Emerald field day to showcase latest in peanut, sesame and mungbean research

The latest varietal performance data and agronomy insights for dual-purpose peanuts, sesame and mungbeans will be available to Central Queensland farmers at a field day planned for Emerald on Wednesday, April 19.

The activity will be held at ‘Deneliza Downs’ and will also feature an educational program delivered by CQUniversity for local high-school agriculture students, as well as farm machinery technologies from RDO Equipment Australia.

The field day will be hosted by the Northern Australia Crop Research Centre of Excellence, a partnership that brings together researchers from CQUniversity with farm machinery leaders RDO Equipment Australia, farmers from the Central Highlands Cotton Growers and Irrigators Association and Grain Producers Australia, and agribusiness expertise from the Central Highlands Development Corporation.

The Centre was formed in 2020 and has already delivered several large-scale research projects across the north aiming to increase farming profitability through higher value varieties, new crop types, improved agronomy and incorporating broadacre crop production into traditional livestock operations.

These include:

• Mungbean varietal development from AgriVentis Technologies with support from CQUniversity, including the latest on the Green Dragon and Green Taipan varieties launched last year.
• Great Northern Spices – a research project funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) and led by CQUniversity in partnership with AgriVentis Technologies, to develop the enabling agronomy required to support the expansion of the high-value crops black sesame, kalonji and fennel production. Project partners include Queensland’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Northern Territory Department of Industry Tourism and Trade, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD WA), TRAP Services Tully, the Burdekin Bowen Floodplain Management Advisory Committee, Rockhampton Regional Council, RDO Equipment, CH cotton growers and irrigators Assoc Inc, Allenden Seeds, Agridry Australia, The University of Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland.
• The Grain and Graze North: Dual-Purpose Peanuts project has shown that peanuts can provide up to one tonne per hectare of biomass for cattle fodder without significantly compromising end-of-season nut yields. Funded by the CRCNA, research activities are being conducted by CQUniversity and the Bega Group in partnership with farmers, QDAF, the Northern Territory Department of Industry Tourism and Trade, TRAP Services Tully, the Burdekin Bowen Floodplain Management Advisory Committee, Rockhampton Regional Council, the Central Highlands Cotton Growers and Irrigators Association, RDO Equipment, and AgForce Queensland.

The day will start with a workshop for high-school agriculture students from 10am to 12noon – teachers must register their interest by contacting Saba Sinai at s.sinai@cqu.edu.au or 0432 712 378.

Farmers, agronomists and industry participants are invited to attend from 3pm to 5pm for a series of researcher presentations, and a field walk to inspect new varietal lines and crop performance, followed by an informal barbecue and drinks.

The field day will also be followed by a barbecue.

• Deneliza Downs’ is located 5km east of Emerald on the Capricorn Highway
• RSVP for the schools workshop is essential – contact Saba Sinai at s.sinai@cqu.edu.au or 0432 712 378.