May 2007 issue - Science and Research Updates

CLIMATE CHANGE | Soils offer new hope as carbon sink
The huge potential of agricultural soils to reduce greenhouse gases and increase production at the same time has been reinforced by NSW Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) research into a product known as agrichar.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/soils-offer-new-hope

CLIMATE CHANGE | NSW DPI a World Environment Day finalist
Research into agrichar - a black carbon by-product of a process called pyrolysis - has earned NSW DPI a finalist place in next Tuesday’s World Environment Day awards.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/world-environment-day-finalist

FISHERIES SCIENCE | Releasing fish for the future
NSW DPI fisheries scientists are coming up with ways to boost the survival rates of the 47 million fish caught each year by Australian anglers and then released.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/releasing-fish-future

FISHERIES SCIENCE | Automation of Balranald fish lock
The Deelder fishlock at Balranald Weir has been automated to provide a continuous pathway for fish to move up the Murrumbidgee River.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/balranald-fish-lock

HORTICULTURE | Compost reduces phosphorus levels in trial
Broccoli, eggplant, cabbage and capsicum grown with compost made from recycled garden offcuts have produced equivalent yields to those cultivated by conventional farm practices, but without a build-up of phosphorus.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/compost-trial

PARASITOLOGY | New batch test aids detection of liver fluke
A much cheaper means of checking whether herds are infected with the liver fluke parasite Fasciola hepatica is available.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/detection-liverfluke

PLANT PROTECTION | New options for controlling insects in sweet corn
Efficacy trials have revealed two promising insecticides that fit Integrated Pest Management (IPM) protocols for sweet corn growers.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/new-weapons

SHEEP | Breeding accurately for wool and meat
A massive number crunching exercise has for the first time provided Australia’s Merino sheep breeders with the confidence they need to accurately breed sheep for several production traits.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/breeding-wool-meat

SHEEP | QPLU$ shows two traits account for most returns
The QPLU$ Merino research project is showing that just two traits - fleece weight and fibre diameter - account for about 90 per cent of wool cheques.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/updates/issues/may-2007/qplus-date