A world-first study conducted by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has uncovered a never before proven set of capabilities for plants; their ability and efficacy in removing toxic petrol fumes from indoor air.
The study was led by bioremediation researcher UTS Associate Professor Fraser Torpy, in partnership with leading plantscaping solutions company, Ambius.… Continue reading
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Landscape Design Institute of Australia (LDI), formerly known as the Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers (AILDM), is pleased to announce a new partnership with Greener Publishing & Media Pty Ltd Publishers of Hort Journal Australia magazine for the ongoing publishing of LDI’s member and industry publication Landscape Outlook (LO).… Continue reading
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Representatives of the Australian Institute of Horticulture (AIH) and the Landscape Industry Association of Singapore (LIAS), met recently in Singapore to acknowledge and outline a collaborative and mutually supportive relationship with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Both parties have various skills, assets, and resources, and the purpose of this MOU is to collaborate through training, workshops, and webinars.… Continue reading
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The Australian Garden Council (AGC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Garden Society of Japan at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo.
This Memorandum of Understanding brings together both the venerable gardening culture in Japan, which is thousands of years old, with the young, growing gardening community in Australia that is blended with a 50,000-year-old living culture.… Continue reading
Read MoreWhilst at Macquarie University, two scientists, Fernando Soley and Marie Herberstein, investigated the hunting methods of Australian assassin bugs in the Gorareduvius genus. These insects kill prey by using their long beak-like mouth parts to inject digestive enzymes into the body of their prey, and then sucking up the liquified innards.… Continue reading
Read MoreAnother report focused on insects and, in particular, why they are attracted to light – something that would concern night-time tennis players, no doubt. Researchers at the Imperial College London have determined that insects are more likely trapped by the light rather than attracted.… Continue reading
Read MoreAn extraordinary amount of effort goes into research. Research projects, targeting myrtle rust for example, are of critical importance to Horticultural industries. Dr Ashley Jones, recipient of the Forest and Wood Products Australia Award will explore the plant RNA responses to a fungal attack in an attempt to understand how myrtle rust is getting through the plant’s immune system.… Continue reading
Read MoreHorticulture courses previously offered by Swinburne TAFE at no cost to students under Victoria’s priority TAFE courses program, will be shut down. Existing students will be either transferred to other providers or may be able to carry on until the course is complete.… Continue reading
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Turf Australia appointed a new national CEO in early January, with Matthew Lunn joining from the Nursery & Garden Industry Western Australia.
Turf Australia has had a notable role in the horticultural industry for a number of years, particularly by supporting turf farmers across Australia with their extensive levy programs in collaboration with Hort Innovation.… Continue reading
Read MoreVibrant, green schoolyards not only address climate change issues, but they can also prepare children for a nature-filled future.
Organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in collaboration with the Worshipful Company of Gardeners (WCoG) and sponsor Expo 2023 Doha Qatar, the AIPH Green City Briefings 2022-23 are a series of one-hour webinars focussing on cities around the world that can demonstrate significant progress in including plants and nature in their city’s form and function.… Continue reading
Read MoreLandscape architect and University of Melbourne (Burnley) horticulture student Emma
Sheppard-Simms is the successful recipient of the inaugural Open Gardens Victoria (OGV) Student Garden Design Competition.
The grant provided $10,000 to design and install a vibrant garden at the OGV stand at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) 2023.… Continue reading
Read MoreA plan to save the world’s ancient and endangered forests has been given a major capacity boost with US$60 million in funding designed to transform the paper, packaging, and fashion viscose supply chains.
Canopy (www.canopyplanet.org), a solutions-driven non-profit organisation, will receive the funding from The Audacious Project (audaciousproject.org),… Continue reading
Read MoreA levy-funded project led by Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) has succeeded in having Polyphagus shot-hole borer re-classified as a Category 1 pest, netting Australia’s nursery industry a saving of more than $20 million.
Among the key project outcomes to date, the project team successfully developed a pest categorisation information package for the Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB)/Fusarium sp.… Continue reading
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Greenlife Australia has issued a Biosecurity Alert for the bacterial disease pest Xylella spp. following the release by The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry of a draft pest risk analysis report for pathogens in the genus. Xylella fastidiosa is the highest ranked pest threat to Australian horticultural and plant-based industries, and the environment.… Continue reading
Read MoreTrees, our friends that give us oxygen, soak up carbon, provide building materials and food, and sustain micro-ecosystems, are a big problem when we misuse them, according to architect Greg Blain.
Without trees, we probably wouldn’t survive. So why the misuse?… Continue reading
Read MoreThe possibility of bringing genetically modified (GM) purple tomatoes to the gardens and plates of home-growers has moved a crucial step closer, following a decision by United States regulators. Norfolk Plant Sciences Ltd announced a decision by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which means US home-growers may be able to purchase seeds and grow the nutritionally enhanced, high-anthocyanin, purple tomato from (northern) spring 2023. … Continue reading
Read MoreResearchers in Edinburgh, UK, have created a device that could offer a cheaper and more environmentally-friendly alternative to insecticides.
The device employs a laser, cameras and a small computer, and the computer uses artificial intelligence (AI) to target certain types of insect.… Continue reading
Read MoreQueensland specialist orchid grower Sam Cowie of Leaf and Limb, confirmed the impact of cancellations on a crop that has long production times.
“Order cancellations are worse in the orchid industry (except for Phalaenopsis with their short production time). From laboratory submission to flask shipment is 18 months, then add another 2 to 3½ years in production for the finished product.… Continue reading
Read MoreUS-based trade newsletter Tropical Topics, recently featured comments from a major producer of young plants on the trickle-down effects of order cancellations.
Last minute cancellations of orders and unpredictable fluctuations in demand often mean that young plant producers are left with large amounts of unsellable product.… Continue reading
Read MoreIndoor plants are now being genetically modified to reduce indoor air pollution.
In 2018, researchers from the University of Washington modified a Pothos plant to remove chloroform and benzene from the air around it. At the time, the technology was considered revolutionary.… Continue reading
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