GRDC Podcast

Data recently collected as part of the GRDC investment "Measuring Harvest Losses in the western region," has helped to identify opportunities for growers to reclaim grain that is lost during harvest. A report published on the back of this investment shows that more than $320 million dollars’ worth of grain was lost in Western Australia during the 2022/23 harvest. The podcast explores the data and what growers can do about lowering those losses. 

Download the transcript for this episode

Contact:

Daniel Kidd  

Grower Group Alliance  

[email protected]

Ben White 

Kondinin Group  

[email protected] 

More Information:

View more information on the GRDC Events page

GRDC harvest setup workshops which will commence in September in the following locations: 

Measuring harvest losses in the WA region 2022/23 Final report 

Project Code: GGA2211-001SAX

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Join agricultural procurement specialist and speaker at a recent GRDC Farm Business Update Rob Dawes talk about the urea supply and how to prevent getting caught short again. And then Horsham agronomist Matthew Sparke will share his insights on the strategic application of what nitrogen you do have to get the most out of it.

Lack of urea supply is a major issue for growers, particularly in the south east of the country. A number of factors have contributed to the supply chain issue, and we speak to Robert Dawes from Robert Dawes Consulting to find out what happened and how to plan for next season. Meantime, agronomist Matthew Sparke from Sparke Ag Consulting talks about what growers can do now to make the most of their available nitrogen; and tips for future nitrogen decision making.

Download the transcript for this episode

Contact:

Robert Dawes – [email protected]

Matthew Sparke – [email protected] 

More Information:

GroundCover Article – Resource released to help with nitrogen decision-making in season 2020

GRDC YouTube – Predicting nitrogen loss

Project Code: ORM1906-002SAX

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At GRDC Grower Network Forums in the Western region, the issue of poor canola establishment was raised by growers in the low rainfall zone who mainly flagged problems when the crop is dry sown.

This investment aimed to validate and extend previous agronomic and management research on how to successfully establish canola in those regions and conditions.

To find out more, we speak to Living Farm’s Andrew Wherrett, who has been leading the project, along with Merredin grower Phillip Gray who has a trial site located on his farm.

Contact: Andrew Wherrett

Senior Research Scientist, Living Farm

E: [email protected]

More Information:  

$8.2m national project to boost canola

Risks and rewards of very early sown canola

Western Australian Crop Sowing Guide

GRDC Code: LIV2112-001SAX

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Trials taking place in Western Australia aim to provide growers with information and resources to increase the effectiveness of claying on poor soil. In this podcast, Dan Fay from Stirlings to Coast Farmers discusses the benefits and long-term soil amelioration that can be achieved by claying and grower Ben Webb shares his experiences with the trials and how it has positively affected yields.

Dan Fay

Stirlings to Coast Farmers

[email protected]

Watch the Improving claying efficiency on poor soil types WA video.

Stirlings to Coast Farmers.

GRDC Project Code: SCF2203-003SAX

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🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Terry Horan.

Joining us from central Tasmania this week is agronomic specialist Terry Horan, in our last episode of Series 2 of the GRDC podcast In Conversation. For more than 40 years, Terry has been actively involved in agronomy in the low, medium and high rainfall cropping areas. He grew up in between Trundle and Parks, NSW, studied in Wagga, then his career took him from Temora to Tassie and from across the government to the private sector. But it has been his love of the grains industry that has been his constant.

GRDC Project Code: HOA2202-001SAX

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As part of the Australian Grains Pest Innovation Program’s (AGPIP) blue sky approach to tackling insect pests in Australian grain crops, endosymbionts are being used to influence an insect’s ability to transmit crop viruses and resist pesticides. Dr Perran Ross from the University of Melbourne’s Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group (PEAR–G) explains what endosymbionts are, how they are being used and what impact they will have; and PhD student, Eloise Ansermin explains the new behavioural studies that have never been trialled before.

Contact:

Dr Perran Ross

University of Melbourne

PEAR -G

[email protected]

More Information:                        

How to send off samples

Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group (PEAR-G)

Novel pest solutions – podcast

AGPIP

Video:

GRDC YouTube – Endosymbionts: Game changing bacteria in insect species

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🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Allan Mayfield.

In 2021, Allan was granted the GRDC Recognising and Rewarding Excellence Award for the southern region for his long-standing input and commitment to the nation’s grains industry. And it's not just the grains industry he's impressed, with Allan named as SA's Australia Day Citizen of the Year 2020. Allan grew up on the Eyre Peninsula, going onto become a researcher in plant pathology and eventually starting his own consultancy. Allan's also a middle-distance runner of acclaim - so get shoes on and join us for this cracker of a conversation.  

GRDC Project Code: HOA2202-001SAX

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WeedSmart provides solutions to control crop weeds using the ‘Big 6’ principles utilising herbicide, mechanical and cultural tactics. 2023 marks ten years of the WeedSmart program, with a focus on spray efficacy as part of the ‘Big 6’. WeedSmart agronomists, Jana Dixon and Greg Condon discuss the benefits of the WeedSmart ‘Big 6’ as they prepare for WeedSmart Week on 1 August in Dubbo, New South Wales.

Download the transcript for this episode

Contact:

Jana Dixon

WeedSmart high rainfall zone agronomist

[email protected]

Greg Condon 

WeedSmart southern extension agronomist

[email protected]

More Information: 

WeedSmart

Registration for WeedSmart Week 2023 – Dubbo

Project Code: UWA2007-001SAX

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🎙️ Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Lynne MacDonald.

Dr Lynne MacDonald is a research scientist with CSIRO where she leads a portfolio of research on soil carbon and low emissions agriculture. Her early love of agriculture and childhood memories of playing in the dirt stem back to Scotland. Years later, she was awarded a fellowship which saw her move to Canada, but she eventually landed in South Australia to study intensive cropping systems, and she has made it our country her home too. And we're grateful she did as she's been having a real impact into the future of the Aussie grains industry.

GRDC Project Code: HOA2202-001SAX

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