GRDC Podcast

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.

Barry's 45-year career has seen him combine his on-farm experience with his business acumen to help farm businesses build resilience in risky environments. His work has taken him from his family farm in Port Germein, SA, to working to support the adoption of conservation agriculture practices in north Africa and India. 

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 the first time in WA, there’s been a confirmed case of glyphosate and paraquat resistance in annual ryegrass.

The discovery has prompted University of Western Australia weed researcher, Dr Roberto Busi, to research alternative double knock solutions. As Roberto explains, the findings have been a quantum leap forward in understanding how these resistant ryegrass populations can be effectively controlled with paraquat and pre-emergent herbicide combinations. 

Contact

Dr Roberto Busi

[email protected]

More information

• Frist cases of glyphosate and paraquat resistant ryegrass in WA

GRDC project: UWA2007-002RTX

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Wheat growers in the northern grain growing region are currently experiencing one of the worst stripe rust epidemics in recent memory.

To help growers tackle the challenging season, Grain Orana Alliance (GOA) have been conducting trials to provide a stripe rust early warning system for the central north region of the New South Wales cropping belt. The trials, supported by GRDC, are focused on identifying and communicating local dominant stripe rust pathogens to help growers and advisers make management decisions without the time delay of individual paddock sampling and pathotyping analysis.

In this podcast, GOA CEO Maurie Street analyses how the season has played out for stripe rust so far, and shares the insights that have come out of early warning system trials in such a high-pressure year.

Contact

Maurue Street – Grain Orana Alliance (GOA)

[email protected]

 More information

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Lupin seed integrity and establishment

With split seed resulting in yield penalties higher than 70% in some areas, a new GRDC investment is looking at how growers can manage their handling of lupin seed to ensure better germination of seed in the following seasons.

A benchmark study of 27 WA growers looked at germination impacts for lupins, focusing on reducing the incidence of split seed through harvest activities such as machinery impacts, and manganese deficiency.

The study which started in 2019 has now wrapped up, with advice around manganese management, going easy on the augers, harvesting with at least 12% moisture and asking the experts to assess seed. But those who know lupins, know there’s still a lot to learn.

Contact

Katrina Venticinque, Liebe Group

08 9661 1907

[email protected]

More information 

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GRDC has a history of working with different business accelerators to deliver grains focussed, start-up accelerator programs across Australia.

Farmers2Founders is one such programme - set up to help put producers at the centre of innovation by supporting them to have more involvement in the innovation process… leading to solutions that will solve real problems for grains growers on farm.

To find out more, we spoke to Skye Raward, co-founder and general manager of Farmers to Founders and Tegan Modra, participant in the National Accelerator Program.

Contact:

Skye Raward   

Co-Founder & General Manager, Farmers2Founders  

[email protected] 

More Information:

www.farmers2founders.com  

Applications currently open for:

National Pre-Accelerator Programe closes 9 October

National Accelerator Programme closes 16 October

TNQ Innovation Pre-Accelerator closes 9 October

GRDC Project Code: FTS2006-001SAX

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Gravel soils account for 24 per cent of land used for crop production in southern Western Australia, and are also characteristic of major production regions in South Australia and Victoria.

In this podcast, two growers share their experience managing this challenging soil type. They have distinctly different approaches but share a desire to get the most of their crops in a high rainfall environment.

Murdoch University’s Dr Francesca Brailsford also shares an update on the significant GRDC investment underway to help growers better manage ironstone gravel soils from a cropping, nutrition and water perspective.  

The ironstone gravels soil project is part of a SoilsWest alliance initiative, which also includes The University of Western Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Queen’s University Belfast and Bangor University.

Contact

Dr Francesca Brailsford

Murdoch University

[email protected]

More information

 -        Challenges of ironstone gravels – WA video

-         Challenges of ironstone gravels – SA video

-         GroundCover - Unlocking the hidden potential of ironstone gravel soils

GRDC project code: UMU2111-001RTX

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The National Grower Network is a GRDC initiative set up to directly communicate with growers and help progress locally relevant research, development and extension investments.

Growers are encouraged to become involved and there are many ways to do that.

To find out more about the National Grower Network, we speak to Grower Relations Manager, Vicki Green and Graham Spackman who is on the GRDC’s northern panel.

Contacts:

Vicki Green

Grower Relations Manager

[email protected]

Graham Spackman

GRDC Panel Member, Northern Region

[email protected]

More Information:

About NGN

GRDC Events Page

Subscribe to GRDC

Twitter @theGRDC

Instagram @theGRDC

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Grain growers around Australia have a new tool, in the form of a comprehensive guide, to support informed decision making around machinery purchases.

The guide, titled “Machinery investment and replacement for Australian grain growers”, is the result of a two-year GRDC initiated project to assist growers to evaluate decisions around machinery investment. 

The information has been gathered from contributions from more than 450 grain growers around Australia, who shared their machinery purchase and ownership experiences, resulting in 30 case studies that are featured in the guide.

The guide offers a valuable snapshot of machinery ownership levels to help growers compare their position against industry averages for similar farming operations. 

Contact:

Ben White 

Kondinin Group 

[email protected] 

More Information:

Download a PDF of the guide here. 

Project Code:

KIS1911-001SAX 

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For the first time in Australia, there is a biocontrol option to help tackle flaxleaf fleabane.

A rust fungus from fleabane’s country of origin, Colombia, has been rigorously tested by a research team at the CSIRO and approved for release by the Australian regulator. This new tool will be available to help growers bolster their integrated weed management strategy.

This research is part of a project called Underpinning agricultural productivity and biosecurity by weed biological control, led by AgriFutures Australia and funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program, with co-investment from CSIRO, GRDC and NSW Biocontrol Taskforce.

Contact

Ben Gooden

CSIRO

[email protected]

More information

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How much does the general public trust the grains industry?

Recent community survey work, made possible through GRDC investment, has painted a clear picture – and the results are surprising.

Dr Kieren Moffat and his team have been surveying a diverse cross-section of the community to examine areas of uncertainty such as chemical usage and GMO cropping.

It’s all part of a the larger Community Trust in Rural Industries project being driven by a number of Rural Research and Development Corporations and industry organisations.

Contact

Dr Kieren Moffat

Voconiq

[email protected]

More information

- Growing community trust video

- Groundcover article

- Program finds high levels of trust in growers

GRDC project code

RDC1906-004OPX

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