Biosecurity breaches remain one of the biggest threats to Australia’s nursery industry. With more than a dozen new threats detected in just the past six months, it is clear we can no longer rely on geographic isolation alone.
Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) is urging growers to stay vigilant and take advantage of levy-funded resources that strengthen on-farm pest and disease management.… Continue reading
Read MoreAustralia’s GDP could be boosted by up to $50 billion a year if supply chain data standards were improved, according to a new report.
A new research report from the Centre for International Economics and commissioned by GS1 Australia, the body responsible for the common retail barcode, reveals that industry use of supply chain data standards is quietly driving a significant share of Australia’s economic output, contributing up to $27.3 billion annually to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and could play an increasingly important role in reversing the nation’s lagging productivity.… Continue reading
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Dr Chris Brosnan (L) and Stephen Fletcher (R) in the University of Queensland laboratory (Image: The University of Queensland)
A software package developed and validated at The University of Queensland can tailor safe, effective and chemical-free crop protection using RNA interference (RNAi).
The dsRNAmax software designs double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to target pest and pathogen species while excluding off-target species like beneficial insects.… Continue reading
Read MoreDr Peter Irga
Australian researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) are working with experienced hempcrete builders to develop a hemp-based structural panel with a geopolymer binder said to be up to four times stronger than traditional hempcrete.
Led by Professor Arnaud Castel from the UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT, a multi-disciplinary team of researchers have released their first publication on research creating a binder made of calcined clay and ground granulated blast-furnace slag.… Continue reading
Read MoreThe International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) is pleased to announce that We Lodge, an accommodation provider for major events, has joined as Gold Sponsor for the upcoming AIPH International Horticultural Expo Conference. Taking place in Ghent, Belgium, the Conference will welcome Expo organisers, city officials, event providers, and key stakeholders on 15 September 2025.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Associate Professor Fraser Torpy and Dr Peter Irga
If you love that new-car smell, brace yourself. While that smell evokes feelings of fresh and new, it’s the byproduct of materials like paint, carpet and plastics leeching potentially carcinogenic compounds such as benzene into the air. … Continue reading
Read MoreThe Landscape Association (TLA) Apprentice of the Year Awards recognise the value and importance of apprentices in shaping the future of the landscaping industry.
Awarded annually as part of the TLA Landscape Excellence Awards, they aim to nurture, support and inspire the next generation of the industry and foster future leaders.… Continue reading
Read MoreWith the ongoing concerns of plastic waste and pollution it is heartening to hear that Japanese researchers have recently developed innovative biodegradable plastics that decompose rapidly in marine environments.
A team, led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), in collaboration with the University of Tokyo and Eindhoven University of Technology, has created a durable plastic that fully dissolves in seawater.… Continue reading
Read MoreCompiled by Karen Smith
Most of you have heard of Artificial Intelligence, commonly called AI. It has uses in many diverse fields, from illustrating comics to identifying tumours pictured in medical images. I have used an AI-powered app to identify plants in the field.… Continue reading
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A farmer drives a harvester to harvest sunflower seeds in a field in Linhe District of Bayannur, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
Wang Fei is hailed as the ‘King of Sunflower Seeds’ in his hometown of Bayannur, in Northern China.
The title reflects his passion for the crunchy snack and his remarkable achievement in transforming locally grown sunflower kernels into a global commodity, with markets spanning the Republic of Korea, Egypt and Germany.… Continue reading
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