Improving greenhouse systems and production practices (greenhouse production practices component)
19 March 2013Cold disinfestation of capsicum and chilli fruit from Queensland
10 May 2013The completion of Research and Development (R&D) projects by industry service providers falls just short of providing growers with the information they require to implement better on-farm practices. It is the extension and dissemination of these outcomes that is crucial in grower adoption of research findings. Vegenotes bridges the gap from a finished research project to providing growers with the tools that they need to apply the information on their own farms in order to improve their businesses. The publication presents two R&D projects in each edition, in an intelligible and technically based format with the main findings of the projects clearly explained. Each story is approximately 800 words in length and interviews with the researchers are also intermittently included. This bi-monthly technical publication is mailed directly to approximately 6,000 Australian levy paying vegetable growers and industry members in conjunction with Vegetables Australia magazine – the most widely distributed publication within the horticulture industry. Recipients receive the publication six times a year; in January, March, May, July, September and November. Vegenotes is distinct from other horticulture publications in that it contains no advertising; the four page publication is solely dedicated to R&D information. The foremost benefit in providing growers with technical and practical R&D information is that it encourages better uptake of research outcomes through presenting growers with useful on-farm tools. This demonstrates a vital use of levy funds to growers because they are able to apply the information directly to their own businesses in a hands-on approach. A key reason for the success of Vegenotes is the concise format in which the information is presented, as it allows growers to extract the main points of R&D projects without having to spend extensive time reading through lengthy research papers.