On a Great Barrier Reef (GBR)-wide scale, bananas are the main horticultural crop based on areal extent, and the amount of pesticides and fertilisers used that contribute to GBR water quality. A total of $450,000 was allocated to research that fostered smarter fertiliser practices (RRRD049) and pesticide use (RRRD038) in the banana industry. The findings were used to develop an improved model for estimating pollutant loads from bananas in the GBR catchments (RRRD054).

An associated project also compared different banana irrigation management systems for runoff of water, nutrients and pesticides and evaluation of the crop performance (RRRD004).

RRRD049: Minimising off-farm movement of nitrogen and phosphorus in the north Queensland banana industry

RRRD038: Pesticide dynamics in the Great Barrier Reef catchment and lagoon: management practices (grazing, bananas and grain crops) and risk assessments

RRRD054: Development of a banana modelling capability to enhance reporting of Reef Rescue outcomes

RRRD004: Advanced drip and optimised furrow irrigation to minimise sediment, nutrient and pesticide losses to the environment through deep drainage and runoff from sugarcane and banana industries of wet tropics in northern Queensland