Bo
Melander Seminars
(Hosted by Tasmanian Weed Society, and Department of Primary Industries,
Water, and Environment)
1st to 3rd October 2002
Your society co-hosts a visiting Danish weed scientist
The recent visit of Danish weed scientist, Bo Melander, to Tasmania to discuss non-chemical weed control was the result of joint sponsorship by the Tasmanian Weed Society and the Department of Primary Industries, Water, and Environment.
Bo Melander is Head of the Weed Ecology Section in the Danish Institute of Agricultural Research based at Flakkebjerg Research Centre which is approximately 120 km northwest of Copenhagen. His specialty is non-chemical and cultural weed control in vegetable and cereal crops. He is Chair of the European Weed Research Society Working Group on physical weed control, and is a well known keynote speaker at European weed conferences. In short, he knows his stuff and that was very evident at his afternoon and evening seminars, and in his discussions with the Tasmanian farmers and scientists he visited.
His presentations were divided into two parts. The first outlined the background to the developing organic industry in Denmark. There is very strong government support for developing organic industries in Denmark; organic production is viewed as a pathway to ‘Clean and Green’ agriculture. This support extends to subsidies to assist growers in the conversion from conventional production to organic production. Bo presented some fascinating data with respect the developing organic sector especially in relation to the subsidy issue. However despite a supportive environment for organic production in Denmark, the domestic organic markets have flattened out and some are starting to decline. Bo then went on to describe the Danish policies on pesticide reduction revealing why that country is so advanced in its physical and cultural weed control techniques.
The second half of the presentations focussed on those techniques in vegetable and cereal crops. The use of flame weeders, torsion weeders, close hoeing and transplanted vegetable plants were all cited as being used commercially in Europe. The results he presented on night cultivation to reduce weed emergence had the audience intrigued as did the role handweeders played in Danish agriculture. Approximately 80 people attended the seminars Statewide.
During the day, Bo had a hectic schedule visiting local farmers throughout Tasmania, discussing weed management here in Tasmania, and assessing how the European technologies could be used here. He also participated in a joint meeting of representatives of the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research and DPIWE. The outcome of the meeting was in-principle agreement to explore international collaboration opportunities in research and development. It wasn’t all work; Bo had the opportunity to meet with some the TWS Executive one evening in Hobart, and fortunately was able to grab a few hours on his last day here to see a real Tasmanian Devil at Brighton’s Bonorong wildlife park.
Finally, it goes without saying that there is a lot of organising to
do hosting a visiting speaker. I would like to extend my sincere thanks
to the members of the TWS Executive for their running-around and making
sure things were ready here and there. I would especially like to acknowledge
John McPhee, Team Leader with Vegetable and Associated Industries Branch,
DPIWE for his enormous amount of work and effort pulling Bo’s itinerary
together and organising his transport to our island. Above and beyond
the call of duty and very much appreciated by TWS.
Andrew Bishop