Category: Australian Bananas Magazine

March marked five years since the first Queensland detection of Panama tropical race 4 (TR4) in the state’s far north. With four Tully farms now confirmed with the disease, we take a look back at some of the lessons learnt since March 2015; why the…

By Jeff Daniells and Carole Wright, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Several TR4 resistant varieties are amongst the new varieties being assessed for agronomic performance at the South Johnstone Research Facility. The growers who attended the June 2019 field walk at South Johnstone saw…

By Lea Coghlan Early this year, Tom Flanagan took up a new role as industry development officer with the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Australian Bananas Magazine spoke to Tom about the journey the has taken to arrive in the banana industry. Tom Flanagan’s arrival…

 By Tony Pattison, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Why is it that Panama disease shows up in some plants, blocks and farms and not others? The answer to this question may be in the soil, and what lives in it. What is living in…

Banana growers who don’t keep their weeds under control are threatening the fight to stop the spread of Bunchy Top (BT) disease. David Peasley, project manager for the National Bunchy Top Project, is urging growers to clean up their plantations after 26 of the 180 plantations…

Banana growers have recently been invited to take part in reviews into the future use of agrichemicals. Consultant Kevin Brodnaruk answers a series of questions to help explain the current climate in the agrichemical industry. Kevin has more than 30 years’ experience in the areas…