Frost damage to Canola is a significant annual issue for the nation’s grains industry. Spring frosts in particular are the most economically damaging for growers as crop yields and quality are developing at this time.

In this podcast NSW DPI crop physiologist and frost researcher Dr Rajneet Uppal discusses when and where to search within a canola crop for frost damage, how to identify pod damage and recommendation for minimising frost risk generally.

Dr Uppal’s work is being conducted as part of the NSW DPI and GRDC Grains Agronomy and Pathology Partnership (GAPP). Her work is pioneering infield testing methodologies to help better understand the impacts; single and multiple frost events occurring at different growth stages in canola have on grain production.

Contact:

Dr Rajneet Uppal, Crop physiologist

NSW Department of Primary Industries

Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute

0403 896 513

[email protected]

Useful resources: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2019/frost-identification-guide-for-canola-and-pulses https://youtu.be/6uruleESKk8 https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2019/02/effect-of-heat-stress-on-canola-grain-yield-and-quality

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A missing link will soon be added to the pulse chain. A new and quite simple way of measuring the quality of pulses on farm is being developed that has the potential to add some serious cash to the bottom line of farmers. Work is being undertaken at the Agriculture Victoria laboratory at Horsham in Victoria, where this podcast was recorded.

Contact:

Cassandra Walker

[email protected]

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Western Australian growers are urged to be on alert following the discovery of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHI, Group 7) resistance in spot form of net blotch (SFNB) in barley crops in the WA grainbelt.

The resistance has been uncovered by the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM), which is a co-investment by the GRDC and Curtin University.

In this podcast, CCDM researcher Dr Fran Lopez shares the details of this significant discovery and its consequences for the grains industry.

Contact details:

Dr Fran Lopez

[email protected]

More information: https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/news-and-media-releases/national/2020/september/sdhi-resistance-in-sfnb-of-barley-discovered-for-the-first-time-in-australia

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Deciding on what portion of your winter cereal crop will be cut for hay, can be a complex decision. One important factor is the amount of nutrient that is exported in the hay and the cost of replacing that nutrient.

On this podcast, crop nutrition specialist Rob Norton discusses some of the critical issues you need to keep in mind when deciding your hay cutting strategy.

Further information:

Rob Norton

[email protected]

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Spot Form Net Blotch is the most common foliar disease of barley in Australia and given the right season, it can cause significant losses. A new fact sheet is now available that details the very latest knowledge about the disease and its management.

This podcast features Agriculture Victoria plant pathologist, Mark McLean who has devoted the better part of two decades researching the disease.

Contact:

Mark McLean

[email protected]

Useful resources: https://grdc.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/391834/GRDC_FS_SpotForm_2002_05-003.pdf?utm_source=website&utm_medium=download_link&utm_campaign=pdf_download&utm_term=&utm_content=Spot%20Form%20Net%20Blotch%20Factsheet

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A summer rainstorm can restore your soil moisture profile after harvest, but it could also deliver enough of the wet stuff to grow a summer crop. On this podcast we look at a series of trials that are testing the growability of a range of legumes that have been grown mostly much further north.

Further information:

James Nuttall

[email protected]

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When it comes to managing subsurface acidity, the message is clear - it’s much better to prevent subsurface acidity than it is to treat it. Across Australia’s growing regions, subsurface acidity has largely gone undetected and untreated, but a significant amount of research is underway to help growers address this important issue.

In this podcast, Primary Industries and Regions SA soil consultant Melissa Fraser shares the latest subsurface acidity research findings and management advice.

More information:

Dr Melissa Fraser

[email protected]

Useful resources:

https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2020/02/subsurface-acidity-how-far-has-the-research-advanced

https://youtu.be/0bUfCwpfBxo https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2018/legumes-in-acidic-soils

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Western Australian grain grower Duncan Young farms at Beverley in the west of the State’s central wheatbelt. Duncan is a well-respected grower and is the immediate past president of the WA Farmers Grains Council.

One of the things that makes Duncan Young a good operator is his approach to chemical safety on farm and, with National Farm Safety Week a recent event, Debra Bishop speaks in this podcast with Duncan about the steps he takes to keep everyone safe on farm when working with hazardous chemicals.

Useful resources:

https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/A-guide-to-the-management-of-pesticides-in-local-government

https://safefarms.net.au

[email protected]

www.Auschemwa.com.au

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The farm is one of Australia’s most dangerous workplaces. According to year-to-date figures from Safe Work Australia, which compiles data on work-related traumatic injury fatalities, 21 of 104 workplace fatalities in 2020 have occurred on-farm, that’s roughly 20 per cent of the total.

The only other workplace with a higher number of fatalities is the transport, postal and warehousing sector which would employ much bigger numbers than farming. Of the 104 deaths up until early August, 34 were from this sector. While those figures don’t tell us what caused the fatalities, it’s a reminder to us all to never underestimate risk. And one area of potential risk on-farm is the handling of hazardous chemicals.

In this podcast, Safe Farms WA executive officer Maree Gooch discusses chemical safety on farm, relevant government legislation and what growers should know to legally comply with the legislation.

Contact:

Safe Farms WA Maree Gooch, Executive Officer

0438 374 136

[email protected]

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A new resource for grain growers called Profit from Precision Agriculture offer grain growers an easy to follow step by step approach to adopting PA. Put together for GRDC by consultants Rural Directions and Think Agri, the resource acts as an implementation guide and cautions against rushing too quickly to buy the latest PA equipment without first understanding how the principles of precision agriculture would apply on your farm.

On this podcast, we speak to one of the authors, Patrick Redden from Rural Directions.

Contact:

Patrick Redden

[email protected]

Useful resources:

https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2020/profit-for-precision-agriculture https://grdc.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/394078/Profit-from-Precision-Agriculture-Output-3-Report.pdf?utm_source=website&utm_medium=download_link&utm_campaign=pdf_download&utm_term=South&utm_content=Profit%20from%20precision%20agriculture

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