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3 weeks ago | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
Peak mango season may be over, but inside a Brisbane lab, scientists are still working to breed the perfect Australian mango. Asjad Ali leads a Queensland Department of Primary Industries breeding program, which began in the 1960s, initially gathering wild cultivars from Indonesia, Malaysia and India. The program has collected more than 350 varieties from across the globe and planted them in experimental plots in Far North Queensland.
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1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
A rainforest call Big Scrub once occupied 75,000 hectares in northern New South Wales and held immense ecological importance. Now, only one per cent of the original trees still exist, but a group of dedicated locals and scientists are working to restore the environment.
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1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
Louise Hoch had 7,000 goats on her property near Quilpie before the floods hit. Now, she believes nearly half are gone. "We're estimating like 3,000, but we won't know for sure until we muster," she said. "There's a lot dead, a lot lost. So, yeah — not great."WARNING: This story contains videos that may be distressing. About 85 per cent of Mrs Hoch's 25,000-hectare property went underwater and some areas are still inaccessible.
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1 month ago | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
Australia's wine industry is battling significant annual losses due to powdery and downy mildew and a collaborative effort to find sustainable solutions is underway. Industry bodies and research organisations have joined forces to breed new grapevines with inherent mildew resistance. The initiative involves crossbreeding resilient local heritage vines with mildew-resistant genetic material sourced from France.
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2 months ago | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
The Moreton Bay islands of North Stradbroke (Minjerribah) and Moreton (Mulgumpin) played a crucial role in weakening Tropical Cyclone Alfred as it hurtled towards the south-east Queensland coast last month. As the cyclone moved inland, the islands helped weaken its force from a category two system to a category one. Tucked between the islands and the mainland, an oyster lease in the marine park of Moreton Bay also weathered the storm.
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2 months ago | 
abc.net.au | Tim Lee |Courtney Wilson |Pip Courtney |Halina Baczkowski |Kath Sullivan |Kerry Staight | +1 more
The livelihood of the world's 150 million rice farmers comes with a cruel paradox. Many are among the poorest in the world, living in regions hardest hit by climate change, yet they depend on a crop which is worsening its effects. Rice, a staple crop feeding 4 billion people daily, contributes to 10 per cent of global human-made methane emissions.
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2 months ago | 
abc.net.au | Tim Lee |Courtney Wilson |Pip Courtney |Halina Baczkowski |Kath Sullivan |Kerry Staight | +1 more
As dusk breaks on Kangaroo Island, Paul Jennings unleashes the latest weapon in the war against feral cats. It is a battle as old as time, but this time, the dogs have technology on their side. Bluetick coonhounds, which are bred in the United States for their tracking skills, are being trained to help eliminate the invasive predators. "The bloodlines have been developed there for trailing game," Mr Jennings said. "So, things like raccoons, bobcats, mountain lions and bears.
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Feb 22, 2025 | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
A staggering 62 per cent of seafood eaten in Australia is imported, prompting the CSIRO to embark on an ambitious project to find a new variety of native white-flesh fish that can be farmed sustainably. Successful breeding trials by the national science agency and promising early market tests with chefs and consumers are encouraging.
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Feb 14, 2025 | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
The Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has teamed up with commercial partners to create artificial intelligence designed to provide more information about calving rates and disease infestations on large-scale properties. As the principal Agtech scientist with the DPI, Paul Stewart works with the industry to understand the needs of graziers across northern Australia. "Where we saw the need is … to try and get ahead of these emergency animal diseases that are coming up," he said.
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Dec 7, 2024 | 
abc.net.au | Halina Baczkowski
Australia means so much to Iranian-born Sam Jahangard, he's willing to turn down a $500-million business deal. The biotechnologist invented a natural agricultural waste solution, which he wants to keep in Australia, instead of accepting an offer from the United Arab Emirates. He said his loyalty and love for the country made him comfortable to take the multi-million-dollar hit.
