Researchers from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) are in the final stages of identifying a new commercial acid tolerant rhizobia strain for Group F. This strain will offer new hope to southern growers looking to enhance nitrogen fixation of pea, bean and lentil crops in low pH soils. In this podcast, SARDI Senior Research Officer Liz Farquharson takes us through the latest rhizobia strain research and related management options available for southern growers. While...
Mar 27, 2019•8 min•Ep. 41
In this two-part podcast Matt Gardner form AMPS Research discusses sowing strategies, site elevation and crop monitoring tools and how these variables can help manager frost risk without unnecessarily sacrificing yield. At Matt’s early sowing trial site near Premer on the NSW Liverpool Plains the paddock has a 50-metre variation in elevation. In part two of this podcast Matt moves to the top end of the slope and compares the difference in crop performance and frost risk and discusses what that m...
Mar 27, 2019•17 min•Ep. 42
For some grain growers the potential risk of a frost event damaging their cereal crop can result in a conservative sowing strategy. But sowing late to avoid frost damage can result in less than optimal grain yields at the end of the season. In this two-part podcast Matt Gardner form AMPS Research discusses sowing strategies, site elevation and crop monitoring tools and how these variables can help manager frost risk without unnecessarily sacrificing yield. And in part-one Matt deals with frost r...
Mar 27, 2019•8 min•Ep. 43
Grain growers in central and southern NSW cannot afford to ignore crown rot inoculum levels in their paddocks. Allowing inoculum levels to build even for just one year can create a problem that may take several years to resolve. In this podcast, Crown Rot scientist Steven Simpfendorfer, from the NSW Department of Primary Industries at Tamworth, explains the case for eternal vigilance. Contact: Steven Simpfendorfer 0439 581 672 steven.simpfendorfer@dpi.nsw.gov.au Resources: PreDicta B soil testin...
Mar 20, 2019•14 min•Ep. 40
A new resource for canola growers will help them better identify insect pests in establishing canola crops, enabling more sustainable and effective control strategies. Find out more on this podcast and watch out for a series of introductory workshops being held across canola growing areas of NSW. To obtain a copy of 'Insect pests of establishing canola in NSW' contact Phil Bowden. Contact: Phil Bowden 0427 201 946 phil@bowdenrural.com Links: http://www.australianoilseeds.com/ http://www.australi...
Mar 13, 2019•9 min•Ep. 37
NVT is the largest coordinated field trial work of its kind in the world, with 650 trials per year and 1.3 million plot measurements available. Since 2005, NVT covers; Wheat, Barley, Canola, Chickpea, Field pea, Lentils, Faba beans, Lupins, Oats and more recently Sorghum. All varieties are tested within 2 years of commercial release to help growers and advisers get ahead start on emerging varieties and how they may perform in their circumstances. The GRDC’s National Variety Trial (NVT) program e...
Mar 13, 2019•7 min•Ep. 38
We sometimes hear about the rundown of Phosphorus nutrient deep in the soil profile and a deal of research is being conducted right now into Deep P Placement and the benefits derived from that. Well just recently research in south eastern Australia has attempted to address another issue deep in the soil profile and that is soil acidity or low pH and its effect on legume yields. Work undertaken by Dr Helen Burns and Mark Norton from NSW DPI has looked closely at this problem and a new GRDC public...
Mar 13, 2019•14 min•Ep. 39
Indonesia is, by far, Australia’s biggest single wheat customer. Each year, on average, Indonesia buys 4.2 million tonnes of Australian wheat, worth 1.2 billion dollars. That’s nearly one quarter of all Australian wheat exports. But the threat from low-cost wheat producers, such as Russia and Ukraine – as well as ongoing competition from premium suppliers like Canada and the US – is putting the squeeze on Australian exports to Indonesia. AEGIC, the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre, is ...
Mar 06, 2019•14 min•Ep. 36
What if you could confidently predict that a decision you made in the paddock today would deliver agronomic and financial benefits three years into the future. In a nutshell that’s what GRDC’s Farming Systems Project is all about – testing real decisions a farmer might take and how that affects the profitability of a farm now and into the future. On this podcast the CSIRO’s Dr Lindsay Bell takes us through just some of the scenarios being examined at the main trial site at Pampas on the Darling ...
Feb 27, 2019•16 min•Ep. 35
As a form of weed control in crops reducing row spacing can have a significant impact on weed populations. By reducing crop row spacing the biomass of the weed are reduced but what’s even more important is weed seed numbers are dramatically reduced. These were key messages delivered to grain growers at a Weedsmart conference where Paul McIntosh from the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative was a speaker. Also addressing the growers was a farmer from NSW who told of his experience with over...
Feb 20, 2019•11 min•Ep. 34
WA’s sand plain soils feature multiple constraints including water repellence, acidity and compaction, all focus points of GRDC’s $33-million-dollar investment in the Soil Constraints West Project. Soil constraints result in lost grain production worth more than $4 billion annually, just in WA. A key project outcome is that growers should consider treating multiple constraints over smaller areas, rather than working on one constraint at a time. The 'ranking options for soil amendments' (ROSA) to...
Feb 13, 2019•14 min•Ep. 31
Soil constraints are reducing grain grower profitability in Western Australia. Soil compaction, low pH and water repellence are estimated to cost the state’s grains industry a billion dollars annually in lost productivity. That is why the GRDC invested in a multi-organisation 5 year R&D program called the Soil Constraints West Initiative. Now in its final year and with up to $33 million invested, changes are happening on farm. Chris Gazey from the Department of Primary Industries and Regiona...
Feb 13, 2019•12 min•Ep. 32
Changing weather patterns mean WA growers are often attempting to sow and get crops established in a warming and dry period. Although, there is often a reasonable level of subsoil moisture from summer rains, which are more common than in the past, to help boost establishment if accessed by roots. Geraldton and Kwinana East port zone growers are particularly interested in examining the factors that could be impacting on crop emergence. Most of these involve deeper seed placement for access to sub...
Feb 13, 2019•12 min•Ep. 33
From time to time a grain grower might be in the position of needing temporary on-farm grain storage. One options for storing grain is a Bunker or grain pad. In this podcast Philip Burrill from Queensland’s department of Agriculture & Fisheries’ post harvest team and a member of GRDC’s national grain storage extension team discusses what to consider if planning to construct a bunker or grain storage pad. Further information: Philip Burrill Senior Development Agronomist, Postharvest Grain Pro...
Feb 06, 2019•8 min•Ep. 29
After harvest can be a good time to think about your future on-farm grain storage capacity. In this podcast Philip Burrill from Queensland’s department of Agriculture & Fisheries’ post harvest team and a member of GRDC’s national grain storage extension team discusses what to consider when planning new on-farm grain storage and provides tips about storage hygiene. Check out Grain Storage Bunker podcast: https:///grdc/grain-storage-bunkers Further information: Philip Burrill Senior Developmen...
Feb 06, 2019•11 min•Ep. 30
GRDC funded research is revealing the importance of managing nutrient availability to the crop deeper in the soil profile. On this podcast, David Lester from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), joins Darling Downs farmer John Alexander to talk about the encouraging results of trials in which phosphorus and potassium were placed deep below the soil surface. Links: https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/news-and-media-releases/north/2016/08/delving-deeper-into-deep-banding ht...
Jan 30, 2019•11 min•Ep. 28
This podcast focuses on summer weed identification and control options. GRDC’s Regional Cropping Solutions Network has highlighted the issue of effective summer weed control as a priority. During February, Western Australia grain growers have the opportunity to attend a series of summer weed control workshops to be held in key WA grain growing regions. Andrew Storrie from AGRONOMO is leading the free of charge workshops. GRDC has invested in the early and effective summer weed control workshops ...
Jan 23, 2019•9 min•Ep. 27
GRDC’s multi million dollar investment in sorghum research is looking for ways to maximise yield and profitability while positioning the crop in total farming systems. One aspect of the research relates to row spacing and tillering and on this podcast two leading researchers, Trevor Philp from Pacific Seeds and Dr Joe Eyre from QAFFI, a research institute at the University of Queensland supported by the Queensland Government discuss their respective research efforts. Contacts: Trevor Philp – 042...
Jan 16, 2019•16 min•Ep. 26
There’s increasing awareness of the damage off-target spraying, or spray drift, can do to your own crops and those of your neighbours, sometimes many, many kilometers away. A community in western NSW has decided to act and the steps they’ve taken appear to have had a positive impact on the numbers of spray drift incidences. Called SOS Macquarie, the Stop Off-target Spraying action group has as one of its conveners the Grain Orana Alliance manager Maurie Street. In this podcast Maurie explains wh...
Jan 09, 2019•10 min•Ep. 24
Despite having a better climate for grain production than most of mainland Australia, the average cereal yield in Tasmania is still considered to be well below its potential. In this podcast you’ll hear from GRDC’s MD Dr Steve Jefferies talk about two GRDC investments that are working to address this challenge, to help Tasmanian, and high rainfall zone cereal growers on the mainland, close the yield gap and develop new fungicide management strategies. Both areas of research are part of The Hyper...
Jan 09, 2019•11 min•Ep. 25
Home gardeners know the benefits of mulch in suppressing weeds, but researchers are also encouraging broadacre grain producers to deprive weeds of sunlight and space and take the pressure off herbicides as the ‘heavy lifters’ of in-crop weed control. While defeating weeds through crop competition isn’t new, Queensland trials have shown that crop density and narrow row spacing have significantly suppressed the prevalent weeds common sowthistle and fleabane in the northern region. The Queensland D...
Jan 02, 2019•7 min•Ep. 23
Can you explain the difference between crop varieties that are tolerant, resistant and susceptible to a particular pest? Researcher Kirsty Owen from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) says knowing the difference is critical for producers responding to one of the northern wheat industry’s thorniest problems. The root lesion nematode, Pratylenchus thornei reduces the ability of crop roots to take up water and nutrients, leaving a sickly plant with yellowing lower leaves and poor tillering...
Dec 26, 2018•7 min•Ep. 22
Pulse growers would be well aware of the damage Helicoverpa larvae can do to their crops. Fortunately, farmers have access to strong chemistry that can adequately control the pest. But for how long? On this podcast, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) entomologist, Melina Miles, offers us an insight into her research and explains why the Helicoverpa Resistance Management Strategy is so important to the future security of the pulse industry. Contact: Melina Miles Department o...
Dec 19, 2018•16 min•Ep. 21
According to WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development that estimate of $4.3 Billion in lost production is nearly equal to half the value of the state’s annual grain production, so soil constraint issues are significant. The type of constraints common to the West include water repellency, acidity, subsoil compaction and soil structure decline and the Grains Research & Development Corporation has invested in the development of an analytical tool called ROSA. ROSA stands f...
Dec 12, 2018•8 min•Ep. 20
To aid Russian Wheat Aphid management planning and development of cultural controls, there is a need to know what role green bridges play in supporting RWA populations. This information will be used to develop predictive models that will estimate seasonal aphid risk within each affected region. Findings by cesar and SARDI will enable researchers to better inform advisers and grain growers about how to best manage this new pest. Additionally, determining what beneficial insects are best placed to...
Dec 05, 2018•12 min•Ep. 19
People tend to see farmers as one large group of food and fibre producers. But have you ever thought about what different individuals they are? How would you encourage these independent, self-sufficient people to adopt change or innovate? Agronomist Cam Nicholson is passionate about providing advice to boost farmers’ profitability and productivity, and one of the keys he uses is to work out the personality types of his clients. Everybody learns and responds differently, Cam says, and over the pa...
Nov 28, 2018•9 min•Ep. 18
In this podcast WA Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development research officer and Frost specialist, Dr Ben Biddulph, discusses salvage and harvest options for frost-affected cereal crops as well as what to consider if you intend holding onto seed from a frost affected crop. On the day Ben Biddulph was at DPIRD’s Frost evaluation trial site at Dale about 100k’s east of Perth. Further Information Dr Ben Biddulph DPIRD Grains Directorate 3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, WA 6151 042...
Nov 21, 2018•6 min•Ep. 17
Fifty years ago, the pioneers of zero and minimum tillage cropping systems had a challenging time to convince researchers and growers that these systems had benefits over a tractor and plough criss-crossing a paddock, but in 2018 the conservation farming methods are widely used across Australia. Associate Professor David Freebairn from the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba grew up on a farm in NSW where cropping country was cultivated and stubble burnt every year. As a University gr...
Nov 16, 2018•10 min•Ep. 16
In a bad year the cereal pest Root Lesion Nematode can cost West Australian grain growers up to $110 million in lost production. The two main species in the West are Pratylenchus neglectus and p. quasitereoides and when seasonal conditions are conducive, the nematodes multiply, compromise growth and starve the crop of nutrients. Dr Sarah Collins is senior nematologist with WA’s Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development and in this podcast Dr Collins talks about the current work...
Nov 07, 2018•13 min•Ep. 15
There’s been a significant change to the National Variety Trials program. It’s now fully managed by the Grains Research and Development Corporation. You might be thinking… wasn’t it always? Well while the NVT program was established by GRDC back in 2005 its only in 2018 that the administration and day to day management of the national comparative crop variety trials program has come under GRDC management. In this podcast NVT’s southern manager Rob Wheeler explains what the change means for NVT a...
Nov 04, 2018•12 min•Ep. 14
