Top researchers at mango research and development forum

Mila Bristow presents at the NT Mango forum held in Darwin in May 2018

Collaboration was the theme at the recent Department of Primary Industry and Resources (DPIR) Mango Research and Development (R&D) Forum. Held in both Darwin and Katherine in early May the forum hosted several interstate researchers showcasing their collaborative research projects. The presentations gave growers access to researchers and PhD students from local and southern institutions. Presenters included Prof Kerry Walsh and Nick Anderson (Central Queensland University), Dr Hamish Campbell and Amelie Corriveau (Charles Darwin University), Dr Geoff Dickinson (Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries), Raj Pandeya (Queensland University of Technology), A/Prof Andrew Robson (University of New England), Stacey Cook (University of Queensland) and Umar Muhammad (University of Tasmania) and Dr Cameron McConchie, Dr Mila Bristow and Dr Brian Thistleton from DPIR.

The forum covered a range of topics including yield forecasting with satellite imagery, sensor technologies, small orchards project and new insect pest trapping techniques.

Over 30 growers and service providers participated in the forums, with researchers and department staff joining the mango grower groups to collaborate, learn and discuss mango R&D.

Information was on the agenda at the DPIR Mango Research Forum held in Darwin in May 2018

As part of the forums, new extension staff from NT Farmers Association (Andrew Philip and Camilla Philip) and DPIR: Dr Matt Hall (Senior Horticulture Extension Officer, Darwin) and Dr Thilini Ekanayake (Regional Entomologist, Katherine) were introduced. According to Matt, “the forums were a great platform to engage with growers and stakeholders. Recent R&D in the agtech and orchard management spaces were discussed and are showing great potential to improve the forecasting and profitability of mango production”. For those who could not make it, or want to read more about the projects, information can be found on our website.