Sub sections:
Sabbatical Reports
Professor Phil Stahlman, Agricultural Research Center-Hays, Kansas, USA
Professor Stahlman was a PIIC visiting fellow from October 1, 2007 - February 29, 2008. The primary objectives of his visit were to:
1. facilitate and strengthen agronomy and weed science linkages between the US and Australia;
2. promote collaborative research activities of mutual interests and benefit; and
3. increase the visibility of Kansas State University within Australia.
The purpose of the extended visit was to exchange ideas and information and to collaborate with Industry & Investment NSW (I&I) agronomists and weed scientists at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute and in surrounding districts in northern NSW and to interact with students and faculty at the University of New England in Armidale. The invitation included an award of Visiting Fellowship in Weed Science, the first Fellowship awarded by the Primary Industries Innovation Centre (PIIC).
Professor Stahlman conducted herbicide tolerance trials in grain sorghum and sunflower and assisted local colleagues with various agronomic crop trials, interacted with agronomists and weed scientists working on herbicide resistant weed issues, presented several invited talks at large public meetings sponsored by the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), and spoke at field day tours and to grower organizations.
Professor Stahlman worked closely with Ms. Loretta Serafin, District Agronomist of the Tamworth District and also collaborated with Ms. Stephanie Belfield, District Agronomist of the Moree East District in conducting two herbicide trials in grain sorghum and five herbicide trials in sunflower to assess the potential of some herbicides currently not available for use in Australia and to expand knowledge of those herbicides and their performance in Australian farming systems. Initial trial results were mostly consistent with results of similar trials previously conducted in Kansas and confirmed that the herbicides tested have potential for use in Australia.
Collectively, more than 1,100 public and private agronomists, weed scientists, policy makers, and growers heard one or more of the presentations made by Professor Stahlman. He was also interviewed by several radio and print media personnel and those interviews or resulting news articles were broadcast or distributed throughout southern and eastern Australia.
New networks were established with regional weed science groups at Tamworth NSW, led by Andrew Storrie; Wagga Wagga NSW, led by Prof. Deirdre Lemerle; Toowoomba Queensland, led by Dr Steve Walker; and Adelaide South Australia, led by Chris Preston and Dr Gurjeet Gill. Prof. Deirdre Lemerle, Director of the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation at Wagga Wagga, proposed a collaborative research project on the risks and benefits of Roundup Ready Canola to be conducted in Australia, Canada, and the United States (Kansas). Discussions and planning are ongoing and tentative plans are for Dr. Rex Stanton, co-leader of the Graham Centre Weeds Initiative, to visit Kansas and Prof. Stahlman’s research program in 2009.