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Corporate Body

CSIRO Division of Tropical Pastures (1959 - 1973)

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

From
1 July 1959
Australia
To
29 March 1973
Functions
Industrial or scientific research, Agricultural industry and Plant science

Summary

The Division of Tropical Pastures was first established in July 1959. In March 1973 the Division changed its name, becoming the Division of Tropical Agronomy.

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Details

From "CSIRO research in Australia" (1962) pdf page 62"
"The Division of Tropical Pastures studies the pastoral problems of northern Australia. It was a part of the Division of Plant Industry until 1959 when it became an independent Division with Dr. J. Griffiths Davies as Chief. Pasture research for northern Australia has undergone considerable development in recent years, and there has been a growing awareness of the enormous undeveloped pastoral potential of this region.

The pastoral industry of northern Australia is almost wholly based on native or induced pastures. These have a short summer growing season, when the pastures make good growth and have quite good feeding value. There is a longer autumn to early summer period when the pastures make little active growth and feeding value declines. Thus, by the late winter, animals on these pastures lose weight. The pastures have no significant legume component and the protein content of native grasses, which is only moderate in period of active growth, falls to deficiency levels by late winter.

The Division of Tropical Pastures is engaged in a comprehensive programme which aims to supplement and replace the native pastures with more productive sown pastures, and fodder and protein grain crops. Close collaboration is maintained with the regional research group of the Division of Soils which provides valuable information on the distribution and characteristics of the soils of pastoral regions.

The Division's headquarters are at the Cunningham Laboratory in the grounds of the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, and there are facilities for experimental work at several regional centres. "

Timeline

 1920 - 1962 Commonwealth Research Station, Merbein Victoria - CSIR/O
       1962 - 1967 CSIRO Horticultural Research Section
             1967 - 1988 CSIRO Division of Horticultural Research
                   1927 - 1929 CSIR Division of Economic Botany
                   1988 - 1997 CSIRO Division of Horticulture
                         1929 - c. 2014 CSIR/O Division of Plant Industry
                               1959 - 1973 CSIRO Division of Tropical Pastures
                                     1973 - 1976 CSIRO Division of Tropical Agronomy
                                           1976 - c. 1995 CSIRO Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures
                                                 1996 - 2000 CSIRO Division of Tropical Agriculture
                                                       2000 - CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
                                                       2000 - CSIRO Livestock Industries

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Ailie Smith

Created: 6 July 2000, Last modified: 2 May 2025

EOAS ID: biogs/A000667b.htm

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