Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) cotton breeders received innovation award.
CSIRO Plant Industry's cotton breeding team won Innovate Australia's Australian Government Prize for Rural Innovation from hundreds of rural innovation contenders Australia-wide.
Presented at Parliament House in Canberra by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Mark Vaile, the award for excellence in rural research and development was accepted by Dr Jeremy Burdon, Chief of CSIRO Plant Industry.
Dr Burdon stated that their cotton breeding team, currently led by Dr Greg Constable in Narrabri, have been at the forefront of their area of research for over twenty years and it is wonderful to see them acknowledged. Every year they produce new regionally adapted cotton varieties with higher yields, better quality fibre and improved pest and disease resistance – last season 14 new varieties were released.
The team also led the introduction of GM insect resistant cotton, both Ingard and Bollgard II, into Australia with the latter now reducing pesticide use by over 80 per cent.
The Rewards from Innovation night celebrated 16 short listed innovations which included not only CSIRO Plant Industry's cotton breeding team, but also the cotton industry's Best Management Practice program.
Each innovation contending the award provided benefits to the Australian community, the economy, human health and lifestyle, international standing and the sustainability of rural industries.
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
