South-East Queensland’s fertile Darling Downs is set to become a hub for cropping research following the announcement of an $11 million co-investment in a Grains Research.

One of the most successful joint ventures in Australian agriculture, the partnership between CSD and CSIRO has resulted in the development of more than 100 new cotton varieties, tailored for conditions Down Under and underpinning the industry’s growing success.

Bugs that survive insecticides grow stronger. And discovering new, effective toxins through genetics is time-consuming – finding the nexus between a particular bug and its poison can take decades. Now, scientists at Massachusetts’ Harvard University are using advanced PACE technology speed up the search for new Bt toxins to kill insecticide-resistant super-bugs.

New DNA tests for pesticide-resistant critters developed by researchers at New South Wales’ Yanco Agricultural Institute could revolutionise the way we protect valuable stored grain from insect pests.