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| A/Prof Susanne Schmidt |
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| Genotypic differences to N supply |
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Sterile sugarcane plantlets grown on various N sources |
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| Third year students harvesting biomass at the sugarcane genotype field trial in Bundaberg September 2008 |
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| Kerry Vinall, PhD student, applying fertiliser to a genotype by nitrogen supply trial at Bundaberg Sugar Farm, Santa Fe |
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Sugarcane is of course also being scrutinised for its negative impacts on coastal ecosystems due to pollution from agrochemicals including fertiliser, its contribution to Australia’s greenhouse gas budget and declining soil fertility. There is a strong push from industry and government to transform sugarcane production from current ‘high-input high productivity systems’ to ‘ecologically sustainable systems’.
This was the scene in 2004 when the CRC for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB) commenced supporting our research on sugarcane nutrient use efficiency, with $1.1 million over 6 years. The idea being that an integrated, multidisciplinary research strategy will lead to future commercial varieties which require less fertiliser and other resource inputs. We have been the pioneering group globally to initiate this research and have generated fundamental knowledge on nitrogen relations in the sugarcane-crop system continuum.
The hard work has paid off and we were recently awarded $1.2 million from the Sugar Research and Development Cooperation to take our knowledge to commercial outcomes by exploiting the genetic potential of sugarcane germplasm.
Apart from forming links with industry research groups, the sugarcane initiative has provided an excellent opportunity for students and early career researchers to participate in fundamental and applied plant biology research. We have had 2 international internship students, 4 Bright Minds students, 5 third year project students, 10 CRC SIIB internship students, 2 Honours students and 2 PhD students involved in the program so far.
Student and postdoctoral researchers have received several industry research awards and we are looking forward to a green future!
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| Sugarcane trial harvesting team in Bundaberg, Kerry Vinall, Nicole Robinson, Jirko Holst, Lydia Mackenzie, Richard Brackin, Harshi Gamage, Rebecca Dannock, Heather Vikstrom and Jessica Vogt. |
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