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6-8 August, 2025
RACV Royal Pines Resort
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Program

Banana Congress 2025 will see the return of Congress favourites including the Banana Ball and Awards of Honour and our much-loved Women’s Luncheon will also be back and better than ever. Building on the success of previous years, the Science Symposium will be held the day prior to Congress. This is a huge drawcard for researchers, as well as science-minded growers and industry stakeholders. While we’re bringing back the favourites, rest assured Congress 2025 will also offer new experiences, a fresh layout and tackle some key industry issues.

Pip Courtney

The Congress program is subject to change. 

VENUE: ROYAL POINCIANA ROOM
0730-0900
REGISTRATION
0800-0845
TEA/COFFEE NETWORKING
SESSION 1


Welcome and introduction
Rosie Goodwin & Tegan Cavallaro


TBC talk title

Altus Vijoen, Stellenbosch University


Towards a consumer-acceptable Goldfinger banana via gene editing
Jacinta Watkins
MORNING TEA
1015-1045
SESSION 2


New varieties for Australian banana growers
Jeff Daniells


Small RNA sequencing as a high throughput screening tool for banana viruses
Kathy Crew


Wrap-up of morning and instructions about lunch
LUNCH
1235-1325
SESSION 3


A deep dive into the SBFS complex
Kathy Grice
AFTERNOON TEA
1455-1525
SESSION 4


Have You Got Soil Health Covered? The Role of Ground Cover in Banana Farm Soils
Hazel Gaza


Wrap up and close including post event evaluation
Rosie Goodwin & Tegan Cavallaro

RECONNECT + RECHARGE

VENUE: ABGC LOUNGE
VENUE: PODIUM LAWNS
VENUE: PODIUM LAWNS
Sponsored by: Australian Produce Partners
0700
REGISTRATION
VENUE: TBC
Sponsored by: Mackay’s Marketing
VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
TEA AND COFFEE OPEN
0730

RECONNECT

0830-1015
SESSION 1A: WELCOME (WE DON’T BITE!)

Snake Bite first aid and awareness with a milking demonstration 
Billy Collett, Australian Reptile Park / Bondi Vet


OFFICIAL OPENING

Introduction from Banana Congress MC
Pip Courtney, Landline host


STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Leanne Erakovic, ABGC CEO
SESSION 1B: INTERNATIONAL INSIGHT

TR4 Global Update
Altus Vijoen, Stellenbosch University
VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1015-1045
MORNING TEA

RECHARGE

VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1045-1215
SESSION 2: MAKING YOUR MARK(ET)

TBC talk title

Naomi Abbott, NQ Banana Research


Panel discussion: What does it take to get a new variety onto the shelf and into homes?

Panel members:
Naomi Abbott, NQ Banana Research
Altus Vijoen, Stellenbosch University
VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1215-1415
LUNCH
VENUE: RACV ROYAL PINES, VIDERE RESTAURANT
Banana Women’s Luncheon
Sponsored by: Pakall Pty Ltd
VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1415-1500
SESSION 3: RIPE IDEAS
Sustainability and agtech in action
1500-1530
SIXTY SECOND SCIENCE (POSTER PITCHES)

REGENERATE

VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1530-1610
AFTERNOON TEA & SCIENCE POSTER SESSION
VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1610-1700
SESSION 4: SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS

John Moor
VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
0700
REGISTRATION
VENUE: TBC
VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
TEA AND COFFEE OPEN
0730

RECONNECT + REGENERATE

VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
0830-1000
SESSION 5A: WHERE TO FOR WORKFORCE

Workforce: Challenges, risks and opportunities
Steve Burdette, Approved Employers Australia
SESSION 5B: UNDERSTANDING THE BANANA CATEGORY TO DRIVE DEMAND
Sponsored by: Hort Innovation

Emma Day, Senior Marketing Manager, Hort Innovation

Andrew Burns, Supply Chain Engagement Manager, ABGC

Belinda Van Schaik, Head of Marketing, Hort Innovation
VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1000-1030
MORNING TEA

REGENERATE

VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1030-1200
SESSION 6: FUTURE-FOCUSSED FARMING

Farming with reduced inputs
Peter Wren-Hilton, Platform 10 and Wharf42

Solving the soil health puzzle
TBC Panel
VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1200-1330
LUNCH

REGENERATE

VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1330-1520
SESSION 7: ON TRACK FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

Carbon – what’s coming & how to prepare
Noel Ainsworth, DPI


TBC talk title
Jana Pittman
1520-1530
Closing address

Paul Inderbitzin, Congress Chair

RECONNECT + REGENERATE

Sponsored by: Visy

Science Poster Panel

Paper # Presenter Abstract Submission Title Presenting at Science
Poster Panel
1
Elizabeth Aitken
Identifying Sources of Resistance to Fusarium Wilt
2
Delwar Akbar
Banana action plan: How to minimise food waste?
3
Molly Blake
Understanding inter-row ground cover in the Wet Tropics Banana farming region
4
Shannon Byrnes
Banana Yield Mapping
5
Lilia Carvalhais
Novel assay to detect Ralstonia solanacearum causing Moko disease in banana
6
Tegan Cavallaro
Extension – The value of putting grower collaboration at the heart of project design and delivery.
7
Ingrid Jenkins
Bunch pest management, investigating practices to maximise efficacy and stewardship of registered chemistries
8
John Thomas
A lateral flow immunoassay for the in-field detection of banana bunchy top virus
9
Kathy Crew
BBTV-infected plants are infectious earlier than previously thought!
10
Andre Drenth
Keeping bananas healthy
11
David East
Chemical control of yellow Sigatoka
12
Paul Edwards
Cavendish Banana production management using plant growth regulators
13
Daniel Farrell
Insect sanctuaries for Beneficial Predators and Parasites in Bananas
14
Daniel Farrell
Using Beneficial Mites to Control Banana Spider Mites
15
Kathy Grice
Is deleafing critical in the management of yellow Sigatoka?
16
Alex Lindsay
The banana nutrient rates trial project
17
Andrew Macnish
Banana supply chain monitoring and simulation identifies critical control points
18
Thu Ha Ngo
Diagnosis of Panama TR4 in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 for NATA accreditation
19
Vu Nguyen
EFS – suppression of TR4 is now possible
20
Cecilia O’Dwyer
Development and validation of diagnostic assays for detection of phytoplasmas infecting banana
21
Tony Pattison
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help with Panama disease decision making
22
Richard Piper
Entomopathogens for banana bunch pest control.
23
Emily Rames
Diverse banana germplasm to support industry development
24
Janet Roberts
Pathology and Ecology of Fusarium Wilt Subtropical Race 4
25
Katelyn Robertson
Are we approaching Goldfinger’s golden era?
26
Visnja Steele
Virus diagnostics support movement of clean planting material

Science Poster Panel

Paper # Presenter Abstract Submission Title Presenting at Science
Poster Panel
1
Elizabeth Aitken
Identifying Sources of Resistance to Fusarium Wilt
2
Delwar Akbar
Banana action plan: How to minimise food waste?
3
Molly Blake
Understanding inter-row ground cover in the Wet Tropics Banana farming region
4
Shannon Byrnes
Banana Yield Mapping
5
Lilia Carvalhais
Novel assay to detect Ralstonia solanacearum causing Moko disease in banana
6
Tegan Cavallaro
Extension – The value of putting grower collaboration at the heart of project design and delivery.
7
Ingrid Jenkins
Bunch pest management, investigating practices to maximise efficacy and stewardship of registered chemistries
8
John Thomas
A lateral flow immunoassay for the in-field detection of banana bunchy top virus
9
Kathy Crew
BBTV-infected plants are infectious earlier than previously thought!
10
Andre Drenth
Keeping bananas healthy
11
David East
Chemical control of yellow Sigatoka
12
Paul Edwards
Cavendish Banana production management using plant growth regulators
13
Daniel Farrell
Insect sanctuaries for Beneficial Predators and Parasites in Bananas
14
Daniel Farrell
Using Beneficial Mites to Control Banana Spider Mites
15
Kathy Grice
Is deleafing critical in the management of yellow Sigatoka?
16
Alex Lindsay
The banana nutrient rates trial project
17
Andrew Macnish
Banana supply chain monitoring and simulation identifies critical control points
18
Thu Ha Ngo
Diagnosis of Panama TR4 in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 for NATA accreditation
19
Vu Nguyen
EFS – suppression of TR4 is now possible
20
Cecilia O’Dwyer
Development and validation of diagnostic assays for detection of phytoplasmas infecting banana
21
Tony Pattison
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help with Panama disease decision making
22
Richard Piper
Entomopathogens for banana bunch pest control.
23
Emily Rames
Diverse banana germplasm to support industry development
24
Janet Roberts
Pathology and Ecology of Fusarium Wilt Subtropical Race 4
25
Katelyn Robertson
Are we approaching Goldfinger’s golden era?
26
Visnja Steele
Virus diagnostics support movement of clean planting material