New bunch to help with grape vine research
Published on 12 March, 2009
Students of the Australian Agricultural College Corporation (AACC) Emerald Campus have had the chance to learn and be inspired by oxygation field trials on table grape vines...
The trials are a collaboration between CQUniversity's Centre for Plant and Water Science (CPWS) and AACC Emerald campus.
Oxygation involves aerating irrigation water for drip and sub-surface drip irrigation. The technique becomes important when the root zone of the crop is limited by oxygen supply for root respiration.
This activity is part of collaborative research funded by the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation (NPSI) under the project 'Optimizing delivery and benefits of aerated water irrigation', with a focus on perennial species such as fruit trees.
The benefits of aerated water irrigation with surface and subsurface drip on table grape vines have been tested at the AACC site in Emerald.
AACC Emerald campus chief Dr Jim Sands, and instructors Don Wills and Alan Poich are involved in this project with CQUniversity.
Mr Wills involved 2 groups of highly committed students for the project work on March 2-3. These students from beef studies were very keen to study about oxygation as an innovative irrigation technique.
The students significantly contributed to the installation and operation of the oxygation system. The new site is now ready for trials, which will continue for another 3 years.
AACC instructor Don Wills (left) with a group of AACC participating students (inside the car), and CQUniversity researcher Dr Pramod Shrestha (right), finishing the session on installation of subsurface drip irrigationNPSI supports projects for 3 years (2009-2011), and trials are now being set across Queensland in perennials species, with 8 industry partners.
CQUniversity's Professor David Midmore is principle investigator while Dr Surya P Bhattarai, a senior post doctoral research fellow, is responsible for the management of the project and industry engagement.
There are 3 industry partners for oxygation research at Emerald, 1 in cotton and 2 in table grapes.
It is intended to use oxygation to extend participating industry performance towards increasing water use efficiency, grape yield and quality and to minimise off-farm movement of agro-chemicals from the paddock.
"This will revitalize the industry performance, and improve the competitive edge of industry throughout the CQ region," Dr Bhattarai said.
"The goal of this collaborative project is also to create a greater awareness about oxygation and outreach of oxygation research to industry adoption in regional Queensland and beyond."
Mr Wills said collaborating partners are confident the project will showcase the work of participants and also boost industry performance for Central Queensland's grape industry.
For the details about the project work and oxygation, please contact Professor David Midmore, 07 4930 9770 or Dr Surya Bhattarai 07 4923 2140. More at: http://cpws.cqu.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do?page=8244