Section 2 - Sugar Research and Development Corporation

Industry Overview –
Northern Region
The northern region was severely impacted
by fl ooding and cyclonic weather that caused
damage to crops and delays in harvesting and
planting in late 2010 and early 2011. Many
projects were delayed and there was a substantial
increase in researchers requesting extensions in
time to complete projects.
Notwithstanding the adverse climatic conditions
in the region, growers attended several industry
functions throughout the year including the
SRDC Regional Expos and valuable feedback was
obtained to guide future investment in the area.
There were several outstanding projects with
practical outcomes for the industry that fi nished
this year.
The MAFIA Grower Group in the Burdekin has
been working on a project for fi ve years with
signifi cant application to the northern region.
Evaluation Alternative Irrigation for a Greener
Future (MAF002) is drawing to a close and the
fi nal report will reveal the benefi ts and drawbacks
of using alternative methods of irrigation in the
Burdekin region. This research investigated lowpressure
overhead irrigation and drip irrigation
by trickle tape as potential solutions to reduce the
volume of water applied and allow green cane
harvesting to be adopted without shortening row
lengths. An economic comparison will be made
against an established trickle (drip) irrigation
system. This group hopes to demonstrate that
alternative irrigation systems are viable options
within the Burdekin while improving water use
effi ciencies and stopping the rise in ground-water
levels in the long-term.
Researchers at the James Cook University
School of Engineering have completed a project
(JCU030) where the economic benefi t for mill
operation could go far beyond the northern
region. Historically, cane is prepared for milling
by shredding – an energy-intensive process with
high maintenance costs because of wear on the
shredder-hammers. This highly innovative project
tested the use of microwave energy to soften
the cane prior to milling without loss of sugar
quality. The energy saving results were extremely
encouraging; estimated at ca. 40 per cent for
a 500 tonne of cane/hour mill using a 500 kW
microwave system. Overall energy savings for
the whole mill operation were about 18 per cent.
While the technology needs to be commercially
proven, such energy savings would translate
to signifi cant economic benefi ts.
This year a new grower group, the United
Soybean Growers Group, started a project
to build on research already conducted in the
development of a robust soybean industry in
central and northern Queensland (GGP060).
Legume break cropping is accepted as a vital
component of the new sugarcane farming system
and this grower group is continuing the search
for soybean varieties to meet local markets and
climate requirements, while developing and
improving soybean agronomy in their district.
An upcoming project that could provide
signifi cant benefi ts to the northern region
is collaboration between SRDC, GRDC, CSIRO,
BSES Limited and the Queensland Department
of Employment Economic Development and
Innovation. Cropping solutions for the sugarcane
farming systems of the Burdekin (DPI022) will
investigate that break crops are conducive to
improved sugarcane productivity and offer
options to increase reliability and profi tability
in northern cropping systems.
As one grower group project commences
another completes and growers in the north
dealing with run-off into the Great Barrier Reef
catchments will benefi t from the Silkwood
Drainage Board’s work to evaluate sustainable
farm drainage systems.
SRDC Annual Report 2010–2011 49