On Friday 25 October 2019, AUSVEG travelled to the Greater Sydney Demonstration Farm in Richmond Lowlands to attend the NSW Local Land Services VegNet R&D event ‘Putting R&D into Practice Walk and Talk’.

Despite the soaring temperatures on the day, more than 50 people attended the event to learn about current research and development projects.

The afternoon began with a farm walk and ended with a discussion forum held inside the shed.

First up in the field, the University of New England introduced the Integrated Weed Management Trial, a Hort Innovation-funded project that looks at weed management effectiveness of cover crops. The findings from their project will culminate in Australia’s first vegetable industry weed manual. Applied Horticulture Research introduced the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection Phase 2 project, and how the project will assist growers make business decisions on soil management and plant health.

Next up on the agenda was a talk that focused on trials that are being undertaken by Greater Sydney Local Land Services with the use of compost to improve soil health. This was followed by a demonstration of the University of Sydney’s Digital Farmhand, a robust and long endurance electric farmbot. The Digital Farmhand can be used to tow tools for weeding, spraying and seeding, and comes with a sensing system that provides information on your crops.

Back inside the shed, the audience learnt about current R&D activities in the pest/disease and environmental management space. Presentations included market access and challenges in exporting vegetables, the Area Wide Management of vegetable diseases: virus and bacteria project, a tomato potato psyllid update, a vegetable leafminer project update, and the EnviroVeg program.

For more information on any of these projects, please contact AUSVEG at info@ausveg.com.au or on 03 9882 0277.