CQUniversity Bundaberg recently (May 6-7) hosted a meeting to collect input from stakeholders from a range of disciplines involved with oxygation - the process used to aerate water for subsurface drip irrigation.

Our University's Centre for Plant and Water Science (CPWS) is the pioneer of oxygation research, thanks to an outreach program funded by the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation (NPSI) and Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL), with close participation by industry.

Dr Bhattarai (top and centre) helped to convene the event

The May meeting involved researchers, growers, industry representatives, business people, the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries and other stakeholders of oxygation research.

Post Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Surya P. Bhattarai said the meeting was able to:

- Review on-going field and controlled environment trials;

- Plan for new activities and data collection;

- Increase interaction between industries and service providers;

- Share information and knowledge of oxygation research; and to

- Improve the industry and service providers' exchange in oxygation research to enhance the industry focus on research.

"There were 13 participants in the workshop, representing a range of stakeholders of oxygation research," Dr Bhattarai said.

"The participants of the meeting represented AACC Emerald College, Plastro Australia, Seair Australia, Crop Tech International and T-system, Brisbane Water, BFVG Bundaberg,  Netafim Australia and the Program Leader, Horticulture for DPI&F Stanthorpe.

"The session brought up to date information on on-going trials, completed and current results of the field trials, and future plans for trial establishment, data collection, communication, monitoring and evaluation.

"It considerably strengthened the ties between the stakeholders of the research.

"The brainstorming session brought very valuable inputs and feedback from the participants of the meeting to help shape the project implementation and bringing multidisciplinarity to the research."

Dr Bhattarai said that, after the meeting, Netafim Australia agronomist Sam Birrell visited CQUniversity Rockhampton to monitor current controlled environment and field trials of oxygation at Yeppon (pineapple) and Alton Downs (figs).

"The meeting between the Netafim agronomist and the CQUniversity oxygation research team reviewed opportunities for upscaling collaboration in current research and future funding applications and for expanding the collaboration for Australia-wide research on oxygation.

"The CPWS engagement on basic, applied and adaptive research on oxygation, and its proactive approach for collaborative research has created opportunity, not only for intrastate but also for interstate expansion of CQUniversity oxygation research, evolving to national and international scale. "