selection program, plus standard cultivars. A 4-row x 10 m x 2 replicate (area = 0.384 ha, including guards) format, as advised by BSES will be used;
- Manage the trials optimally for nutrition and weed control;
- Sample, harvest and weigh the trials each year, according to BSES specifications. After 3 years of the trial program there will be a total of 12 trials (4 areas x 3 crops = 4.6 ha) to harvest;
- Data will be analysed by BSES and results communicated with the four groups;
- Results will be discussed and decisions made at the annual selection meeting at Meringa.
- The results will be communicated/promoted in the sugar industry by means of: Once decisions have been made to release new cultivars by industry groups and BSES, and final approval is granted by QDPI&F, normal publicity will be communicated via QCANESelect, Variety Information sheets, and media releases.
Contact Person: Chris McLelland 0409985170
