Author: Amy Spear

Growers in New South Wales suffered severe losses from storm damage brought about by the East Coast Low early this month. Paula Doran reports. Return to full production could take a minimum of 18 months according to long-time growers, following a storm they say was more like…

John MacKay, one of the Australian banana industry’s outstanding pioneers and leaders, passed away at his Wongaling Beach home on December 23 aged 79. His family provided this tribute. For most North Queenslanders, the name MacKay is synonymous with bananas, something richly deserved given humble beginnings. Growing bananas…

Jim Dobson, one of the Australian Banana Growers’ Council’s longest-serving Chairmen, passed away on December 20 aged 92.  Chairman for six annual terms between 1977 and 1988, Mr Dobson was from Morayfield and farmed bananas in South East Queensland and in North Queensland where some of his family members farm bananas, near…

India is the world’s largest banana producer and, although it grows more than 20 cultivars, it relies heavily on Cavendish writes Dr Thangavelu (Thanga) Raman. India grows 28 million tonnes annually or 19 per cent of global production of bananas and plantains. The country has 800,000 hectares under banana production. India is a…

French agriculture student Kévin de Cozar was looking for work experience in tropical crop protection when he came to North Queensland. Unexpectedly, he got an insight into one of Australia’s biggest crop-protection issues, Panama TR4. Kévin answers our Life Science questions. Kévin, why did you choose to come…

Lightning strikes frequently hit banana plants in North Queensland causing leaf damage that looks similar to TR4 symptoms. Growers are urged to report all suspect plants and not assume electrical storms are the cause of damage. Visiting Montpellier SupAgro University student Kévin de Cozar reports. After an electrical…