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Soil and Nutrition, 28 Jan 2021Overcoming phosphorus stress in south-eastern Australia
Phosphorus fertiliser is one of the most important and often limiting nutrients in agricultural production. A new project is testing the potential to improve crop nutrient uptake by dual banding phosphorus so it is co-located with moisture in the deeper soil layers.
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Soil and Nutrition, 25 Jan 2021Focus on legume crops’ nitrogen fixation in sandy soils
Growers with sandy soils could improve the ability of legume crops to fix nitrogen by addressing some factors unique to their soil type. Good nodulation is key to ensuring nitrogen fixation takes place; however, one South Australian agronomist and his team believe growers can make a few extra changes to enhance the nitrogen fixation process.
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Soil and Nutrition, 20 Jan 2021Annual legumes to build soil nitrogen for crops
Establishing vigorous legume pastures to boost nitrogen for the subsequent crop can be challenging in the mixed-farming regions of Australia, but will soon be simpler with new management techniques and improved annual hardseeded pasture legume species.
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Soil and Nutrition, 16 Jan 2021Optimum soil sampling strategies for the west
The highly variable soils in Western Australia can be prone to over or under-fertilising, but a carefully considered sampling strategy can help resolve this.
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Soil and Nutrition, 15 Jan 2021GRDC boosts nutrient knowledge
Together with using novel technologies to learn about soil function, a comprehensive approach is being taken by GRDC to upgrade current knowledge and practices to optimise nutrient use efficiency. This includes improving soil sampling, and learning more about fertiliser placement and soil nutrient cycling to inform upgraded fertiliser recommendations.
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Soil and Nutrition, 14 Jan 2021Cutting-edge technology to investigate root behaviour
The Australian Synchrotron has been enlisted to provide insights into plant root-soil relationships and better inform nutrient management decisions, particularly for constrained soils.
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Soil and Nutrition, 13 Jan 2021Deep-banding conundrum for deep-rooting traits
Deep-rooting traits may help crops to access water, but with nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium concentrated in either the top few centimetres or in deep bands of fertiliser, how will these rooting traits affect the crop’s ability to access essential nutrients?
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Soil and Nutrition, 10 Jan 2021Pulse nitrogen boost for acid soils
A suite of improved rhizobia strains that are better adapted to acidic soils are being evaluated for release. Performance of the strains has been shown to be regionally specific and awareness is being raised of management practices that may affect rhizobia nodulation and activity.
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Soil and Nutrition, 22 Dec 2020Boosting deep-phosphorus availability in vertosols
Deep-banded phosphorus provides a valuable supply of nutrition several years after application, but crop access is often limited by the supply of moisture in the band. Expanding the volume of fertilised soil may offer benefits, but success will depend on fertiliser–soil interactions in target soil types.
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Soil and Nutrition, 19 Dec 2020Big three nutrients under rigorous study
The combined effects of changing farming practices and climate are driving the need to update nutrient management strategies for crop production in Western Australia. Innovative technologies and new insights into nutrient cycling are set to inform these improved strategies.
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Agronomy
Agronomy
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Growers urged to focus on minimising risks of spray drift this season
Research is continuing into finding spray drift reduction techniques.
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Check suitability of spray water in north
Calls to test water quality before using it for application of herbicides and pesticides.
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Overcoming phosphorus stress in south-eastern Australia
Phosphorus fertiliser is one of the most important and often limiting nutrients in agricultural production. A new project is testing the potential to improve crop...
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Focus on legume crops’ nitrogen fixation in sandy soils
Growers with sandy soils could improve the ability of legume crops to fix nitrogen by addressing some factors unique to their soil type. Good nodulation...
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Crop variety data released to guide 2020 sowing programs
Making decisions about crop varieties is now easier with new NVT data available
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2020 South Australian Crop Sowing Guide to inform growers' variety decisions
The 2020 South Australian Crop Sowing Guide is now available to support growers with their variety choices.
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Lipid composition clue to frost tolerance
Researchers are starting to unlock the secrets of how frost-tolerant wheat varieties cope with the cold, with the identification of a biochemical pathway unique to...
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Frost should not drive input decisions, researchers say
Results from trials across southern and Western Australia have reassured growers that farm input decisions have little impact on the susceptibility of wheat crops to...
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Grower stories
Grower stories
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Harvest gains through online networking
@Harvestloss is an exciting twitter platform that has been guiding growers in their quest to reduce grain losses at harvest time.
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Confidence in cropping future after two decades of weed management
A 20-year paddock survey has highlighted the changing weed management practices of growers in WA’s northern agricultural region.
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Narrow row spacings set up ‘opportunity enterprise’
The transition to narrower crop row spacings has led to higher yield potential, reduced in-crop weed pressure and increased plant biomass on Richard Konzag's property...
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Researchers profile Red leather leaf disease
New southern research findings have highlighted the grain and hay yield losses caused by a common, yet previously little-known, oat cropping disease – Red leather...
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Playing the waiting game on fall armyworm
With maize, fall armyworm’s preferred food source, being harvested, many are now wondering – what will this invasive pest target next?
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Chickpea harvest losses reduced with a little air
Modifying headers to include air assist can reduce chickpea harvest losses by up to 90kg/ha in low-yielding seasons
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Weeds, pests and diseases
Weeds, pests and diseases
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Researchers find key herbicide resistance gene
Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative scientists have identified one of the genes that enables annual ryegrass to detoxify and become resistant to different herbicides
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Research highlights summer adaption of annual ryegrass
Recent research is investigating whether annual ryegrass as a weed is adapting to Australia's climatic conditions and becoming more productive in the warmer months.
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GRDC praises move to import fall armyworm virus
Allowing the importation of a biological control will form as part of research into fall armyworm control options.
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New tool guides Russian wheat aphid management
A new predictive tool for Russian wheat aphid (RWA) management aims to help Australian growers avoid yield losses and unnecessary expenditure on control costs. The...
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Pre-sowing hygiene to protect next season’s crops
Crop disease expert issues reminder to lower disease risk
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Disease check urged before planting 2021 chickpeas
A leading plant pathologist is urging chickpea growers to assess the risk of Ascochyta blight in paddocks and seed before sowing their 2021 crops
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Grains industry must be aware of markets changing chemical residue limits
Trade implications could be felt as grains markets move to develop chemical regulations.
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Future of herbicide use in the spotlight
Consultant Mark Congreve spoke about the future of chemical use at summer grains event.
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Crop disease surveillance continues despite COVID-19
Large numbers of Queensland crops were surveyed and diseases processed in 2019-20, despite travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic. The 2019-20 survey included wheat,...
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Confirmation bias plays a role in farm biosecurity
Growers should be aware of how confirmation bias could be associated with their selection of brands, breeds and farming practices such as biosecurity. This means...
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Grain storage
Grain storage
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Strategic approach recommended if harvest is a wet one
Seed testing recommended to ensure quality and vigour if rain is experienced during harvest.
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Hygiene and monitoring essential for stored grain
As more grain is stored on-farm, it is essential that it is managed correctly so that the quality does not deteriorate. Storing grain on-farm successfully...
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Crops
Crops
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Legumes a winner for Wimmera farming family
Being able to grow a good pulse crop is only part of the story: understanding the market, growing what buyers want and proper handling of...
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National program for chickpea breeding launched
A five-year breeding program has been launched, boosting breeding capacity in traditional areas while expanding chickpeas’ geographic reach
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New guide to help growers time windrowing in canola
Growers should check new guidelines to support their decision making and minimise losses from poor windrow timing.
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Early sown canola planted into stored soil moisture may hang on and yield better if there is a tough finish
Research demonstrates early-sown canola produces efficient roots to help boost yields.
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Weigh up cover risks
Trial shows mixed farmers could gain.
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Consider soil water storage before sowing a grain sorghum crop
Northern region growers are contemplating late sowing options for sorghum.
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Fortified wheats show promise on sodic soils
Pre-breeders have developed advanced wheat lines with tolerance to some of the physical and chemical stresses found in areas with alkaline and dispersive subsoils
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Master list released: what is next for wheat classification?
The Wheat Quality Australia variety master list for 2020 has been released. Nine newly classified wheat varieties – four feed and five milling varieties –...
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Innovation
Innovation
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How to minimise wind erosion after soil amelioration
Severe wind events in the Western Australian grainbelt in 2020, especially in May, demonstrated that wind erosion after summer/autumn soil amelioration is a serious problem....
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Improving crop establishment in non-wetting soil
Long-term fixes to non-wetting soils, such as inverting, mixing and claying by ploughing, spading, delving and clay spreading, are expensive and unlikely to be implemented...
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Bridge to wild relatives may break barley’s yield ceiling
A step change in barley’s yield potential in both favourable and drought-affected seasons is being masterminded by South Australian researchers through an ingenious use of...
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Lab-to-paddock technology raises wheat breeding bar
A decade of innovation in analytical technology applied to wheat breeding has helped lift yields and resilience in the face of drought and heat stress
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WA grain industry plans a carbon neutral future
The Update will cover the science of storing carbon in WA grainbelt soils, the obligation to store carbon for either 25 or 100 years, and...
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Grow farm profitability through GRDC Updates
The updates will feature topics selected by local planning committees, offering growers and advisers regionally relevant information designed to improve profitability.
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‘Tweaks’ to planting date to lift climate resilience
In a bid to respond to climate change and close the yield gap, growers and researchers across the northern region are exploring the benefits and...
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Breeding new grain varieties, such as short-season wheats is important but complex
Geneticists seek to breed new grain varieties to help manage climate change.
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Farm business
Farm business
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Trainee program future-proofing grains science
An on-the-job training initiative is helping to upskill early career scientists in grains research
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Soil front and centre for 2021 Nuffield Scholar
South Australian mixed farmer Josh McIntosh is GRDC’s 2021 Nuffield Scholar
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Western GRDC Grower Network News
The western region Grower Network groups met to discuss and prioritise constraints and opportunities for the five port zone areas.
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Have a say in grains research through Grower Network
Grain growers in the southern cropping region are invited to provide GRDC with ideas to advance their industry.
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GRDC brings management insights to the land
Western Australian grain growers are encouraged to register early for the upcoming Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Farm Business Updates at Esperance, Goomalling and...
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Put safety first this harvest, urges experienced grain grower
NSW grain grower Roy Hamilton is urging his industry colleagues to take extra care with workplace health and safety this harvest.
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