GRDC Podcast

The GRDC is leading a $16 million project focused boosting the resilience of mixed farms via successful incorporation of pasture legume species currently not widely grown.

In today’s podcast, Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development senior research scientist, Angelo Loi, shares his key steps to successful sowing and establishment of pasture legumes in summer/autumn.

Contact:

Dr Angelo Loi, DPIRD

[email protected]

More information:

Twin sowing and summer sowing: alternative techniques to introduce annual legumes into pastures https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pasture-establishment/twin-sowing-and-summer-sowing-alternative-techniques-introduce-annual-legumes

Pasture Legumes Project To Grow The Fortunes Of Mixed Farms https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/news-and-media-releases/national/2017/10/pasture-legumes-project-to-grow-the-fortunes-of-mixed-farms

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Sandy soils account for five million hectares of Australia’s southern grain growing region. Crop water use and productivity on these sandy soils are commonly limited by a range of soil constraints that affect root growth. In this podcast we hear from CSIRO’s Senior Research Scientist Dr Lynne Macdonald who leads GRDC’s sandy soils program in the southern region. The program aims to improve the diagnosis and management of underperforming sandy soil in the Southern Region. Project code: CSP00203

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A leading science communicator says rather than educating the general public about farming, farmers should ensure that urban people trust farmers to have their best interests at heart.

Heather Bray, from the University of Western Australia, says trust in farmers is more important than how deeply city people understand the business of farming.

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Research undertaken by the Northern Grower Alliance has cast new light on the timing and method of nitrogen application.

On this podcast, NGA’s Richard Daniel outlines the latest thinking when it comes to applying nitrogen to crops.

Contact:

Richard Daniel

0428 657 782

[email protected]

Links: https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/news-and-media-releases/north/2017/08/tips-for-developing-an-effective-nitrogen-strategy-its-all-about-the-rate

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Liming to maintain good soil pH levels and avoiding yield losses is just as important as applying fertiliser for maximising yields.

If growers let soil pH levels in the topsoil run-down (pH in CaCl2 < 5.0) they are at risk of creating soil acidity issues at depth which are harder and more expensive to treat.

In general, not enough lime has been applied frequently enough to address acidification occurring within the whole soil profile, so soil test to depth and calculate lime requirements for 0-10cm, 10-20cm and 20-30cm, not just the top 10cm of soil.

Contact:

Lisa Miller

Southern Farming Systems

23 High St, Inverleigh, Vic 3321

0488 600 226

[email protected]

Further Information:

https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2019/02/lime-and-liming-managing-soil-health

http://www.sfs.org.au/SoilAcidityLimeResponse

https://agex.org.au/project/soil-acidity/

https://grdc.com.au/legumes-in-acidic-soils

https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/soil-acidity/soil-acidity-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

http://vlpa.asn.au/w/product-specification/

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Snails may be slow to move, but they are quick to survive baits during late Spring and Summer. This surprising development has been revealed as a result of research into snail mortality on the York Peninsula.

This fact and several other tips for managing snails are explained by entomologist Helen Brodie on this podcast.

Contact:

Helen Brodie

08 8429 0557

[email protected]

Link: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/groundcover/groundcover-138-january-february-2019/autumn-baiting-timely-for-snail-control

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A common pest for canola growers to monitor each Spring is the Cabbage Aphid. DPRID research officer Dusty Severtson describes where within the crop to check for the aphid and the use of monitoring tools such as the Crop Scout app to accurately calculate aphid numbers.

Contact:

Dusty Severtson

Research Officer – Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development

m: 0427 196 656

email: [email protected]

Further information: https://grdc.com.au/CropAphidsBackPocketGuide

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Farmers in blackleg prone areas of Australia are generally competent in managing the disease in their canola crops.

That is until the recent advent of blackleg infection of the upper canopy. This new way blackleg has developed ways to attack canola crops is the focus of this podcast featuring Steve Marcroft from Marcroft Pathology.

Contact:

Steve Marcroft

03 5381 2294

0409 978 941

[email protected]

https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/story/5956950/plan-to-beat-upper-canopy-blackleg-infection-in-canola/

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Nitrogen fertiliser is arguably a farmer’s biggest variable cost, year on year. Providing the correct amount of nitrogen to a growing crop is the key to success. But how best to deliver that nitrogen without seeing it lost to the environment before it reaches the crop?

That was the key question for some recent research in western Victoria – research that is still ongoing in many parts of the southern and northern region.

Contact:

Ash Wallace

[email protected]

More Information:

https://communities.grdc.com.au/crop-nutrition/mid-row-banding-promising-for-in-crop-nitrogen/

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Valuable frost research is equipping grain growers with practical information on how to identify frost damage in cereal crops.

In this podcast WA Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development research officer, Dr Ben Biddulph, discusses what to look for, when and where, to identify frost damage.

According to Dr Biddulph grain growers need to be alert, but not alarmed about frost, and know what management options are available to reduce or mitigate frost risk.

Further information:

Dr Ben Biddulph

DPIRD Grains Directorate

3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, WA 6151

m: 0428 920 654

e: [email protected]

GRDC project code: DAW00244; DWA00243; DWA00242; DWA00236

A range of resources to help growers identify and manage frosted crops are available on the GRDC website:

Frost Identification Guide, produced by DPIRD with co-investment from GRDC, available at https://grdc.com.au/CerealFrostIDGuide

Frost - Frequently Asked Questions, a DPIRD publication produced in collaboration with GRDC at https://grdc.com.au/frost-faq

The GRDC YouTube frost playlist which includes segments about the emotional cost of frost and managing the effects of frost https://www.grdc.com.au/GRDC-Video-NationalFrostInitiativePlaylist

GRDC Managing Frost Risk Tips and Tactics at https://grdc.com.au/ManagingFrostRisk

More information on frost management can be found via the GRDC’s suite of GrowNotes™ publications available at https://grdc.com.au/grownotes

Frost resources are also available on the DPIRD website at https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/frost/frost-tools-and-support and https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/frost/management-options-frosted-crop

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