John Reghenzani 

After graduating from Queensland Agricultural College, then the University of Queensland, I was employed for 30 years by the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES), at Mackay, Bundaberg, Tully, then Ingham. It was during the latter posting that the N fixation research was initiated. I have always said how fortunate I have been that my period as a Senior Research Officer (Agronomy) with the BSES was during what I regard as a Golden Age of Agricultural Research. I am fortunate to have a few firsts to my credit i.e.: Identification of acid sulfate toxicity, developing remediation measures which were implemented in Queensland and Northern NSW; research into Northern Poor Root Syndrome; identification of zinc deficiency and environmental studies.

​Some results of my latter research are incorporated in the N fixation presentation at the conference. 

After BSES, I worked with Terrain Natural Resource Management as leader of their Sustainable Industries Unit.  I was responsible for a small team which over five years delivered the $35.2m Reef Rescue Program in the Wet Tropics. I wrote Wet Tropics submissions which successfully sourced funding by the Australian Government in both the first and second five-year tranches to protect the Great Barrier Reef.   

After Terrain, I took on a contract position with CANEGROWERS to support controlled release fertiliser research by Sugar Research Australia and to extend the results to participant cane farmers. I continue as Managing Director of AgGrow Consulting Pty Ltd, the company I formed after BSES. 

During my career I have been an invited keynote speaker at International Conferences on N fixation by non- leguminous plants (Brazil), sugarcane nutrition (South Africa and Florida) and environmental studies in sugarcane (Australia). I have participated in ACIAR funded research into nutrient and pesticide movement (Mauritius and Australia), studies into a biologically based fertiliser (China, Hong  Kong and Australia) and the use of rare earth elements in agriculture (China and Australia). 

I and my wife live on our 55ac Atherton Tablelands property inland from Cairns, where our aim is to become fully self- sufficient.
 
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