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.

The Congress program is subject to change.

Wednesday, 6 August
Thursday, 7 August
Friday, 8 August


	VENUE: ROYAL POINCIANA ROOM
0730-0900	REGISTRATION


0800-0845	TEA/COFFEE NETWORKING


0845-1630	Science Symposium
	SESSION 1 Welcome and introduction Rosie Godwin & Tegan Cavallaro TBC talk title Altus Viljoen, Stellenbosch University
	THEME: The Gene Scene
	Investigating the genetic basis of agronomically important traits in banana Robert Henry & Emily Rames QCAV-4: a Cavendish banana with Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 resistance – now approved for commercial cultivation in Australia Anthony James Towards a consumer-acceptable Goldfinger banana via gene editing Jacinta Watkins Combined Q&A
	MORNING TEA 1015-1045
	SESSION 2
	THEME: Variety Show
	New varieties for Australian banana growers Jeff Daniells Uncovering the hidden genetic diversity of Mus a acuminata ssp. banksii in Northern Queensland, Australia Steven Janssens Combined Q&A
	THEME: Protect and detect
	Improvement of Panama disease diagnostics with high-throughput sequencing Edward Gilding Combined Q&A Small RNA sequencing as a high throughput screening tool for banana viruses Kathy Crew Diversity of banana wilt associated phytoplasmas and their diagnostics Mignon De Jager Combined Q&A Wrap-up of morning and instructions about lunch
	LUNCH 1235-1325
	SESSION 3
	THEME: Mites, flights and challenges that keep you up at night
	Facing challenges to achieve a quality future Ingrid Jenkins A review of the interactions between birds and bats and bananas and the implications for the Australian banana industry Stewart Lindsay Friends or Foes? Survival of the Mite Predator Stethorus fenestralis After Exposure to Banana Fungicides Daniel Farrell A deep dive into the SBFS complex Kathy Grice Combined Q&A
	AFTERNOON TEA 1455-1525
	SESSION 4
	THEME: Ground truths
	Revealing the Risks of Fusarium Wilt Subtropical Race 4 Janet Roberts Have You Got Soil Health Covered? The Role of Ground Cover in Banana Farm Soils Hazel Gaza Phosphorus in banana plant tissue under different levels of soil P Alex Lindsay Combined Q&A Wrap up and close including post event evaluation Rosie Godwin & Tegan Cavallaro


	VENUE: ABGC LOUNGE	VENUE: PODIUM LAWNS
1700-1730	ABGC Member Meet-Up From 5pm – members invited to drop by the ABGC Lounge for a glass of bubbles on their way to Welcome Drinks. Let us know if it’s your first Congress and we’ll introduce you to some friends!	Insider’s guide to Congress


	VENUE: PODIUM LAWNS
1730-1930
	Welcome Reception
	Sponsored by: Australian Produce Partners


0700	REGISTRATION


	VENUE: TBC
0715-0815	Mackays Marketing Breakfast Session Registration required TBC talk title Pat Farmer*
	Sponsored by: Mackay’s Marketing
	VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
	TEA AND COFFEE OPEN 0730


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
0830-1015	SESSION 1B: INTERNATIONAL INSIGHT TR4 Global Update Altus Viljoen, Stellenbosch University
	VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1015-1045	MORNING TEA


	VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1045-1215	SESSION 2: MAKING YOUR MARK(ET) TBC talk title Gavin Scurr, Pinata Farms TBC talk title Robert Henry, University of Queensland 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 Viljoen, Stellenbosch University Gavin Scurr, Pinata Farms Robert Henry, University of Queensland
	VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1215-1415	LUNCH
		VENUE: RACV ROYAL PINES, VIDERE RESTAURANT
		Banana Women’s Luncheon Sarah Corcoran, Plant Health Australia
		Sponsored by: Pakall Pty Ltd
	VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1415-1500	SESSION 3: RIPE IDEAS Banana de-handing prototype Dr Chris Lehnhert, Australian Cobotics Centre Future of aerial spraying Matthew Harper, Aerial Application Association of Australia
1500-1530	SIXTY SECOND SCIENCE (POSTER PITCHES)


	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
1730-1930	Tradeshow Exhibition Evening


0630	GET ACTIVE (More to come!)
0700	REGISTRATION


	VENUE: TBC
0715-0815	ABGC Members Only Grower Meeting *Registration required

	VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
	TEA AND COFFEE OPEN 0730


	VENUE: ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
0830-1000	SESSION 5A: WHERE TO FOR WORKFORCE Workforce: Challenges, risks and opportunities Steve Burdette, Approved Employers Australia
0830-1000	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


	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 Assessment of an integrated risk tool to aid Panama disease management Tony Pattison
	VENUE: EXHIBITION HALL – ROYAL BENOWA BALLROOM
1200-1330	LUNCH


	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** Sponsored by: Arcella Bananas Home of Tropicana Ltd
1520-1530	Closing address Paul Inderbitzin, Congress Chair


1900 – late	Banana Industry Ball & Awards of Honour
1900 – late	Sponsored by: Visy

Keep me updated

Organisers

MCI Australia

Australian Banana Growers' Council

Designed and built by MCI Australia

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	⨯

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Keep me updated

Organisers

MCI Australia

Australian Banana Growers' Council

Keep me updated

Science Poster Panel

Science Poster Panel