Grains Convo

Harvest is underway in parts of the WA grainbelt, but there’s still plenty happening on the insect front.

DPIRD research scientists Dusty Severtson and Svetlana Micic join Cindy Webster and Janette Pratt to discuss the pests growers are seeing now, including armyworm, diamondback moth, native budworm, aphids and redlegged earth mite.

They unpack what to look for through harvest, the importance of correct identification and thresholds before making control decisions, withholding periods, grain contamination risks and what growers can do now to prepare for next season.

Episode links:

• DPIRD’s PestFacts WA Reporter app
• DPIRD’s PestFacts WA newsletters
• DPIRD’s Native budworm trapping webpage
• Updated TIMERITE® tool. Hosted on Australian Wool Innovation’s (AWI) website. Updates done by Cesar Australia in collaboration with CSIRO, AWI, GRDC and Meat & Livestock Australia.
• DPIRD’s 2026 Winter Spring Insecticide Guide
• Cesar Australia’s Beneficials chemical toxicity table

Harvest is already underway in parts of WA, but the 2026 grain season remains a mixed bag across the grainbelt.

In the latest Grains Convo, Tim Scanlon speaks with Development Officer Alison Lacey, who draws on DPIRD’s regional intelligence network to unpack what’s happening across WA’s grain growing regions: where crops are performing strongly, where low rainfall and subsoil moisture are limiting yield potential, and the risks to watch as the season finishes.

They also look at how intelligence from across the regions helps DPIRD respond as conditions change, with the Season 2026 webpage bringing together timely information and tools to support grower decisions.

Episode links:

• Visit the Season 2026 webpage
• Seasonal Climate Outlook
• DPIRD Weather Stations
• PestFacts
• PestFacts Reporter App
• GIWA Crop Report
• Harvesting Short Crops
• Managing stubble

A freezing night does not automatically mean a damaged crop. The real challenge is knowing where to look, what signs to trust and when the impact is serious enough to change course.

DPIRD frost researcher Brenton Leske joins Tim Scanlon to examine what frost is doing across the WA grainbelt. They discuss how to assess affected areas, monitor crop recovery and weigh up difficult decisions such as cutting for hay or limiting further inputs.

Episode links:

• DPIRD Frost Page
• Managing frost risks
• Management options for frosted crops
• Cereal frost guide
• Canola and pulses frost guide
• Canola genetics research to help develop more frost resistant varieties

Crop viruses can be difficult to identify, with symptoms often mistaken for waterlogging, nutrient deficiency, frost or other diseases. DPIRD research scientist Tim Scanlon speaks with plant virologist Dr Chi Cao about new diagnostic methods making virus detection faster, more precise and more comprehensive.

Discover how improved testing can identify multiple viruses at once, uncover unexpected and emerging threats, and help growers and consultants make earlier, better-informed crop management decisions. Chi also explains what to look for in the paddock and how to collect samples for testing.

Episode links:

• Pestfacts WA interactive reporting service
• PestFacts WA Map
• Download the 2026 insecticide guides
• DPIRD Diagnostics and Laboratory Services
• Useful grains and other field crops factsheets
• National Biosecurity Week: DPIRD scientists harness new technology to enhance detection of grain crop diseases

WA’s grain growing regions are experiencing a season of stark contrasts, with strong rainfall totals in some areas and increasingly dry conditions in others.

DPIRD's Dr Meredith Guthrie joins Tim Scanlon to unpack the season so far and what could lie ahead for spring, harvest and summer. They discuss rainfall and soil moisture across the grainbelt, the risk of frost, the climate drivers influencing the outlook and the tools growers can use to understand conditions in their region.

Episode links:

• VIsit the DPIRD 2026 season webpage
• Visit the DPIRD climate and weather webpage
• Seasonal Climate Outlook newsletter
• Rainfall to date tool
• Soil water tool
• Weather stations and radar

Soilborne diseases can be difficult to spot, but their impact on crop performance and yield can be significant. In this episode of Grains Convo, DPIRD researchers Daniel Huberli and Ahmed Saad discuss key soilborne diseases affecting WA crops, including rhizoctonia, crown rot and take-all. Learn what symptoms to look for, how to get an accurate diagnosis and the integrated management strategies that can help reduce disease risk.

Episode links:

• DPIRD’s Diagnostic laboraties Services – Plant pathology
• SARDI Predicta B testing
• DPIRD Fungicides webpage
• Contact Ahmed Saad to send stubble samples

Not all poor performing crops are suffering from nutrient deficiencies or disease. In this episode of Grains Convo, Senior Research Scientist Sarah Collins explains how plant parasitic nematodes affect WA grain crops, why the symptoms are often mistaken for other problems and how growers can identify infestations early. Discover why digging up roots is just as important as inspecting crops from above, how diagnostic testing can guide management decisions, and the long term rotation strategies that help reduce nematode populations and protect yield.

Episode links:

• DPIRD Diagnostic Laboratory Services
• South Australian Research and Development Institute Predicta B (broadacre) service
• 2026 WA Crop Sowing Guide
• DPIRD’s Root lesion and burrowing nematodes and their management factsheet
• DPIRD's How to diagnose Root lesion nematode YouTube video
• GRDC’s Root lesion nematode in Western Australia podcast

In this episode, DPIRD Principal Research Scientist Dr Harmohinder Dhammu discusses the new paraquat and diquat regulations, what the two year transition period means for growers and practical strategies for effective early season weed control. He also shares advice on weed identification, herbicide resistance management and choosing the right control options to protect crop yield potential.

Episode links:

• Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)’s paraquat and diquat new regulations media statement
• Current herbicide resistance status of weeds in WA
• 2026 WA crop sowing guide
• Chemical weed control in canola

Herbicide resistance testing services:

• University of Western Australia (Crawley, WA)
• Plant Science Consulting (Adelaide, SA)
• Charles Sturt University (Wagga Wagga, NSW)

Young cereal crops are beginning to emerge, bringing the first signs of disease in some paddocks.

In this episode, DPIRD Principal Research Scientist Geoff Thomas and Research Scientist Jason Bradley discuss the cereal diseases growers are most likely to encounter early in the season, how to distinguish disease from herbicide damage and other lookalike symptoms, and why careful monitoring and accurate diagnosis can help avoid unnecessary fungicide applications.

Episode links:

• DPIRD’s Diagnostic Laboratory Services – Plant pathology
• PestFacts WA Reporter app
• NetBlotchBM app
• SeptoriaTriticiWM app
• YellowSpotWM app

In this episode, DPIRD Senior Research Scientist Andrea Hills discusses the key diseases affecting broadleaf crops early in the season, including blackleg, downy mildew, ascochyta blight and botrytis. She explains why accurate disease identification and regular crop monitoring are critical, and shares practical advice to help growers make timely management decisions that protect yield.

Episode Links:

• PredictaB (broadacre) diagnostics
• DPIRD Diagnostics and Laboratory Services - Seed testing and certification
• PestFacts WA Reporter app
• BlacklegCM app
• UCIBlacklegCM app
• SclerotiniaCM app

Enjoyed this episode? Visit the Grains Convo podcast on the DPIRD website for related links, show notes and more episodes.