Use of Organic Residues in Edible Mushroom Production. The aims are to develop growth and casing materials for mushroom production based on organic wastes. Casing peat is the most expensive raw ingredient used in mushroom production and there are major concerns over supply due to increasing environmental concerns in supplier countries and quarantine issues such as the recent foot and mouth outbreak in Europe. This project will develop alternatives to imported peats as casing materials and invest ....Use of Organic Residues in Edible Mushroom Production. The aims are to develop growth and casing materials for mushroom production based on organic wastes. Casing peat is the most expensive raw ingredient used in mushroom production and there are major concerns over supply due to increasing environmental concerns in supplier countries and quarantine issues such as the recent foot and mouth outbreak in Europe. This project will develop alternatives to imported peats as casing materials and investigate a range of organic residues which can be used as basic growth media for button and exotic mushrooms. This will increase the viability and sustainability of the mushroom industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Role of plant host factors in the replication and pathogenesis of Tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV). Geminivirus infection is an emerging problem in the Australian tomato growing industry which is currently worth ca.A$200m annually. Knowledge gained from this research will have direct benefit in safeguarding this industry by providing an insight into geminivirus replication and identifying molecular targets for virus control. More generally, the technology developed through this study will contribu ....Role of plant host factors in the replication and pathogenesis of Tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV). Geminivirus infection is an emerging problem in the Australian tomato growing industry which is currently worth ca.A$200m annually. Knowledge gained from this research will have direct benefit in safeguarding this industry by providing an insight into geminivirus replication and identifying molecular targets for virus control. More generally, the technology developed through this study will contribute to our basic understanding of virus replication in plants with a view to controlling virus diseases by direct molecular intervention with specifically engineered tools. We foresee potential industrial applications. Read moreRead less
Enhancement of monopartite geminivirus pathogenicity by satellite DNA beta encoded betaC1 protein: the role of host factors. Australian incursions of geminiviruses are uncontrollable due to their unique mode of spread by whiteflies. The first incursion in Darwin in 1970 has spread to Far Northern Queensland. The second in SE Queensland in 2006 is estimated to cause $500 million loss to horticulture. Our $2 billion cotton industry is threatened by cotton leaf curl diseases from South Asia, where ....Enhancement of monopartite geminivirus pathogenicity by satellite DNA beta encoded betaC1 protein: the role of host factors. Australian incursions of geminiviruses are uncontrollable due to their unique mode of spread by whiteflies. The first incursion in Darwin in 1970 has spread to Far Northern Queensland. The second in SE Queensland in 2006 is estimated to cause $500 million loss to horticulture. Our $2 billion cotton industry is threatened by cotton leaf curl diseases from South Asia, where DNA beta enhances virus replication and disease severity. DNA beta has the potential to enter Australia with several different geminiviruses and to spread into others by co-infection, which requires research on detection and pathogenesis of DNA beta.Read moreRead less
Role of rhizosphere microorganisms in growth of plants in soils with low P availability. The concentration of available phosphorus in many Australian soils is low compared to the requirement of plants and soil organisms. Plant genotypes differ in their capacity to grow at low P availability but the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant P uptake from such soils is largely unknown. We will determine the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in P solubilisation and mobilisation in different crop ....Role of rhizosphere microorganisms in growth of plants in soils with low P availability. The concentration of available phosphorus in many Australian soils is low compared to the requirement of plants and soil organisms. Plant genotypes differ in their capacity to grow at low P availability but the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant P uptake from such soils is largely unknown. We will determine the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in P solubilisation and mobilisation in different crop genotypes and native plant species in different Australian soils with low P availability. The results will give a comprehensive picture of the role of rhizosphere microbial ecology in phosphorus acquisition by crop and native plants.Read moreRead less