Rachel Meldrum represented the CRCNPB when she attended the Ninth Australian Banana Industry Congress during June 2011. Rachel presented her PhD research project on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4), a disease of great importance to Australian banana growers.

The information Rachel presented was related to improving the use of surface sterilants – used for decontaminating footwear, machinery and farm tools – thus the research was able to provide information regarding on-field management techniques for this destructive pathogen.

Rachel also participated in a Fusarium meeting at the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) at Maroochy Research Station. This meeting was held to discuss the future of banana Fusarium research and how Rachel's research may fit into the future development of this industry.

Participating in both the Fusarium meeting and Banana congress enabled Rachel to establish national and international collaborative networks which will benefit both current and future research.

Rachel said attendance at the Banana Congress gave her a greater understanding of the banana industry and the potential for future research activities and that discussing her research project enabled a greater understanding by industry on this pathogen.

Rachel said she anticipated that this interaction would lead to collaborations with people who also have an interest in the industry’s future.