GRDC Podcast

Surveillance, flies and snails: new technologies for snail monitoring and control

Research into snails over the past decade has largely focussed on baiting and while a lot has been learned, baiting is only one part of an effective integrated management strategy for snails.  That's why a new national GRDC investment is tackling...

GRDC In Conversation: Matthew Durack

Maximising the profitability of fallow

What are the reasons to use fallow in rotations and just what is the economic value of this farming practice? These are just some of the questions asked by growers in the west – questions that are now being answered...

GRDC in Conversation: Ben Taylor

Risks of pre-emergent herbicide degradation when dry sowing

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a dry start to Western Australia's 2024 growing season. It's a prediction that’s seeing many growers kick into gear early with dry seeding. But without the knock down herbicide opportunity, growers are relying heavily on...

GRDC in Conversation: Stuart and Lyndall Tighe

Legume Leaders – Introduction: benefits and constraints to the adoption of grain legumes

A cohort of Legume Leaders has been established by the Grower Group Alliance in Western Australia, with investment from GRDC and the help of grower groups located from Yuna to Esperance. The Legume Leaders will be sharing their insights over...

GRDC in Conversation: Greg Rummery

Late sowing of cereals due to waterlogging

Autumn and Winter waterlogging is relatively common in WA’s Albany and Esperance port zones, but it can severely impact grain production. But new research is giving growers greater confidence to sow late season cereal varieties or reseed in a challenging...

GRDC in Conversation: Tom Coggan

Carbendazim use and its alternatives

Carbendazim is a broad spectrum fungicide used to control a range of diseases on pulses. But as a schedule 7 chemical with restrictions on its use, there's growing uncertainty about maximum residue limits in some international markets.  In this podcast, GRDC...

GRDC in Conversation: Anna Madden

Boosting soil productivity using the Australian Synchrotron

The Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne is a super high-tech operation that produces powerful beams of light a million times brighter than the sun. In a partnership between GRDC, the University of South Australia and the University of Queensland, researchers have been...

Adapting technology with bots – a case study with WA grower Brad Jones

Tammin grower was an early adapter of the SwarmBot technology from SwarmFarm. GRDC’s GrainInnovate program has played a key role in supporting SwarmFarm’s progress and with Brad only the third person in WA to bring a bot on-farm, he has...

Fall armyworm insights for when the season feels unmanageable

This summer has seen high numbers of fall armyworm (FAW) across Queensland and Northern New South Wales. In some late sown crops, FAW has had a disastrous impact and caught many growers and advisers off-guard. Dr Melina Miles, Principal Entomologist at...

Integrated management strategies for net form of net blotch

Net form of net blotch is an important foliar fungal disease of barley and its impact on yield and decreased profitability has prompted a new GRDC co-investment: Integrated management strategies for net form net blotch in low, medium, and high...

Raising the bar on crop nutrition

Raising the bar on crop nutrition in northern New South Wales is the aim of a new partnership between Outlook Ag and GRDC. Field trials have been established to help combat very area-specific problems and improve yield in a range...

Managing green peach aphids and the emerging turnip yellows virus risk in canola

It’s 2024 and we’re looking at similar conditions across a wide portion of the country, particularly in Victoria and South Australia. There is enough soil moisture that self-sown canola will now survive until the sowing window creating the perfect green bridge...

AFREN podcast series – The why and how of rotating fungicides to minimise the risk of resistance

In this podcast, Associate Professor Fran Lopez, Program Leader for Fungicide Resistance Management and Disease Impacts at the Centre for Crop and Disease Management at Curtin University, talks about the importance of rotating fungicides to minimise the risk of fungicide...

Acid soil management – 5cm rule for soil pH testing

While previous acid soil testing practice was to not test as deep, new research, has identified greater acidic layering, where crop roots remain under the soil not benefiting from the full potential of amelioration. In this episode, we talk to...

AFREN podcast series – Mung bean powdery mildew; fungicide sensitivities and management for Queensland growers (2/3)

In this podcast, University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Crop Health Director Professor Levente Kiss talks about the challenges of managing powdery mildew in mung bean crops. Recent research trials have further validated the Powdery Mildew MBM management app and...

Getting the most out of deep ripping

Deep ripping is an expensive investment and a slow process, so it’s important to do it right the first time. Whether a grower is a first time or long-time ripper, it can always be done better. In this episode, Debra...

AFREN podcast series – Rusts and managing rusts with fungicides (1/3)

In this podcast, Professor Robert Park, University of Sydney, talks about rusts and managing rusts with fungicides. Until now, there have been very few cases of resistance to fungicide in rusts. However, recent research has shown insensitivity in the barley...

2023 Emerging Leader for the Northern Region: Mathew Dunn

GRDC's Emerging Leader Award for the Northern Region in 2023 was taken home by established research agronomist Mathew Dunn. Mathew has been working as part of a farming systems research team that is looking at identifying agronomic and management factors...

National Grower Network Forums – have your say

GRDC's National Grower Network Forums or NGNs provide opportunities for growers to meet and inform GRDC face-to-face about issues, constraints or research ideas that are acutely relevant to their farming system and location. The forums are all about designing and...

Ameliorating sandy soils to increase production

Dealing with sandy soils has long been the bane of many grain growers. But a six-year GRDC investment in sandy soil amelioration in the southern region has come up with a raft of research and grower options which are providing...

Longevity benefits after soil amelioration

Almost six million hectares of WA's sand-plain soils in the medium and high-rainfall zones feature multiple constraints, including water repellence, acidity, and compaction. An estimated 250,000 hectares of those six million have been ameliorated, typically involving strategic one-off deep tillage....

Behavioural insights and motivations into spraying

A GRDC investment focused on grower decision making for summer spraying has revealed several insights into the behaviours that motivate different spray decisions. It’s hoped that the outcomes of this research will help growers to better understand what might be...

Rutherglen bug: risk forecasting and management

Although it may be native to the northern region, the Rutherglen bug has, in recent years, changed its behaviour and its diet has expanded. It can now do significant damage to a range of summer crops. Very little is known...

Measuring the impact of organic soil ameliorants

Incorporating readily available organic-soil ameliorants to boost productivity of sandy soils, has been the focus of a three-year GRDC investment in the medium to high rainfall zones of Western Australia's Wheatbelt. The experiments, using organic ameliorates such as hay, stubble...

GRDC in conversation: Tegan Nock

Genetic gains in wheat

A trial near Bolgart in WA is showcasing historic wheat varieties, allowing growers to look back in time to measure yield and genetic gains that wheat breeders have achieved over the past 50 years. The trial site features 48 varieties...

GRDC in Conversation: David Robb

On-farm Grain Storage podcast series – Silo maintenance (3/3)

Gas-tight sealable silos are the preferred system of grain storage and like all on-farm machinery, they require an annual maintenance health check, including pressure testing the silo. How can we ensure our silo’s health and avoid problems such as weather...

GRDC in conversation: Paul McIntosh

On-farm Grain Storage podcast series – Masks and meters (2/3)

Phosphine fumigation is commonly used in gas-tight, sealed silos to control weevils in grain. While phosphine is dangerous, it can be used safely with responsible handling and management. In this episode, we chat with Grain Storage Extension Project lead Chris...

GRDC in conversation: Mark Swift

National Variety Trials (NVT) New Variety Podcast series – Canola

The NVT program aims to assist Australian grain growers in varietal decision making by providing comparative information of commercially available grain varieties, including on yield performance, on disease resistance ratings and on grain quality.  In this four-part series we will hear...

On-farm Grain Storage podcast series – Storage and aeration (1/3)

From cone and flat-bottomed silos, to sheds, bunkers, bags, and pits, grain storage options today are seemingly endless. It is not always the case that the cheapest option will be the most cost effective over time. Nor will the most...

GRDC in conversation: Maree Crawford

Maree Crawford is a passionate contributor to the Australian agricultural industry with a focus on delivering solutions through research, technology and best practice. She is a Technical Services Manager with Elders, and Non-Executive Director at Tosari Crop Research Centre. In...

National Variety Trials (NVT) New Variety podcast series – Barley and Oats

The NVT program aims to assist Australian grain growers in varietal decision making by providing comparative information of commercially available grain varieties, including on yield performance, on disease resistance ratings and on grain quality. In this four-part series we will hear...

Preventing harvester fires in lentils

With growers in the middle of harvest around the country, harvester fires are somewhat inevitable at this time of year. However, there are actions we can take to mitigate the risk. With lentil crops particularly susceptible to harvester fires, we...

GRDC in conversation: Tim Neale

National Variety Trials (NVT) New Variety podcast series – Lentil, lupin and sorghum

The NVT program aims to assist Australian grain growers in varietal decision making by providing comparative information of commercially available grain varieties, including on yield performance, on disease resistance ratings and on grain quality. In this four-part series we will hear...

The Australian Grains Genebank

The Australian Grains Genebank (AGG) is the centrepiece of grain crop genetic resources for the Australian grains industry. Since it's opening in 2014, it has been a partnership between the Victorian Government (Agriculture Victoria) and GRDC. An additional $30M will support...

GRDC in conversation: Roy Hamilton

National Variety Trials (NVT) New Variety podcast series – Wheat

The NVT program aims to assist Australian grain growers in varietal decision making by providing comparative information of commercially available grain varieties, including on yield performance, on disease resistance ratings and on grain quality.  In this four-part series we will hear...

Beneficials Chemical Toxicity table: Use it or lose ‘em

Beneficial insects play an important role in providing natural pest suppression for growers in cereal crops across Australia. Until recently there was no scientifically proven guide to help growers monitor the impacts of commonly used insecticides on beneficial insects. Rosie...

Implementing variable rate technology on-farm

The Longmire’s farm at Beaumont, near Esperance in Western Australia, have been experimenting with variable rate technology for more than 20 years. As pros at using precision agriculture, Tom and Phil presented at workshops across WA earlier this year to...

Plant Nutrition: the final Soil Quality ebook

The Soil Quality ebook series, developed by SoilsWest with GRDC investment, draws upon a wealth of scientific published information, knowledge from dedicated soil science practitioners, industry perspectives and first-hand experience of growers. The 10th and final book in the series, covering...