david midmore - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by david midmore
This report presents information gained prior to and during visits to Japan and the USA in search... more This report presents information gained prior to and during visits to Japan and the USA in search of potential export markets for three root crops. Parallel research is also underway on the choice of suitable sites and seasons for production, of suitable varieties, and post harvest practices, with some support being provided to the establishment of an entity responsible for coordination of production, export and marketing of the three commodities. Besides providing information on nomenclature of the species, this report also presents information on the domestic production and marketing scene.
In essence it is concluded that export opportunities are greater into Japan than the USA and that, from the export market price perspective, the yam type called yamato imo, and more specifically the tanba-imo type, has greater potential than taro, and taro has far greater potential than sweet potato. Based on volume, however, the greatest export opportunity is for taro into Japan, followed by yamato-imo yams, particularly tanba-imo type, into Japan, then taro into USA and then lower potential for sweet potato into both Japan and USA. From a practical production perspective in Australia, however, more producers have experience growing sweet potato, fewer with taro and next to none with yams.
The report is organised by commodity, starting with sweet potato, followed by taro and ending in yam.
Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 2016
Many scientists and policy makers consider payment for environmental services, particularly carbo... more Many scientists and policy makers consider payment for environmental services, particularly carbon payment for forest management, a cost-effective and practical solution to climate change and unsustainable development. In recent years an attractive policy has been discussed under the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), sustainable management of forest, and conservation and enhancement of carbon in developing countries. This could potentially reward forest-managing communities in developing countries. One of the challenging tasks for the successful implementation of this policy is setting up reliable baseline emissions scenarios based on the historical emissions as input for business as usual projections. Forest biomass measurements, the quantification of carbon stocks, their monitoring, and the observation of these stocks over time, are very important for the development of reference scenario and estimation of carbon stock. This paper reviews a numbers of methods available for estimating forest carbon stocks and growth rates of different forest carbon pools. It also explores the limitations and challenges of these methods for use in different geographical locations, and suggests ways of improving accuracy and precision that reduce uncertainty for the successful implementation of REDD+. Furthermore, the paper assesses the role of remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) techniques in the establishment of a long-term carbon inventory.
The magnitude of soil and nutrient losses from corn and vegetable production system represents a ... more The magnitude of soil and nutrient losses from corn and vegetable production system represents a major upland environmental problem. Steep slopes, favorable climate, high fertilizer and pesticide application rates characterizes these uplands. Sustainability of upland vegetable production system and soil conservation technologies in Manupali watershed were analyzed. Conservation technologies considerably reduced soil erosion but the level of adoption was less than hoped for. Compatibility of trees in the vegetable production system offers encouraging result. Trees did not out-compete vegetable for below-ground resources but benefited from excess nutrients in the vegetable systems. Economic benefits play prime consideration in the adoption of conservation technologies. Higher level of non-farm income, favorable policies and incentives may veer away intensive cultivation without soil conservation techniques in the upland.
CITATIONS 0 READS 120 3 authors, including: Some of the authors of this publication are also work... more CITATIONS 0 READS 120 3 authors, including: Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Carbon sequestration in the mitigation of climate change; also working on oxidative stress enzymes in seeds View project mango yeild estimation View project The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.
The Potato Crop, 1992
ABSTRACT
Journal of Vegetation Science, 2015
Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 2008
Annals of botany, 2005
Nitrate is the major nitrogen source for many plants. The first step of the nitrate assimilation ... more Nitrate is the major nitrogen source for many plants. The first step of the nitrate assimilation pathway is the reduction of nitrate to nitrite, catalysed by nitrate reductase (NR). Circadian oscillations in expression and activity of NR have been demonstrated in many plant species. The pathway by which this circadian behaviour is regulated remains to be elucidated. In this study, based on recent experimental observations, a mathematical model is proposed to explain the origin of diurnal and circadian oscillations in NR gene expression and enzyme activity. The dynamic model is based on the feedback interconnections between NR and its substrate, nitrate. In the model, NR activity is regulated at the transcriptional level, in response to the balance between nitrate influx and reduction, and at the post-translational levels in response to signals from carbon assimilation. Conditions for the model system to generate self-sustained circadian oscillations are investigated by numerical sim...
Scientia Horticulturae, 2006
Water logging and salinity of the soil alter both the physical and biological environment of plan... more Water logging and salinity of the soil alter both the physical and biological environment of plant roots. In two experiments, we investigated the effects of imposed aeration on yield and the physiological response of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) variety Improved Apollo growing under protected conditions over a range of salinities (the salinity experiment), and under constant field capacity (FC) or drier soil conditions (the moisture experiment). Subsurface irrigation with aerated water (12% air in water) stimulated above-ground growth, and enhanced the reproductive performance through earliness for flowering and fruiting compared with the control. Fruit yield of tomato with aeration in the moisture experiment was increased by 21% compared with the control (4.2 kg versus 3.7 kg per plant), and the effect of aeration on fruit yield was greater in FC than in the drier treatment. Fruit yield was increased by 38% in saline soil due to aeration compared with the non-aerated control. Increasing salinity from 2 to 8.8 dS m À1 , and 10 dS m À1 reduced fruit yield by 18% and 62%, respectively, but 4 dS m À1 did not suppress yield. Aeration in both the experiments increased plant water use and water use efficiency (WUE), expressed as weight per unit of applied water. Biomass WUE was greater by 16% and 32% in the moisture and salinity experiments, respectively. The increased yield with aeration was also accompanied by an increased harvest index (HI) defined as the proportion of dry fruit biomass to total dry biomass, greater mean fruit weight, high fruit DM, and increase in leaf chlorophyll content and shoot: root ratio, and a reduced water stress index (computed from the difference between air and leaf temperature). The benefit gained from aerating irrigation water was not only observed under conditions where air-filled porosity may be low (e.g., in poorly structure sodic soils, or at field capacity in clay soils), but also in drier soils. #
Annals of botany, 2005
Stackhousia tryonii, a rare nickel hyperaccumulating herb, is endemic to ultramafic (serpentine) ... more Stackhousia tryonii, a rare nickel hyperaccumulating herb, is endemic to ultramafic (serpentine) soils of central Queensland, Australia. The effects of eight dormancy-relieving treatments on germination of stored seeds of Stackhousia tryonii were investigated under controlled light and temperature conditions. * The treatments were: untreated (control i), leached and dehydrated (primed control ii), treating with gibberellic acid (150 and 300 microM), smoke extract (5 and 10 %, v/v) and potassium cyanide (40 and 80 mM). * Freshly harvested seeds did not germinate. Germination percentage increased with time of storage for up to 18 months (38.3 %). Gibberellin, smoke extract and cyanide treatments did not significantly improve germination. Light did not affect seed germination and there was no interaction between dormancy-relieving treatments and light. A significant inhibition of germination occurred in seeds treated with 5 % (but not 10 %) aqueous smoke extract. Saturated fatty acids,...
Includes cost for seed, manure, fertilizer, pesticides, and tractor use Includes returns to labor... more Includes cost for seed, manure, fertilizer, pesticides, and tractor use Includes returns to labor plus money left over to pay for irrigation investment costs, plastic shelter costs, costs to make beds and terraces, land rent and taxes, electricity costs, vehicle, and marketing costs Consists of a wide range of vegetables grown by relatively few sample farmers, including asparagus, carrot, cauliflower, Chinese matrimon, choy, coriander, kau-ki, leek, parsley, potato, and water cress
The Central Queensland University (CQU) and industry partner GBG Project Management Pty Ltd have ... more The Central Queensland University (CQU) and industry partner GBG Project Management Pty Ltd have been developing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology to remotely operate and monitor large scale on-site wastewater treatment and reuse systems. The current trend towards decentralised systems is increasingly of interest in this area. Issues identified with these types of systems in the past have
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995
This report presents information gained prior to and during visits to Japan and the USA in search... more This report presents information gained prior to and during visits to Japan and the USA in search of potential export markets for three root crops. Parallel research is also underway on the choice of suitable sites and seasons for production, of suitable varieties, and post harvest practices, with some support being provided to the establishment of an entity responsible for coordination of production, export and marketing of the three commodities. Besides providing information on nomenclature of the species, this report also presents information on the domestic production and marketing scene.
In essence it is concluded that export opportunities are greater into Japan than the USA and that, from the export market price perspective, the yam type called yamato imo, and more specifically the tanba-imo type, has greater potential than taro, and taro has far greater potential than sweet potato. Based on volume, however, the greatest export opportunity is for taro into Japan, followed by yamato-imo yams, particularly tanba-imo type, into Japan, then taro into USA and then lower potential for sweet potato into both Japan and USA. From a practical production perspective in Australia, however, more producers have experience growing sweet potato, fewer with taro and next to none with yams.
The report is organised by commodity, starting with sweet potato, followed by taro and ending in yam.
Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 2016
Many scientists and policy makers consider payment for environmental services, particularly carbo... more Many scientists and policy makers consider payment for environmental services, particularly carbon payment for forest management, a cost-effective and practical solution to climate change and unsustainable development. In recent years an attractive policy has been discussed under the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), sustainable management of forest, and conservation and enhancement of carbon in developing countries. This could potentially reward forest-managing communities in developing countries. One of the challenging tasks for the successful implementation of this policy is setting up reliable baseline emissions scenarios based on the historical emissions as input for business as usual projections. Forest biomass measurements, the quantification of carbon stocks, their monitoring, and the observation of these stocks over time, are very important for the development of reference scenario and estimation of carbon stock. This paper reviews a numbers of methods available for estimating forest carbon stocks and growth rates of different forest carbon pools. It also explores the limitations and challenges of these methods for use in different geographical locations, and suggests ways of improving accuracy and precision that reduce uncertainty for the successful implementation of REDD+. Furthermore, the paper assesses the role of remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) techniques in the establishment of a long-term carbon inventory.
The magnitude of soil and nutrient losses from corn and vegetable production system represents a ... more The magnitude of soil and nutrient losses from corn and vegetable production system represents a major upland environmental problem. Steep slopes, favorable climate, high fertilizer and pesticide application rates characterizes these uplands. Sustainability of upland vegetable production system and soil conservation technologies in Manupali watershed were analyzed. Conservation technologies considerably reduced soil erosion but the level of adoption was less than hoped for. Compatibility of trees in the vegetable production system offers encouraging result. Trees did not out-compete vegetable for below-ground resources but benefited from excess nutrients in the vegetable systems. Economic benefits play prime consideration in the adoption of conservation technologies. Higher level of non-farm income, favorable policies and incentives may veer away intensive cultivation without soil conservation techniques in the upland.
CITATIONS 0 READS 120 3 authors, including: Some of the authors of this publication are also work... more CITATIONS 0 READS 120 3 authors, including: Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Carbon sequestration in the mitigation of climate change; also working on oxidative stress enzymes in seeds View project mango yeild estimation View project The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.
The Potato Crop, 1992
ABSTRACT
Journal of Vegetation Science, 2015
Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 2008
Annals of botany, 2005
Nitrate is the major nitrogen source for many plants. The first step of the nitrate assimilation ... more Nitrate is the major nitrogen source for many plants. The first step of the nitrate assimilation pathway is the reduction of nitrate to nitrite, catalysed by nitrate reductase (NR). Circadian oscillations in expression and activity of NR have been demonstrated in many plant species. The pathway by which this circadian behaviour is regulated remains to be elucidated. In this study, based on recent experimental observations, a mathematical model is proposed to explain the origin of diurnal and circadian oscillations in NR gene expression and enzyme activity. The dynamic model is based on the feedback interconnections between NR and its substrate, nitrate. In the model, NR activity is regulated at the transcriptional level, in response to the balance between nitrate influx and reduction, and at the post-translational levels in response to signals from carbon assimilation. Conditions for the model system to generate self-sustained circadian oscillations are investigated by numerical sim...
Scientia Horticulturae, 2006
Water logging and salinity of the soil alter both the physical and biological environment of plan... more Water logging and salinity of the soil alter both the physical and biological environment of plant roots. In two experiments, we investigated the effects of imposed aeration on yield and the physiological response of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) variety Improved Apollo growing under protected conditions over a range of salinities (the salinity experiment), and under constant field capacity (FC) or drier soil conditions (the moisture experiment). Subsurface irrigation with aerated water (12% air in water) stimulated above-ground growth, and enhanced the reproductive performance through earliness for flowering and fruiting compared with the control. Fruit yield of tomato with aeration in the moisture experiment was increased by 21% compared with the control (4.2 kg versus 3.7 kg per plant), and the effect of aeration on fruit yield was greater in FC than in the drier treatment. Fruit yield was increased by 38% in saline soil due to aeration compared with the non-aerated control. Increasing salinity from 2 to 8.8 dS m À1 , and 10 dS m À1 reduced fruit yield by 18% and 62%, respectively, but 4 dS m À1 did not suppress yield. Aeration in both the experiments increased plant water use and water use efficiency (WUE), expressed as weight per unit of applied water. Biomass WUE was greater by 16% and 32% in the moisture and salinity experiments, respectively. The increased yield with aeration was also accompanied by an increased harvest index (HI) defined as the proportion of dry fruit biomass to total dry biomass, greater mean fruit weight, high fruit DM, and increase in leaf chlorophyll content and shoot: root ratio, and a reduced water stress index (computed from the difference between air and leaf temperature). The benefit gained from aerating irrigation water was not only observed under conditions where air-filled porosity may be low (e.g., in poorly structure sodic soils, or at field capacity in clay soils), but also in drier soils. #
Annals of botany, 2005
Stackhousia tryonii, a rare nickel hyperaccumulating herb, is endemic to ultramafic (serpentine) ... more Stackhousia tryonii, a rare nickel hyperaccumulating herb, is endemic to ultramafic (serpentine) soils of central Queensland, Australia. The effects of eight dormancy-relieving treatments on germination of stored seeds of Stackhousia tryonii were investigated under controlled light and temperature conditions. * The treatments were: untreated (control i), leached and dehydrated (primed control ii), treating with gibberellic acid (150 and 300 microM), smoke extract (5 and 10 %, v/v) and potassium cyanide (40 and 80 mM). * Freshly harvested seeds did not germinate. Germination percentage increased with time of storage for up to 18 months (38.3 %). Gibberellin, smoke extract and cyanide treatments did not significantly improve germination. Light did not affect seed germination and there was no interaction between dormancy-relieving treatments and light. A significant inhibition of germination occurred in seeds treated with 5 % (but not 10 %) aqueous smoke extract. Saturated fatty acids,...
Includes cost for seed, manure, fertilizer, pesticides, and tractor use Includes returns to labor... more Includes cost for seed, manure, fertilizer, pesticides, and tractor use Includes returns to labor plus money left over to pay for irrigation investment costs, plastic shelter costs, costs to make beds and terraces, land rent and taxes, electricity costs, vehicle, and marketing costs Consists of a wide range of vegetables grown by relatively few sample farmers, including asparagus, carrot, cauliflower, Chinese matrimon, choy, coriander, kau-ki, leek, parsley, potato, and water cress
The Central Queensland University (CQU) and industry partner GBG Project Management Pty Ltd have ... more The Central Queensland University (CQU) and industry partner GBG Project Management Pty Ltd have been developing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology to remotely operate and monitor large scale on-site wastewater treatment and reuse systems. The current trend towards decentralised systems is increasingly of interest in this area. Issues identified with these types of systems in the past have
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995