Month: April 2019
Hitting the right spot with leaf disease management
Integrated management of yellow Sigatoka and other diseases in north Queensland (BA15003) By Dr Rosie Godwin, R&D Manager, Australian Banana Growers’ Council Yellow Sigatoka and leaf speckle, commonly referred to as “leaf spot”, are established and serious foliar diseases of bananas in the North Queensland (NQ) production area.…
Wanted, dead or alive – ground covers
By Tony Pattison, DAF South Johnstone Organic matter plays an important role in maintaining the physical, chemical and biological health of soils, and is a key component in developing disease suppressive, productive banana soils. Retaining organic ground cover on the soil surface is one of the ways of…
Goldfinger mutagenesis – elite tasting selections to be propagated for detailed evaluations
Two of the better tasting selections being multiplied. By Katie Ferro, Jeff Daniells, Massimo Bianco and Sharon Hamill, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries The results are in and the most promising candidates have been selected for stage two of the Goldfinger Mutagenesis studies. From the…
Oma batters Northern NSW farm
By Amy Spear Colin Singh’s love of bananas is well known. He’s the president of the Tweed BGA, always happy to show people around his farm, and keen to promote the industry in any way he can. And it’s probably that love that will keep him going, despite being hit…
Tweed grower takes on trial site
By Matt Weinert and Amy Spear A local banana grower with a scientific background has taken the reins at the Duranbah trial site. Zac McKeever, who has been growing his own bananas in the Tweed area of New South Wales for two and a half years, took over management following…
David departs after decades of service
Amy Spear caught up with David Peasley in his final weeks at the Duranbah trial site in Northern New South Wales. After almost fifty years in the banana industry, David Peasley knows there’s a lot to love about the golden fruit and the people behind it. Announcing his…