Australia's scientific community says regional areas like Mildura are being made to bear the brunt of a downsizing by the CSIRO.

The science research agency says it has no choice but to close its laboratories at Mildura in Victoria, and Rockhampton in Queensland, after a Federal Budget funding cut of more than $60 million over four years.

One hundred jobs will be axed, 50 of them at Mildura.

The president of the Federation of Australian Science and Technological Societies (FASTS), professor Ken Baldwin, says the move is regrettable and could have unforseen consequences.

"It's the presence of knowledgable and high calibre scientists in rural communities that might also have a flow on effect for encouraging young people to look at science as a way of improving their farming practices and indeed opening up careers for themselves in later life," he said.

Mr Baldwin says it is too early to say whether the CSIRO research done in places like Mildura could continue with some help from the private sector.

"It may be that this research has got to the point where it is indeed perhaps handover time to the rural communities," he said.

"They can now run with it and make best use of the increased productivity that it provides so only time will tell when we'll see the outcome from that particular change."