VERTICAL INTEGRATION FROM PADDOCK TO PLATE: ADZUKI BEANS
R. Redden¹ and P. Desborough^2
1Qld Department of Primary Industries, Hermitage Research Station, Warwick, Qld 4370
²NSW Department of Agriculture, Grafton, NSW 2460

Market-driven research in agriculture involves aligning extension, agronomic, economic and food science studies with the needs of end - users. Researchers provide options and opportunities and in turn are fed back specifications from processors and consumers for intake standards, raw product requirements and desired end product characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adzuki (or azuki) beans are consumed in Japan sweetened with sugar either as filler pastes in rice or wheat cakes, or as desserts. Preliminary market research identified Japan as a major importer which is prepared to pay a premium for quality. An outcome of GRDC/RIRDC 1993 national workshop on new summer legumes (2) was a proposal for vertically integrated research to fast track development of a fledgling adzuki bean industry in Australia to secure a new market opportunity in Japan. A vertically integrated paddock to plate strategy involves:
• Extension:- advisory, educational and quality assurance strategies:
• agronomic research with nation-wide yield trials and management trials at specific sites plus entomology and nitrogen fixation studies;
• food research to identify which varieties and production regions are most suitable for high processing quality, and to stimulate interest in value adding by Australian processors;
• economic research to analyse economic prospects by cropping region to assess profitability and to assess both production risks and market risks associated with a volatile world price;
• market analysis to survey production and trade trends worldwide, to identify requirements for principal and for niche markets, to facilitate interest in value adding in Australia, to assist with business contacts and to formulate a market entry strategy;

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The project aims to achieve 5,000 tonnes annual export of high quality beans over a three year period, from July 1994, from a base of 500-1,000 tonnes annually. This will be produced in regions in which adzuki beans are both competitive with other crops and meet quality requirements of processors and consumers in the export market. Market feedback influences choice of variety and crop management standards to meet quality requirements. Total quality management is required at all steps in the chain from producer to consumer, and this will be achieved with simultaneous, fast tracked research and education strategies to comprehensively address industry needs.

REFERENCES

1. Redden, R. 1996. Market driven research. A case study - culinary beans. Agric. Sci. (in print).
2. Redden R. and Fletcher, R. 1993. National Workshop for New Summer Grain Legumes. RIRDC/GRDC.

MANAGEMENT STUDIES OF NEW NAVY BEAN VARIETIES
R. Redden¹, W. Tompkins² and A. Kelly^3
1Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Hermitage Research Station, Warwick, Qld, 4370
²Bean Growers Australia, PO Box 328, River Road, Kingaroy, Qld, 4610
³Queensland Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 102, Toowoomba, Qld, 4350.

New navy bean varieties have been released which are higher yielding, more erect and more disease resistant than the old varieties. The new varieties are also later maturing.

Prospective new varieties for release, and traditional varieties were compared over four growing seasons in successive years both before and after varietal release. The intention was to fine tune recommendations for crop management soon after varietal release.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The irrigated management trials sown at Kingaroy over four years, were of two types: a) date of sowing at monthly intervals from November to February, b) row spacing and population trials with January sowing. The trials included five varieties (Actolac, Rainbird, Sirius, Dalray, Spearfelt) with a range of maturities.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

a) Date of sowing. Over sowing dates from mid-November to mid-February, the December date resulted in slightly greater yields (non significant) yields than a January sowing although in one year Macrophomina grey mould associated with hot weather reduced the December yields by 75%. The December date was significantly greater yielding in two of the four years. The potential for better yields with a December sowing has to be qualified by an increased risk of crop loss from disease. Grain yields were depressed by 20-25 per cent with sowing in November or February, with a Macrophomina risk also important with November sowing. Late maturing varieties were marginally greater yielding in a December than in a January sowing, however early maturing varieties tended to yield best with a January sowing.

b) Row spacing x population. Although January sown each year, this trial was severely affected by Macrophomina in one year, to a greater extent at 25 cm row spacing than at 90 cm row spacing. Over the other three years, a 10% greater yield was obtained with narrow row spacing. With a high seeding rate of 300 000/ha contrasting a low rate of 150 000/ha, there was an associated yield gain of 7%. Although the varieties differed in plant habit and maturity, no significant interaction was detected with row spacing or population treatments. Significant yield improvements with narrow rows were found in two of the three years.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimum sowing dates for navy bean varieties in the Burnett are December-January with late maturity and January with early maturity. Significant yield gains are achieved under irrigation with both narrow rows and high seeding rates. At high seeding rates lodging was less and maturity was earlier by one day, while in narrow rows seedling survival was 50% greater.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This project is funded by RIRDC/GRDC.