Canberra, Australia
October 17, 2002

Barley breeder, keen cricketer and all round good bloke Paul Johnston died 16 months ago ­ suddenly, and in his scientific prime ­ but his personality was stamped all over a field day at the Hermitage Research Station, outside Warwick, this week.

As Dr Johnston¹s widow, Mary, pointed out, her husband¹s approach to his barley breeding career since 1972 had been "from conception to consumption"
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Barley, turned into malt, is one of the two major ingredients of beer and, appropriately, Queensland Breweries and the Lion Nathan company stumped up for amber fluid to accompany the lunchtime steaks from the Beef City feedlot.

The " conception" concept was honoured twice, in two official launches by Queensland¹s Primary Industries Minister, Henry Palaszczuk ­ of a new, high yielding, feed barley variety bred by Dr Johnston and the Paul Johnston Memorial Trust to fund scholarships for young agricultural scientists.

Exercising the traditional right of plant breeders to name their varieties, Dr Johnston naturally chose names of notable cricketers for the commercial releases that came from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries program at Hermitage ­ Lindwall and Gilbert after fast bowlers Ray and Eddie, Grimmett ater the spin bowler Clarrie, and Tallon, after wicketkeeper Don.

Mr Palaszczuk suggested Dr Johnston would have liked the timing of the commercial release of Mackay feed barley, named by Dr Johnston before his death, for Queensland all-rounder Ken "Slasher" Mackay.

It was also the first day of the Queensland/NSW match at The Gabba ground in Brisbane.

"Like the cricketer whose name it takes, Mackay barley is a good all-rounder," Mr Palaszczuk said.

"With trials indicating up to 15 per cent higher yields than other varieties, Mackay will help meet the intensive livestock industry¹s growing needs for high energy grain.

" Under stress, it has the ability to maintain yield and grain size relative to other varieties and that should make it popular with farmers and end-users alike."

Through the Grains Research & Development Corporation, Australian growers and the Federal Government have been long term supporters of the QDPI barley breeding program and Mr Palaszczuk said the two organisations had continued the relationship in early support for the Paul Johnston Memorial Trust.

Each had contributed $25,000 to found the trust, which aimed to advance agriculture by offering scholarships for study or travel associated with a relevant field in agricultural science.

The Crop Doctor, Professor John Lovett, is the managing director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Canberra.