Posts – Page 17 – ECOS

Overcoming a chemically limited future for weed, pest and disease control in agriculture

Agriculture uses an array of chemicals to control weeds, pests and diseases. However, a systems approach to reduce, redesign or replace chemical use will be needed to meet new demands.

Wheat’s complex immune system requires a smart health response against disease

Covid-19 has shown us the fragility of our health, and the power of science to rapidly respond. Similar breakthroughs are waiting in the wings if a comparable disaster befell agriculture.

Storm over Mount Porepunkah, Victoria. photographed by Stephen Routledge

Preparing for Victoria’s water future in a warmer and drier climate

New research shows that Victoria’s climate is changing and with that comes the need to better understand how the water cycle is changing and how this will impact on water supplies.

A short history of agricultural chemical usage and development

Throughout human history, pests have greatly impacted agriculture and society through crop failure. In modern times, chemical solutions to the problem have been hit and miss.

Counting every drop: Measuring evaporation in dams

Australia is one of the sunniest places on the planet. That means we lose large volumes of water from our reservoirs through evaporation. Our scientists have created a way to measure evaporation rates with expert precision, helping to better manage water resources.

2. Aerial flood photographs taken in the Townsville region

Buying time for the Barrier Reef – shading coral and controlling starfish show promise at large scale

Shading corals to reduce mass bleaching and expanding the control of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish—if socially acceptable and done on a large scale—could buy at least 10 to 20 years for the Great Barrier Reef, according to scientists who have for the first time modelled all of the world’s biggest marine ecosystem.

Our researchers take a ‘deep dive’ into understanding what people think about synthetic biology and the Great Barrier Reef

A study about social responsibility in synthetic biology research and development for conserving the Great Barrier Reef

Pictured are dive staff from a Townsville tourism operator sitting on the front of a boat. They are pictured visiting John Brewer Reef. Image by Matt Curnock, CSIRO.

Sun shines on the Great Barrier Reef over summer

Get a glimpse into how the Great Barrier Reef has fared over the summer and the actions being taken to protect it.

A satellite image of the coast of Queensland near Townsville. A brown plume swirls into the blue/green water near the coast at the mouth of the Burdekin River.

eReefs: integrated environmental intelligence for managing the Reef

This interactive platform puts information about management options and past, present, and future conditions of the Reef at users’ flipper-tips.

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