From "CSIRO research for Australia" (1962) pdf pages 22-23:

"C.S.I.R.O. has two irrigation research stations, one at Merbein (Victoria) in the Murray Irrigation area, and the other at Griffith (N.S.W.) in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation area. Both were established before C.S.I.R. came into being."

"Established in 1924, originally for citrus research, the Griffith Station has always received strong support, including an annual contribution of funds, from the New South Wales Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission.

The major project at Griffith during the first years was a study of the nutrition of oranges, leading to the findi ng that zinc deficiency was induced by phosphate applications to the soil. A later experiment showed that poor fruit quality was due to an incorrect nitrogen-phosphorus ratio in the soil. This led to altered fertilizing practices, with a consequent increase in quality. Other citrus investigations included work on frost prevention by forced air circulation and scientific assessments of the winter requirements of citrus trees for irrigation water.

In more recent years the station has opened up several important subjects. There has been, for example, a fundamental study of the usage of irrigation water to find out just what irrigation practices will give the best results on different slopes and with different soil types. Under irrigation conditions plants can be exposed to extremes of water tension, and the station has been investigating the effects on plants of too much and too little water. Rice, cotton, vegetables and various fruit crops have been included in the station's research programme, which also embraces studies on salinity and underground water, and the use of sunshine by plants."