GRDC Podcast

The push to develop perennial cereals suitable for the Australian landscape is gathering pace with longevity of a new generation of plants being a key focus of researchers.

On this podcast Matthew Newell from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) takes us into the heart of ongoing trial work at the Cowra Research Station.

Matthew discusses the significance of home grown Australian perennial crops and explores traits with potential to bring higher returns to growers servicing a range of markets.

Contact:

Matthew Newell, Researcher

NSW DPI

02 6342 3862

[email protected]

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A new online publication is available for Western Australia’s southern grain growers who have a snail, slug or slater problem in their crops.

Crop damage caused by Gastropods and slaters has increased over the past decade and the Albany and Esperance port zone GRDC Regional Cropping Solution Network has identified the issue as an R&D priority.

So the Stirlings to Coast Farmers grower group, independent consultants and a Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development entomologist have been running trials to evaluate baiting and other controls measures.

Svetlana Micic is DPIRD’s Albany based entomologist and has been running snail baiting trials with local farmers and researching snail reproduction.

In this podcast, Svetlana talks specifically about the snail problem and what baiting strategies growers should use to help manage this crop pest issue.

Further information:

Svetlana Micic | Entomologist Research, Development & Innovation Industry & Economic Development

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

444 Albany Hwy, Albany WA

6330 t +61 (0)8 9892 8591 |

m +61 (0)427 772 051 | w dpird.wa.gov.au

‘Mitigating snails, slugs and slaters in southern Western Australia’ is available on the GRDC website at http://bit.ly/2V1GC7d and hard copies are available. To obtain a hard copy, contact the GRDC Perth office on [email protected] or call 08 9230 4600.

Useful Resources Snail and slug baiting guidelines:

http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/286735/Snail_and_slug_baiting_guidelines.pdf Mitigating snails, slugs and slaters in southern Western Australia: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2019/mitigating-snails,-slugs-and-slaters

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In this podcast, CSIRO’s Steve Henry outlines the research he has been doing with mice in cropping systems. Part of that project, which GRDC has invested in, involves bait trials aimed at getting better uptake of Zinc Phosphide the chemical used in mouse baits.

The podcast was recorded during a break between sessions at the Bendigo Update and starts with an update on the situation in the paddocks at the Bendigo Update, February 2019.

Further information:

Steve Henry, CSIRO

0428 633 844

[email protected]

GRDC Research Code: IAC00002

Mr Henry encourages growers and advisers to report and map mouse presence, absence and level of activity using MouseAlert (www.mousealert.org.au) so others can see the scale and extent of localised mouse activity. MouseAlert also provides access to fact sheets about mouse control and forecasts of the likelihood for future high levels of mouse activity in each grain-growing region.

The GRDC-funded mouse monitoring project is a collaboration between Landcare Research (New Zealand), CSIRO Agriculture and Food and the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.

Observations can be directed to Mr Henry via Twitter, @MouseAlert.

Information about mouse control is available via the MouseAlert website, www.mousealert.org.au, or the GRDC Fact Sheet on mouse control.

Update papers – Bendigo 2019 Mice status, baiting and forecast threat: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2019/02/mice-status,-baiting-and-forecast-threat

Useful Resources Mouse Control: https://grdc.com.au/mousecontrol Better Mouse Management: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2017/07/tips-and-tactics-better-mouse-management

Monitoring Mice in Australia: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2018/02/monitoring-mice-in-australia

Controlling Mice - Baiting Strategies: https://agex.org.au/media/controlling-mice-baiting-strategies/ Video: Mice Control - a challenge for conservation farming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQxKXWzkKjQ

Mouse Chew Card: https://grdc.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/307961/Mouse_card_A4web_compressed.pdf GRDC Mouse Control webinar and Q&A from 28th of March: https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/webinars/mouse-control-webinar

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Maximising the benefit derived from applied fertiliser has never been more important as nutrient demands increase.

Researchers in southern central NSW have tested several different nitrogen application methods and their findings challenge the current industry practice.

On this podcast, NSW DPI researcher Graeme Sandral discusses work undertaken over several years and the resulting conclusion that mid row banding of nitrogen has proved to be the most cost efficient application method.

Contact:

[email protected]

Links: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2018/02/improving-nitrogen-fertiliser-use-efficiency-in-wheat-using-mid-row-banding

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Fungicide Resistance in cereal crops such as barley could become as significant an issue for the Australian grains industry as Herbicide resistance in weeds.

Powdery Mildew alone costs many millions a year in crop yield losses according to the industry. Researchers at the Centre for Crop Disease Management, a national research centre co-supported by WA’s Curtin University and the Grains Research & Development Corporation are leading the way in developing new technology and fungicide management strategies to address fungicide resistance in grain crops.

Contact:

Dr Fran Lopez-Ruiz

Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Curtin University, Perth Western Australia

m: 0468 766 584

ph: (08) 9266 3061

e: [email protected]

GRDC project code: CUR00023

More information:

[email protected]

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Sclerotinia stem rot costs western and southern canola growers around $59 million dollars in crop losses annually.

In today’s podcast, Dr Lars Kamphuis from the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM) shares the latest research on pre-breeding efforts to develop resistant varieties.

Supported by the GRDC, researchers from the CCDM have sourced diverse canola genotypes from around the globe in a bid to discover germplasm with better genetic resistance.

Contact:

Carole Kerr, CCDM

[email protected]

More information:

CCDM Sclerotinia hub: http://ccdm.com.au/sclerotinia/

GRDC Grains Research Update papers: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers

GRDC Sclerotinia Stem Rot in Canola fact sheet: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/factsheets/2014/03/grdc-fs-sclerotinia

GRDC Western Region Canola GrowNotes™: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grownotes/crop-agronomy/canola-west DPIRD Sclerotinia hub: https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/canola/managing-sclerotinia-stem-rot-canola NVT Online: https://nvtonline.com.au

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Just how close is Australia’s grains industry to being able to incorporate robotics into a weed control program? Well a lot closer than perhaps many people think.

On this podcast we speak with Guy Coleman from Sydney University on the practical advancements in the field of robotics and discover that making face recognition software applicable to weeds is one of the final hurdles.

Contact:

Guy Coleman

02 8627 7157

[email protected]

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Following a dry 2018 what is the likelihood of disease risk this season. According to the experts, the risk of disease this year can not be ignored. On this podcast, Agriculture Victoria scientists, Grant Hollaway and Joshua Fanning, outline the risks and how to minimise them over the coming months.

Contact:

Grant Hollaway, Agriculture Victoria

[email protected]

Resources: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2019/02/cereal-foliar-and-root-disease-update-2019

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Impact of cotton production on grain production in the north. Transitioning from dryland cotton back into a cereal or pulse crop can be problematic for growers with residual issues associated with the harvested cotton crop.

On this program Jon Baird from NSW DPI at Narrabri discusses trials he has undertaken on differing sowing options following a cotton crop.

Contact:

Jon Baird

02 6799 1520

[email protected]

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Early sowing of canola has clear advantages as is reflected by the number of growers choosing to position their canola seeding program first.

On this podcast, NSW DPI Agronomist, Col McMaster outlines the latest research findings and reminds us of the key issues to consider.

Contact:

Col McMaster, NSWDPI

[email protected]

Resources 10 tips to early sown canola guide: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2018/ten-tips-to-early-sown-canola

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