GRDC Podcast

Growers and advisers in South Australia and Victoria are increasingly reporting underperforming crops, which they believe could be attributed to a lack of potassium (K). 

Soil tests often show the levels are fine, but are those tests accurate for south-eastern Australia and has the grains industry relied on good K reserves in that part of the world for too long?  

Dr Nigel Wilhelm is from SARDI, the South Australian Research and Development Institute, the research division of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions in South Australia. He’s leading a GRDC investment that is investigating the extent and severity of K deficiency across south-eastern Australia and assessing the best way to manage the issue. 

Contact  

Dr Nigel Wilhelm 

[email protected] 

More information 

• Solving the mystery of potassium deficiency in the south

GRDC Project code: UOA2201-002RTX

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Chickpea production in Western Australia took a king hit in the early 2000s when a fungal outbreak hammered grower confidence and reduced crop coverage from 60,000 to 5,000 hectares.

These days, it’s around 10,000 hectares. But with GRDC investment, Chickpea Breeding Australia (CBA) is working to firmly re-establish chickpea production into a premium and profitable product in WA through the release of new varieties.

As CBA program lead Dr Kirsty Hobson explains, the team is working to improve yields, cold tolerance, disease resistance and adaptation to low pH soils.

CBA is a five-year, $30-million breeding initiative that is working to expand the geographic reach of chickpeas from their traditional northern NSW and QLD region stronghold into central and southern NSW and WA.

Contact 

Dr Kristy Hobson 

CBA program leader and NSW DPI chickpea breeder 

[email protected]   

More information

GRDC Project Code: DPI2003-009OPX

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Unprecedented spring rainfall and flooding in 2022 has made for a particularly tough year for many growers.

In this special GRDC podcast, NSW Riverina grower, Roy Hamilton, shares his experience of salvaging a soaked harvest in a season that initially held so much promise. Then ex- NRL Balmain Tigers player turned mental health speaker and educator at the Black Dog Institute, Wayne Wigham, shares his lived experience with depression and mental health recommendations in an effort to help others.

Contact

Lifeline - 13 11 14

Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636

More information

The Black Dog Institute:

Depression self test

Anxiety self test

Psychology services including telehealth information links

Wayne Wigham’s story

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Cucumber Mosaic Virus - also known as CMV - is a seed transmitted virus that can cause yield losses of almost 100 per cent.

That’s why GRDC is investing in a project that will support industry by providing information on minimising the impact of CMV infected seed; specifically on lentil yield in the Southern region.

The project also aims to promote awareness of seed health, seed transmitted viruses and yield penalties associated with different levels of virus infection.

Contact:

[email protected]

GRDC Project Code: DJP2111-001RTX - Quantifying the yield risk of planting CMV infected lentil seed in the Southern region

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Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Yannik Heller. 

Yannik grew up in the Wimmera region of western Victoria. At 16 he left school and headed to Denmark to work on a family friend's farm. A year later he was back with some unique experiences and life skills under his belt. With a view to drive big tractors, he got work on a farm in Nhill and has stuck with agriculture ever since. Now he finds himself in Tasmania working on the other side of the fence in the farm services sector. 

GRDC in Conversation is a limited series of the GRDC Podcast. It features in depth, long-form interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry. It aims to help growers explore research outcomes and ideas through a different perspective. Interviewer Oli Le Lievre – presenter of Humans of Agriculture – weaves a story not just about the technical innovations but the expertise, history and personal background, influences and motivation of each guest.

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For most Australian grain growers, 2022 has been a challenging year.

Weather conditions across the country continue to be volatile meaning that this harvest many growers are faced with extreme circumstances.

Dr Kate Burke is a former agronomist and an agri-strategist and in this podcast she shares some practical recommendations on determining where the value lies in your crop and what to harvest first.

Kate also helped deliver the 'Opportunity for Profit' workshops run with the support of GRDC in 2019 and won the GRDC Southern Region Seed of Light Award in 2021.

Contact:

Dr Kate Burke

[email protected]

More Information:

GroundCover Article - 'Opportunity for Profit'

GroundCover Article - 'Kate applauded and awarded for grains research extension efforts'

Crops People Money & You

GRDC Project Code: RDP1802-001WSX

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Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Dr Jenny Davidson. 

After briefly considering medicine as a career path, Jenny decided treating sick plants was the better choice for her. As a pulse pathologist she has spent the past 3 decades with SARDI helping the grains industry, witnessing the industry change from a focus on field peas to the pulse diversity seen across Australian farms today. In 2021, she 'retired' but that didn't stop her. She spent this year travelling across South Australia interpreting the research results from SARDI projects as a consultant, and there's no doubt more to come from her.  

GRDC in Conversation is a limited series of the GRDC Podcast. It features in depth, long-form interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry. It aims to help growers explore research outcomes and ideas through a different perspective. Interviewer Oli Le Lievre – presenter of Humans of Agriculture – weaves a story not just about the technical innovations but the expertise, history and personal background, influences and motivation of each guest.

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It’s harvest time across most of Australia and for many growers this year they will have the added challenge of harvesting in water-logged conditions.

Adverse weather creates greater risk around this busy time - but having procedures and processes in place can benefit growers, their employees and ultimately their businesses.

Contact:

https://denisemclellan.com.au/

More Information:     

https://denisemclellan.com.au/

https://www.peopleinag.com.au/

See Groundcover article here

Project Code:   RDC2107-001OPX

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Today's 'GRDC in Conversation' podcast interview is with Jeanette Long.  

Astoundingly, until 1992, women weren't allowed to officially name their occupation as 'farmer' in Australia. It was in this era, with change emerging and an increasing recognition of women's roles in farming, that Jeanette Long began working in agriculture. Jeanette's role as facilitator, trainer, coach, business partner and farmer has seen her put people first across her varied career roles and communication with them at the heart of that. She is a champion for helping others succeed and a tireless advocate for learning. 

GRDC in Conversation is a limited series of the GRDC Podcast. It features in depth, long-form interviews with growers and other experts in the grains industry. It aims to help growers explore research outcomes and ideas through a different perspective. Interviewer Oli Le Lievre – presenter of Humans of Agriculture – weaves a story not just about the technical innovations but the expertise, history and personal background, influences and motivation of each guest.

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Improving wheat yield and yield stability through better heat tolerance is the focus of research being undertaken at the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute in Narrabri, New South Wales. 

GRDC has invested in the collaborative program between University of Sydney, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, InterGrain and Agriculture Victoria.  

Professor Richard Trethowan and Dr Rebecca Thistlethwaite are part of the team of researchers and breeders. 

Contact: 

[email protected] 

More Information:

Heat Tolerant Wheat: improving yield through heat tolerance

Project Code:

UOS2201-001RTX, UOS1606-004RMX

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