Last Days

Well the last days of my Nuffield year are really here. Still havent fully finalised the report but one full day at the office and I think it would be done.

Day four of the conference was great! Farmers and consultants came from all over, and it was a really big crowd. The talks were really applicable, and some amazing technologies released.

#1 the harrington seed destructor has been developed in the header. GRDC have developed the technology so it fits up into the back of a CASE header,, they expect that it will be released in the next 2 years!

#2 Monsanto have released info on their latest researach into a new chemical that is able to REVERSE glyphosate resistance in weeds. Amanzing. Through gene silencing, (mucking around with some enzymes), they are able to convert a resistant weed into a susceptible one! THIS is really fantastic technology, and it will be so interesting to see where it goes. Imagine if we can use grass selectives again in wheat!!!

I was looking forward to heading home at the end of the day, and missed catching up with a few people to talk about glyphosate tolerant GM wheat, a subject I need to do alittle more research on. But none the less a great week, and as I head home I only have a few things left to do.

Miling moora pasture group talk this Tuesday, should be a good night. Hand report in in the next 2 weeks, present in September!!
Yippee
Over and out

conference continued

The Gala dinner on Monday was a great night, and I had the great honour of being able to welcome the international guests to WA on behalf of WA farmers, and give them a little insight into WA farming. They had illusionists as the evening entertainment, and they were AMAZING!!! I think they were the ones that were on Australia has got talent.

I was pooped getting home at midnight and up early to be back at the conference by 8. I have to admit to not taking in all that much in the morning, as the science was WAY over my head, but I still enjoyed chatting to people in the breaks, and working on my report when it was all to scientific for me.

Day three morning was great, as the speakers were a little more at a farmer level. It was also great to hear my old uni superviser present. I sneaked out at arvo tea and headed to  my sisters place for a swim and catch up with the kids. So tonight I am packing up all set to head home tom night, looking forward to it. My report is coming along, I still have a fair bit to edit and finish up though.

Night

Herbicide Resistance Conference

Well we are into Day Three into the International Herbicide Resistance Conference being held here in Perth. It really is fantastic to have these professionals around the world gathering in Western Australia to talk about our increasing weed problems. It goes to show that WA really is one of the herbicide resistant champions of the world.

Day One, was a great start. John Harvey from GRDC welcomed the group to Australia, and introduced them to Agriculture in WA. Did you know there used to be 40,000 farmers in Australia, and now there is only 22,000. Weeds are costing farmers 2 billion dollars annually in grain growing areas, and the GRDC are spending 8.2 million annually on weed research.

Other herbicide company reps spoke, as well as researchers from around the world. A lot of the focus was on glyphosate resistance, evolving with glyphosate tolerant GM crops. It really is scary to look at the rapid evolution of glyph resistance in the US with the intense reliance on roundup ready GM crops. WE REALLY have to make sure we learn from the US experience, and make use these crops n a sustainable way, that will ensure we can use the importnant herbicide glyphosate in the future.
I also get very nervous as they talk of stacking genes for multiple herbicide resistant crops. THese tools are something that we will have to use VERY carefully. Good Stewardship is essential.
It was interesting to note that no overseas visitors are strong advocates for alternative non herbicide weed control. They all mention cultural methods for weed control, but the main focus is more herbicides and future herbicide or crops that will solve their problems. Australia in my opinion really is leading the pack in Integrated weed management.

An interesting thing I learnt was about the discovery of new herbicide mode of actions. Speakers kept making the point that no new herbicide modes of action have been discoverd since 1982. Then when I was talking to people in the breaks, they were saying that many new herbicide moa have been dicovered, but that they have not got through the development and regulatory processes so that they can get to market. So..... whats going on there,??? im not sure?
Another concern is companies are putting all there money into GM seed instead of herbicide research, as there is more money in seed.

It is very obvious that herbicide resitant weeds are a major problem for all farmers around the world.





 

Draft complete

Well, massage lady was not impressed with my knotty? back, but was a fabulouse massage all the same.

Thursday, finished my draft report!!!! LOTS to add and edit and a little more research to do, but all the same feels good.
Headed down to deep water point this afternoon to catch up with the Nuffield crew and go for a water ski. Was really nice afternoon, got to meet lots of people, and even got up on the ski's, FIRST go, yahoo. Arms were dead afterwards!! Then to top the day off, Shea arrived from home for the weekend!! Yippee. We went home for omellettes for romantic valentines dinner, THEN at 9.30PM some red roses arrive at thedoor. THey were meant to be delivered in the morning but the lady had been so busy that she had only just been able to deliver them then!!
What a lovely way to finish a lovely day, I am very lucky.

Friday was the WA Nuffield lunch, and I was a bit nervous, but I got my speech done, and enjoyed a beautiful meal at the UWA Club.
Phil and LInda Stahlman arrived from Kansas, US. THey are coming over for the weed conference next week. We wandered through the uni grounds, and even chatted to mike walsh from AHRI. We were then able to join the Nuffield crew for a drink, and Phil and LInda were able to meet some of them.

WE headed back to NOrth Beach, for fish and chips on the beach. It was a lovely night. Saturday, i took Phil and Linda to Wongan, we stopped at Nannas and had a drink before we headed to the farm. It was great to show them around our place, and talk about farming in WA. And so happy that I can look after them a little after they looked after me so well in Kansas. WE stayed the night at Mum and Dads on the farm, and had a good old aussie barbeque and pavlova for sweets. My Mum and Dad are the best!

Today we have got back to Perth and I have dropped the Stahlmans off at the Esplanade for the conference starting tommorow.
 

Sitting on Bottom

I dont think I have sat on my bottom for this long for a very long time.... oh unless you count the plane flight home from PA I guess.
2 days down, and I am going well. I have been amazingly focused and not quite sure how I have managed to stay hibernated in this house till now. Have fitted in a morning run and swim everyday, and a walk down the street for my morning coffee. Other than that, just me and the old computer.

I have my coexistence part of my write up pretty much done, with a few improvements and touch ups required. IWM section to come, and I really dont have much info on that, so that is a bit scary. I will learn lots at the conference next week though I hope.

Finished my talk for Fridays WA Nuffield luncheon, am now the only 2012 scholar talking which is a bit of a buma but still be good.

Back to it, massage booked this afternoon to ease up this computer posture....

North Beach

Well my last 2 weeks of 'Nuffield' have started. Tonight I booked into my parents house in North Beach to try and gather my thoughts and write my report up. I am here all alone for the week and lonely already :)  But I have spent the night reviewing my blog and preparing my talk for the Friday Nuffield luncheon. Next week is the International herbicide conference in Fremantle, which I am really looking forward too. I have to speak at the gala dinner, which will be another challenge, but all part of the Nuffield expereince!!