ORGANICS RIRDC Completed Projects in and Research in Progress as at June 2011

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1 ORGANICS RIRDC Completed Projects in and Research in Progress as at June 2011 RIRDC Publication No. 11/081 RIRDCInnovation for rural Australia

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3 ORGANICS RIRDC Completed Projects and Research in Progress at June 2011 July 2011 RIRDC Publication No 11/081

4 2011 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN ISSN Organics: RIRDC Completed Projects in and Research in Progress at June 2011 Publication No.11/081 The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication to ensure that information is true and correct, the Commonwealth of Australia gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information in this publication. The Commonwealth of Australia, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the authors or contributors. The Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse the views in this publication. This publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. However, wide dissemination is encouraged. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the RIRDC Publications Manager on phone Research Manager Contact Details Dr Dave Alden RIRDC PO Box 4776 Kingston ACT 2604 Phone: Fax: In submitting this report, the researcher has agreed to RIRDC publishing this material in its edited form. RIRDC Contact Details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 2, 15 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: Fax: Web: Electronically published by RIRDC in July 2010 Print-on-demand by Union Offset Printing, Canberra at or phone ii

5 Foreword RIRDC produces Research in Progress summaries of continuing projects and those completed during Our intention is to: provide stakeholders with early access to the results of ongoing and completed work to inform their decisions, and inform researchers of results to shape research directions. Organics Completed Projects in and Research in Progress June 2011 contains short summaries of continuing projects as well as those that were completed during The Organics Program aims to deliver R&D to facilitate the organic industry s capacity to meet rapidly increasing demand, domestically and globally. The research objectives for the Organics Program are to: 1. Improve organic farming system performance 2. Address supply chain and food safety issues and technical barriers 3. Assess agro-ecological performance of organic farming systems. This report is an addition to RIRDC s diverse range of over 2000 research publications most of which are available for viewing, free downloading or purchasing online at Purchases can also be made by phoning Craig Burns Managing Director Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation iii

6 Contents Completed Projects Improve organic farming system performance PRJ Optimising the quality and yield of spelt and other speciality grains under organic production... 1 PRJ Developing an Organic Knowledge Hub... 3 PRJ Smart Organic Lamb - building health attributes into a premium meat product... 4 Research in Progress at June 2010 Improve organic farming system performance PRJ The embryonic development of organic upland and aerobic rice for Northern QLD... 5 Address supply chain and food safety and technical barriers PRJ Five Year R&D Plan for a Broader Organic Systems Program... 6 PRJ Sustainable food and fibre program foundation project... 7 Other supported activities PRJ PRJ Journal of Organic Systems Improving soil fertility of wheat crops using tailored carbon based inputs iv

7 Completed Projects Improve organic farming system performance PRJ Optimising the quality and yield of spelt and other speciality grains under organic production Start Date: 01/07/2006 Finish Date: 21/12/2010 Researcher: Organisation: Robyn Neeson Charles Sturt University Phone: Fax: Objectives Background Research Outcomes Implications Publications The project will aim to improve the supply and quality of organic spelt (Triticum aestivum var. spelta) Kamut (Triticum turgidum) and cereal rye (Secale cereale) by: Selecting superior lines of spelt for organic production Developing a preliminary agronomic package for spelt production Worldwide there is increasing market demand for products which offer convenience, variety, novelty, health benefits and environmental soundness. The greatest demand is for organically produced specialty grains; however, supply constraints are frustrating industry expansion. The yields of specialty grains such as spelt are low compared to commonly produced grains such as wheat, indicating that there is potential to improve yield and quality either through crop selection or by improvements to crop nutrition. Overall, the project comprised four sections: 1. A survey of growers and processors 2. Spelt genotype evaluations - From over 100 genotypes a number were selected for detailed trials. Yield, DNA, disease and aluminium tolerance, and quality were measured. 3. Agronomy trials - to determine optimum sowing dates and sowing rates for spelt. 4. Phosphorus response trials - Growth and yield attributes of spelt were compared with standard bread wheats to determine spelt P response. Spelt wheats were lower yielding, produced more biomass, more tillering, lower grain harvest index, and lower phosphorus efficiency for grain production, than common bread wheat cultivars. The genotypes exhibited a wide variation in genetic and agronomic attributes. A range stripe and stem rust and aluminium tolerances were measured. The spelt genotypes achieved (on average) 16.7% grain protein compared to 15.7% for wheat; several had better flour extraction rates than common wheat. Three spelt genotypes (ST1019, ST1040, and ST1041) were identified as potential replacements for the industry standard Kamarah. New genotypes (ST1019, ST1040 and ST1041) may offer producers and processors improved yields and milling quality and the potential for more consistent supply of organic spelt grain. Disease resistance traits identified in some spelt genotypes have implications for breeding resistance into commercial wheat varieties. Evans, J. Neeson, R., Burnett, V., Luckett, D.J. and Fettell, N.A. Growth, yield and phosphorus-use efficiency of spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp spelta) compared with standard wheat (T. aestivum ssp vulgare) in south-eastern 1

8 Australia. Submitted for publication. Neeson, R., J. Evans, V. Burnett, D. Luckett, C. Wellings, H. Taylor, H.Raman, E. Van Meeuwen and P. Bowden (2008) Optimising the quality and yield of spelt under organic production in SE Australia. Proc. 14th Aust. Soc. of Agr. Conf..Adelaide, Australia. Raman H., Rehman A., Li L., Wujun M., Luckett D., Neeson R., and Békés F. (2008). Characterisation of glutenin subunits in spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta L.) J. Cereal Sci. 14: , RIRDC Publication No 11/066. 2

9 Completed Projects Improve organic farming system performance PRJ Developing an Organic Knowledge Hub Start Date: 30/06/2008 Finish Date: 11/02/2012 Researcher: Organisation: Phone: Fax: Objectives Dean Hargreaves Dean Hargreaves Consulting Pty Ltd 1. To develop a readily accessible, searchable, comprehensive and easy to use online resource for information relevant to the Australian organics industry. 2. To develop an online platform to support interactions within communities of interest between those within the Australian organics industry. 3. To evaluate and to document learnings about the technology, tools, and processes related to development and implementation of a suite of online tools to support the aggregation of information, and the potential contribution those tools have to the Australian organics industry. Background The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) initiated an activity to build an online knowledge hub for the Australian organics industry to help provide access to high quality and relevant information relating to organic agriculture in Australia and internationally. Research This project developed a customised search engine that agreggated relevant and credible information pertaining to organics agriculture. The Organics Knowledge Hub (OKH) was developed using iterative design research and action research methodologies that engaged representitive during the design process. Outcomes The OKH has had 4924 visits since it was launched in September The highest number of visits per day was 581 on September 29, The OKH has averaged 20 visits per day since launch. Visitors to the OKH came from 54 countries- the top five origins being Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Israel and Canada. The OKH has increased access to and accessibility of RIRDC research reports, and provided a central place to find research and information about organic agriculture. Implications This project demonstrated that a highly targeted, aggregated search model is a cost-effective and dynamic alternative to traditional models of information centralised models of storage and retrieval. There is significant potential to apply the learning from the Organics Knowledge Hub research to other RIRDC Research Programmes. Publications 3

10 Completed Projects Improve organic farming system performance PRJ Smart Organic Lamb - building health attributes into a premium meat product Start Date: 15/06/2009 Finish Date: 01/06/2011 Researcher: Organisation: Viv Burnett Phone: (02) Fax: (02) The Department of Primary Industries on behalf of the State of Victoria viv.burnett@dpi.vic.gov.au Objectives To investigate the effect of different lamb finishing diets on the fat profiles and health attributes of organic lamb meat from crossbred and Dorper lambs; Background Research To identify the bio-actives in the forages, and the biophysical and physiological pathways for the metabolism of the fatty acids, in the two breeds of sheep on the different feeding systems; To deliver production systems science to primary producers. Opportunities exist to enhance the nutritive value of lamb through obtaining a more balanced fatty acid composition (more omega 3 fats), higher antioxidant status (Vitamin E content) and improved retail shelf life capacity to ensure future profitability. Health attributes in lamb meat can be improved through the forage feed base and/or supplementation. The aim of this project was to investigate options for producers to enhance the health attributes of lamb meat. The research included a literature review, two replicated lamb finishing experiments, technical report and lamb finishing guidelines for producers. Outcomes Implications Publications Perennial pasture (lucerne base) can improve the Vitamin E content of lamb meat. Supplementation of annual pasture with algae products can increase omega-3 fatty acid content in lamb meat. It is not known how algae products will affect the eating quality of lamb meat. The project results showed the importance of perennial pastures (lucerne) in lamb production, especially as these relate to the Vitamin E content of lamb meat. The project demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids in lamb meat can be enhanced through supplementation. There are costs associated with supplementation and further differentiation from a producer and industry perspective. It is not certain that markets will value and pay higher prices for health differentiated lamb products. Burnett, V.F., Seymour, G.R., Norng, S., Ponnampalam, E.N. (2010) Vitamin E Content of Meat from Lambs Grazing Perennial or Annual Pasture with Supplementary Rations Containing Linseed, Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production, Vol. 28, Armidale, New South Wales, July 11-15, Ponnampalam, E.N., Burnett, V.F., Norng, S., Jacobs, J. (2010) Performance, Carcass Yield and Muscle Omega-3 Fat Content of Lambs grazing Perennial Pasture or Annual Pasture with Supplements during Autumn Season, Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production, Vol. 28, Armidale, New South Wales, July 11-15, RIRDC Publication No 11/051. 4

11 Research in Progress Improve organic farming system performance PRJ The embryonic development of organic upland and aerobic rice for Northern QLD Start Date: 19/06/2009 Finish Date: 30/01/2013 Researcher: Adam Willson Organisation: Soil Systems Australia Pty Ltd Phone: Fax: Objectives Evaluate a number of upland and aerobic rice varieties suitable to Nth Australia (currently there are no varieties suited to Nth QLD) Establish that the use of on-farm producers humified compost benefits organic rice production (most commercial composts are mineralised and not humified) Establish the importance of complete nutrition in the tropics (most organic farming is founded on chemical free, not nutrient rich farming practices) Establish the importance of pivot irrigation in organic rice farming (most rice production is flood irrigated) Show that green manures can assist weed control (using crumple rolling techniques) Current Progress Three multi crop green manure crops (for nutrient recycling) and the addition of compost to the trial area has continued. The attempt to sow a winter crop trial in July 2010 did not occur due to the extremely dry conditions at that time. There was not enough water allocation available. It was then decided to sow in summer around December, however we were hindered by an excessively wet period including two cyclones. It has now been decided to sow rice in late July / early August as the water allocation is fine and weed control will hopefully be easier. A 4m Einbok spring tyne unit was purchased to control the weeds. The area of certified organic rice has increased from 4 to 12.25ha. Developing weed control systems in the wet tropics is problematic due to trafficability. With organic farming it takes time to develop the right green manure crops and cultivation techniques to minimise weed issues. For this reason, the crimple roller has not been fully trialled yet as it has to be used at the right time; as the green manure crop comes into flower to get a better kill. 5

12 Research in Progress Address supply chain and food safety and technical barriers PRJ Five Year R&D Plan for a Broader Organic Systems Program Start Date: 21/05/2010 Finish Date: 1/12/2011 Researcher: Organisation: Michael Clarke AgEconPlus Pty Ltd Phone: (02) Fax: (02) Objectives Current Progress clarke@ageconplus.com.au Secure stakeholder support for a broader organics R&D program Agree initial program projects Prepare a draft and final R&D plan in appropriate RIRDC template The contract period for PRJ , Five Year R&D Plan for a broader organic systems program, was extended at RIRDC s request until 1 December The extension was to allow the completion of PRJ Sustainable Food and Fibre Foundation Project and the incorporation of findings from the foundation project into the plan. The foundation project is on track with a draft report due third week of July and a partners workshop to be held 19 September. 6

13 Research in Progress Address supply chain and food safety and technical barriers PRJ Sustainable food and fibre program foundation project Start Date: 31/03/2011 Finish Date: 1/08/2011 Researcher: Organisation: Michael Clarke AgEconPlus Pty Ltd Phone: (02) Fax: (02) Objectives 1. Describe the Sustainable Food and Fibre Category Current Progress 2. Estimate the size of the category 3. Identify business opportunities within the category Sustainable food and fibre is a large and somewhat ill defined category. To define the category AgEconPlus has worked with the five industry partners to develop a framework for analysis. Criteria included within the foundation project include Organic; Free Range and Animal Welfare Friendly, Fairtrade and a range of other products that are not fully organic but speak to a growing consumer market that is purchasing on the basis of social, environmental and health criteria in addition to those found in conventional production. These include but are not limited to low carbon and water footprint, low chemical / chemical free products, GM free and nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals have recently emerged as an area of interest for Dairy Australia. Other areas that might reasonably be included in category definition, such as natural, local and free from excess packaging are simply excluded at this time due to lack of definition let alone data. Data dealing with the sustainable food and fibre sector is, as expected problematic, with little academically rigorous published analysis. Alternatively there is a wealth of market research information prepared for retailers and food and fibre investors much of which is sold at commercial consultancy rates (ie $5k plus for a basic report that might deal with one criteria of interest). Assembly of a range of more credible data sources is well advanced and a draft report addressing objective 1 (description) and objective 2 (market size) is beginning to take shape. A first draft of Objectives 1 and 2 will be available mid June for commencement of Objective 3 (business cases). Minor slippage in report delivery is likely with a complete first draft of the document available for RIRDC review third week of July. 7

14 ORGANICS RIRDC Publication No. INSERT PUB NO. HERE Organics Completed Projects in and Research in Progress June 2011 contains short summaries of continuing projects as well as those that were completed during The Organics Program aims to deliver R&D to facilitate the organic industry s capacity to meet rapidly increasing demand, domestically and globally. The research objectives for the Organics Program are to: Improve organic farming system performance RIRDC Publication No. 11/081 Assess agro-ecological performance of organic farming systems. RIRDC is a partnership between government and industry to invest in R&D for more productive and sustainable rural industries. We invest in new and emerging rural industries, a suite of established rural industries and national rural issues. Most of the information we produce can be downloaded for free or purchased from our website < Address supply chain and food safety issues and technical barriers RIRDC books can also be purchased by phoning for a local call fee. Most RIRDC publications can be viewed and purchased at our website: Contact RIRDC: Level 2 15 National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 Kingston ACT 2604 Ph: Fax: rirdc@rirdc.gov.au web: RIRDCInnovation for rural Australia