Researchers at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Applethorpe Research Facility are trying to help Queensland farmers to produce more attractive, flavoursome and robust strawberries.
Upon visiting the facility, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development Mark Furner stated: “Breeding trials at Applethorpe during 2018 have developed two new varieties, Summer Song and Scarlet-silk, which are being trialled this season by strawberry producers in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.”
“In addition, our strawberry breeding team has just commenced a new five-year $8.6 million dollar National Strawberry Varietal Development Program, co-funded by Hort Innovation, to deliver new and improved varieties to all production regions in Queensland.”
More broadly, Queensland’s $3 billion fruit and vegetable production industry had benefited from research into a range of issues.
“DAF researchers are involved in important projects to support and enhance Queensland’s well-earned reputation for producing some of the world’s safest produce,” Furner said. “The Applethorpe Research Facility is the hub of research activity for a $16.6 million five-year project to improve the resilience of crops against viral and bacterial diseases. This will see the development of an area wide management strategy to address high priority viral and bacterial diseases affecting vegetable crops.”
Source: miragenews.com