Subtropical Banana Information Kit. Agrilink, your growing guide to better farming guide

Each Agrilink kit has been designed to be both comprehensive and practical. As the kits are arranged to answer questions of increasing complexity, they are useful references for both new and experienced producers of specific crops. Agrilink integrates the technology of horticultural production with the management of horticultural enterprises. REPRINT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ! For updated information please call 13 25 23 or visit the website www.daf.qld.gov.au This publication has been reprinted as a digital book without any changes to the content published in 2004. We advise readers to take particular note of the areas most likely to be out-of-date and so requiring further research: see detailed information on first page of the kit. Even with these limitations we believe this information kit provides important and valuable information for intending and existing growers. This publication was last revised in 2004. The information is not current and the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed by the State of Queensland. This information has been made available to assist users to identify issues involved in the production of subtropical bananas. This information is not to be used or relied upon by users for any purpose which may expose the user or any other person to loss or damage. Users should conduct their own inquiries and rely on their own independent professional advice. While every care has been taken in preparing this publication, the State of Queensland accepts no responsibility for decisions or actions taken as a result of any data, information, statement or advice, expressed or implied, contained in this publication

Adoption of quality management systems in macadamia, final report, MC03008

The Australian macadamia industry has conducted considerable research on the effects of on-farm practices on macadamia nut in shell (NIS) and kernel quality. These include studies of nut drying, storage, handling and harvesting and agronomic practices. The adoption of these findings provides quality benefits for processors, marketers and consumers, but not necessarily for growers. The adoption of the practices may involve significant additional investment in on-farm infrastructure and major changes in production practices. Some major findings from this work are: 1) Harvest frequency has a strong relationship to the quality of NIS. Frequent harvesting (less than or equal to every 4 weeks on average) gave a mean sound kernel recovery (SKR) of 34.2%, while harvesting intervals longer than every 4 weeks, gave a mean sound kernel recovery of 31.6%. This difference of 2.6 % SKR, using current payment scales that award 10c per kg for each 1% increment increase in SKR, results in a difference of $260 per tonne delivered to the factory. On a 40 tonne NIS farm, this equates to$10,400 in additional revenue. The actual payment received could be higher or lower, depending on the reject/bonus category it puts the NIS consignment within. 2) There is also the added advantage from harvesting more frequently of reducing shed losses. Frequent harvesting resulted in shed reject levels of 4.6% of harvested yield while long harvest intervals resulted in shed reject levels of 8.3%. For a 40 tonne NIS farm, this is an extra 1.5 tonne of NIS delivered to the factory. 3) Smaller silos (less than or equal to 20 tonnes) were found to reduce unsound kernel recovery (UKR) on average by 0.34%, compared with larger, taller silos (greater than 20 tonnes). The main effect is on reducing internal discolouration of kernel and this has been identified as a serious problem by the industry. This reduction using current payment scales that awards 10c per kg for each 1% increment increase in SKR, results in a difference of $34 per tonne delivered to the factory. There are also advantages of smaller silos reducing the consignment moisture content of NIS delivered leading to reduced external discolouration of the kernel. A strong focus upon an extension program to deliver the findings from this and other work relating to quality management would benefit the Australian macadamia industry. This program would need to focus upon the economic costs and returns from adopting these practices. Part of this program would need to promote the use of the re-sort decision support tool developed for growers during this project. The re-sort decisions tool improves the economic basis of re-sort decisions and also has the potential to improve the quality of NIS through reducing on-farm storage times. Consideration should be given to research and development of the factors causing many of the quality issues and quantifying their significance so management strategies can be developed that target these issues. Any future research work carried out into quality management needs to quantify the costs and benefits of changing management practices or investing in capital improvements that address the causes

Efficacy of cultural control measures against the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar), in South Africa

The banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus, is the most important insect pest of banana and plantain in the world. Cultural control methods were investigated over 2 years in southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Harvesting at ground level and dissection of remnants (treatment 1), and covering the base of the mat (entire plant consisting of several meristems) with soil and moving debris to the inter-row (treatment 2), were compared to a positive control that involved treatment of plants with a registered pesticide (treatment 3), and a negative control that involved harvesting at 150 cm from the collar with no soil or sanitation amendments (treatment 4). Yield, weevil damage and pseudostem girth of plants were measured from August to November annually, while adult beetle densities were assessed over 4 weeks in October/November and April. Nematode samples were taken and analysed in October/November every year. Damage parameters included the coefficient of infestation, the percentage coefficient of infestation (PCI) at two intervals, the summed PCI value, the percentage cross-sectional damage of the central cylinder and cortex, and the mean cross-sectional damage percentage. A randomized block design with three replicates was used in the trial. The parameters were similar before the onset of the trial. Fruit yield and plant girth, corrected by nematode densities, were not significantly different in any treatment, nor were the nematodes controlled. Soil cover and recession of remnants was the only effective treatment, significantly reducing the CI, but not the adult density or the other damage parameters. Soil cover showed promise as a cultural control method because it only needs to be applied seasonally and reduced the percentage cross-sectional damage of the central cylinder, the damage parameter most closely related to yield, by 14%