Grains Convo

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Janette Pratt
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Research Officer Ian Foster

In this episode of Grains Convo, Janette Pratt hosts DPIRD Principal Research Scientist Ian Foster, as they discuss the success of the 2024 harvest. 

Ian provides the seasonal outlook for the GIWA crop report and goes through the reasons why last year's harvest is the third largest on record, despite challenging conditions. 

Episode Links:
Click here to read the GIWA crop report
Click here to read DPIRD's Seasonal Climate Outlook

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Cindy Webster
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Principal Research Scientists Mark Seymour and Manisha Shankar

In this episode of Grains Convo, Cindy Webster hosts Principal Research Scientists Mark Seymour and Manisha Shankar, as they discuss the release of this year's WA Crop Variety Sowing Guide.

Mark goes through value of the guide itself, then delves into the new variety highlights to look out for. 

Manisha discusses what methods are being used to collect and update disease resistance data for wheat varieties, and how this influences management strategies. 

Episode Links:
Click here to download the guide, or request a hard copy 

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Cindy Webster
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Entomologist Svetlana Micic

In this episode of Grains Convo, Cindy Webster hosts DPIRD Entomologist Svetlana Micic, as they discuss a new invertebrate project that DPIRD is working on, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) as well as other research organisations.  

Svet goes through the losses canola growers are currently facing due to invertebrate pests, some typical pest management strategies and what knowledge gaps the project aims to fill about the distribution, biology, and ecology of these beneficial insect species. 

Episode Links:
Click here to read more about the project 

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Cindy Webster
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Research Scientist Chad Reynolds

In this episode of Grains Convo, Cindy Webster hosts DPIRD Research Scientist Chad Reynolds, from the Soil Science portfolio. 

Chad has been involved in an 11-year farm-scale experiment investigating liming in low rainfall regions, he goes through some of the most important findings from the experiment. 

This includes what ways applying lime to the surface of acidic soils improved crop yields and profitability in the long term. 

Episode Links:
Click here to read Agric webpage Diagnosing soil acidity 

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Janette Pratt
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Senior Research Scientist Dr Marty Harries, Senior Development Officer Megan Abrahams and Research Scientist Steph Boyce

In this episode of Grains Convo, Janette Pratt hosts Dr Marty Harries, Senior Development Officer Megan Abrahams and Research Scientist Steph Boyce, as they dive into an update of the WA Farming Systems Project.

The team delve into how the project addresses specific challenges faced by growers in the low, medium-north, and medium-south rainfall regions. Researchers also explain the how the balancing act of reducing nitrogen outputs while maintaining profitability is being approached in the trials.

Episode Links:
Click here to read further details about the project
Click here to read DPIRD media release Future-focused farming systems trials now in the ground

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Janette Pratt
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Principal Research Scientist Dr Catherine Borger and Research Scientist Miranda Slaven

In this episode of Grains Convo, Janette Pratt hosts Catherine Borger and Miranda Slaven as they explain how electric weed control compares to traditional herbicide methods in terms of effectiveness and sustainability for grain crops in WA.

They also discuss how the varying levels of soil moisture impact the efficacy of electric weed control, and what the optimal conditions are for its application.

Episode Links:
Click here to read DPIRD media release Electric weed control trials create a buzz 

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Janette Pratt
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Research Scientist Hamid Shirdelmoghanloo

In this episode of Grains Convo, Janette Pratt hosts DPIRD Research Scientist
Hamid Shirdelmoghanloo, as they discuss one of three projects DPIRD is involved in looking into oat yield and pathways, particularly focusing on the ‘Yield per se’ project.

Hamid then delves into some of the reasons why oats are making a resurgence in the health and wellness space, and how the role of oats in the global landscape is evolving.

Episode Links:
Click here to read about the Processed Oat Partnership (POP) project 

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Cindy Webster
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Senior Research Scientist Ben Congdon

In this episode of Grains Convo, Cindy Webster hosts DPIRD Senior Research Scientist Ben Congdon, as they discuss what exactly turnip yellows virus is, and how to diagnose it in the field. 

Ben also addresses how green peach aphids contribute to the spread of the virus in WA, management strategies, and some of the findings from monitoring in 2024. 

Episode Links:
Click here to read DPIRD webpage Turnip yellows virus in canola: diagnosis, epidemiology and management 

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Cindy Webster
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Manager of Crop Protection Portfolio, Senior Research Scientist, Dr Helen Spafford

In this episode of Grains Convo, Cindy Webster hosts the Manager of DPIRD's Crop Protection Portfolio, Dr Helen Spafford, as they discuss Fall armyworm. 

They go through what it is, whether should growers be worried about it, and when it was first detected. 

Helen also addresses the impact the pest has on crops, and be sure to tune in throughout the episode, as Helen describes what its distinguishing features are and typical breeding habits. 

Episode Links:
Click here to read DPIRD webpage Fall armyworm in Western Australia 

Host: DPIRD research agronomist Cindy Webster
Guest Speaker: DPIRD Research Scientist Ahmed Saad

In this episode of Grains Convo, Cindy Webster hosts DPIRD Research Scientist Ahmed Saad, as they go through exactly what Rhizoctonia is and whether growers should be worried about it.

Ahmed then delves into typical management strategies, before discussing a new project which is fully funded by DPIRD, and why this research is so important for the grains industry.

Episode Links:
Click here to read Protecting WA Crops article New project to reduce Rhizoctonia impact in low and medium rainfall zones
Click here to read DPIRD webpage Diagnosing rhizoctonia root rot in cereals