A NEW fumigant to control slugs and fungal infections in crops continues to turn heads for company, A-Gas Rural.
In trials on capsicums in South Australia involving the HortEx Alliance and Braham Produce, the new fumigant led to yields increasing threefold and significant reductions in water consumption and fertiliser use.
General manager at A-Gas Rural, Matthew Stein, said one of the reasons the company was so passionate about the new fumigant was that it directly affected the livelihoods of growers.
"Their profits are impacted by soil health and by using this new fumigant the shelf-life of the bellpepper (capsicum) crop in the trials was increased by five to six days which is an enormous factor for growers who are looking to open up new markets," Mr Stein said.
Mr Stein and the company were recognised at the 2017 National Awards for Excellence, taking out the Bayer sponsored Researcher of the Year category.
The award acknowledged his research into new soil fumigation technologies, leading to improved nematode (parasitic worm) and fungal controls in the greenhouse soils of the Northern Adelaide Plains (NAP).
The award was presented at the gala dinner at the Hort Connections event, in Adelaide.
The researcher of the year accolade recognises an individual or team with a track record of research or extension work that has advanced the industry, offering long-term industry benefits, and actively communicates research outcomes and encourages the uptake of outcomes on-farm.
“We are delighted to receive this prestigious honour. The results of the trials were amazing and I am indebted to HortEx and Braham Produce for helping us push the boundaries to achieve these excellent outcomes," Mr Stein said.
"We have a dedicated team working on the project and I cannot thank them enough for their hard work.
"This trial was all about developing a system which drives exceptional soil health and in turn produces good crop returns.
Mr Stein and the A-Gas Rural team were praised for their contributions and commitment to developing a new suite of fumigants, and in conjunction with Michael Rettke at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) modifying the existing potato DNA nematode test to be applicable to the species of Southern Root Rot Nematodes in the NAP.
Using the improved DNA test, it is now possible to prescriptively apply fumigation gas agents rather than broad scale application.
Prior to this research work, chemical contractors would guess the amount of chemical required to treat a site, often leading to overdosing of soils and poor outcomes for crops and the environment.
Trials for the new fumigants took 18 months to complete at Braham Produce in the NAP and A-Gas Rural is already looking towards the next trials on potatoes and carrots.
“It’s an honour to be recognised by two of horticulture’s leading organisations, Ausveg and PMA, and one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies, Bayer, for our ongoing exploration into new soil gas fumigation technologies and our commitment to improving crop productivity and efficiency for Australian growers,” Mr Stein said.
“One of the reasons that we are so passionate about this new suite of fumigants is that they directly affect the livelihoods of growers.
"Profits are impacted by soil health and by using these new fumigants the shelf-life of the capsicum crops in the trials was increased by five to six days, which is an enormous factor for growers who are looking to open up new markets.”
Bayer Horticulture's grower & channel services marketing manager, Peter Sullivan, said as an inventor company, Bayer was proud to sponsor and support Australian ingenuity and researchers like Matthew who had committed their time to furthering the vegetable industry and strived to address challenges both locally and globally.
“In an increasingly challenging world – one projected to be populated by 10 billion by 2050 – we all need innovations, born of research, to help feed ourselves, and generations to come,” Mr Sullivan said.
Mr Stein said work on the new fumigant will continue and the next range of trials will be on potatoes.
Ashley Walmsley
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
Ashley Walmsley is the editor of ACM's only national, fresh produce magazine, Good Fruit & Vegetables, while also covering horticulture stories for the agricultural papers and websites. He also writes the weekly, The Ringer, column in the Qld Country Life.
