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51 results found
  • Seeds need cool, dry conditions, no matter the variety
    Grain Storage, 21 Apr 2025
    Seeds need cool, dry conditions, no matter the variety

    As investment in on-farm storage grows, new research shows why it is critical to maintain wheat seed in cool, dry conditions, no matter the variety

  • Storage alleviates logistical choking points
    Grain Storage, 07 Nov 2024
    Storage alleviates logistical choking points

    On-farm grain storage plays an increasingly important role in cropping and other grain-related businesses. Tristan Nitschke, Andy Tucker and Drew Hennessy discuss challenges and opportunities

  • From paddock to pint
    Grain Storage, 05 Nov 2024
    From paddock to pint

    Rocky Ridge Brewery has partnered with Tolga Farm to create a closed-loop, sustainable brewing process. Drawing on the expertise of GRDC’s National Grain Storage Extension Project, the brewery has ensured optimal storage conditions for malted grain, reducing carbon emissions and improving efficiency.

  • Give grain storage a pre-harvest health check
    Grain Storage, 31 Oct 2024
    Give grain storage a pre-harvest health check

    GRDC Grain Storage Extension team project lead Chris Warrick said the biggest challenge of storing grain is dealing with insects (weevils) - and prevention is always better than cure.

  • Grain storage keeps harvest operations on a roll
    Grain Storage, 25 Oct 2024
    Grain storage keeps harvest operations on a roll

    Andy Tucker has 5500-tonnes of on-farm storage. It helps maximise returns at his Maroona farm. He has a cone-based silo and shed storage system and can sell grain directly to the feed and export markets at a time and price that best suits.

  • Pest resistance raising the knowledge bar for stored grain
    Grain Storage, 08 Oct 2024
    Pest resistance raising the knowledge bar for stored grain

    Ongoing research highlights the growing challenge of managing stored grain pests due to increasing insect resistance to phosphine, a widely used fumigant in on-farm storage. The GRDC's Phosphine Resistance Monitoring Program, led by Dr Manoj Nayak from Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, has observed that over the past five years, insect pests have become harder to control. This program, running for over two decades, conducts more than 500 tests annually across Australia’s cropping regions, providing critical data on resistance trends and offering practical advice to growers. Despite the rise in resistance, Dr Nayak notes that the successful implementation of a national Resistance Management Strategy, including early detection and alternative treatments, is helping to maintain low resistance levels in Australia. Phosphine remains the preferred, cost-effective, and residue-free treatment for controlling major pest species in stored commodities.

  • The science of cool
    Grain Storage, 23 Sep 2024
    The science of cool

    New research shows that grain type, depth and the way it settles in a silo affect the function of aeration cooling, with implications for insect control and stored grain quality.

  • New phosphine residue limits test venting standards
    Grain Storage, 20 Sep 2024
    New phosphine residue limits test venting standards

    The threshold limit value–time weighted average (TLV-TWA) for acceptable phosphine residue levels in grain is changing and new research indicates some guidelines for minimum ventilation periods after phosphine fumigation are inadequate for meeting industry standards.

  • The automatic advantage of grain cooling
    Grain Storage, 19 Sep 2024
    The automatic advantage of grain cooling

    Queensland grower Tristan Nitschke uses modern storage technology, including automated aeration. It provides greater flexibility for harvest logistics and marketing and helps eliminate on-farm grain challenges. His system consists of 50 old and new conical-based silos ranging in capacity from 100 to 280 tonnes. The 11,000t capacity, holds one-third of the grain produced each year.

  • GRDC urges growers to assess farm silos ahead of harvest
    Grain Storage, 19 Jul 2024
    GRDC urges growers to assess farm silos ahead of harvest

    A series of high-risk incidents involving the collapse of on-farm silos has industry experts calling on grain growers across the country to assess and either maintain or decommission older silos. Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) grain storage extension team specialist Chris Warrick offered the warning in the wake of several serious, on-farm incidents involving the collapse of silos in southern Australia.

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