Hosting agency

Agriculture Victoria Research delivers research and innovation via an ‘innovation ecosystem’ that brings together government, industry, agribusiness and academia into clustered and collaborative networks, delivering productivity and biosecurity outcomes for agriculture.

Our innovation ecosystem connects our science expertise and capabilities to enable science discoveries and efficiencies, fast-track innovations in applications of agricultural technologies, and better manage pest and disease outbreaks. Our network of world-class research facilities located throughout Victoria includes:

  • the AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience in Bundoora, which provides the core innovation infrastructure in plant, animal and microbial systems biology, as well as ‘big data’ connectivity.

  • SmartFarms located in Ellinbank, Hamilton, Horsham, Tatura and Mildura, which actively engage in multi-disciplinary research collaborations and are connected to each other and AgriBio.

  • Agriculture Victoria Research uses a modern multi-disciplinary science approach drawing on world-class capabilities in genomics and cellular sciences; microbial sciences, pests and diseases; plant sciences; plant production sciences; animal production sciences; and agriculture resources sciences.

More than 500 scientists and PhD students work across 12 locations throughout Victoria to deliver research and innovation outcomes for Victoria’s agriculture industries.

Research and innovation are underpinned by advanced platform technologies including:

  • high-throughput sequencing – which enables rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing, and can be used to sequence entire genomes of plants, animals and microbes.

  • high-throughput phenotyping and remote sensing technologies – which include sophisticated imaging technologies mounted on robotic ground-based or aerial vehicles to rapidly and accurately measure and assess key characteristics of plants from individual plant to paddock scale.

  • advanced scientific computing – which powers the generation and analysis of big data for agriculture productivity and biosecurity outcomes.

  • technologies for measurement of greenhouse gases – including state-of-the-art systems to measure enteric methane from individual animals in housed and grazing systems.

Tatura SmartFarm

The Tatura SmartFarm in the Goulburn Valley is Australia’s leading horticulture SmartFarm research facility effectively linked to the Mildura SmartFarm, enabling research and innovation to deliver high-quality fruit from orchard to export market. They develop, use and demonstrate new applications of agricultural technology to achieve increases in marketable yield, product value and production efficiency in pears, apples, stonefruit and almonds. They also evaluate:

  • novel integrated pest and disease management strategies.

  • high-density almond production.

  • new rootstocks and cultivars.

  • new irrigation and sensor technology.

These SmartFarms incorporate:

  • the world’s first Sundial multi-directional experimental orchard, which is highly sensorised and includes orchard design and training systems for stonefruit and pomefruit.

  • experimental pear and stonefruit orchards which, combined with the Sundial orchard, enable new understandings on how orchard design impacts production efficiencies, labour efficiencies, resilience to extreme climatic events, and yield and quality of fruit.

  • a Fruit Analytics facility that enables individual fruit from the experimental orchard to be measured for quality attributes including colour, size and maturity.

  • a Fruit Export Dynamics facility that focuses on smart fruit management to maintain fruit quality through the supply chain.

  • an insect-rearing facility to support integrated pest management outcomes.

This will help Victorian growers to meet the exacting quality expectations of consumers in domestic and export markets.