Author: Nicole Baxter
184 results found:-
Farming systems trials go paddock-scale
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-03-22T09:00:00+11:00The Southern New South Wales farming systems project has extended small-plot experiments at Condobolin, Greenethorpe, Wagga Wagga, and Urana until 2027. Enhanced research components, co-invested by GRDC, CSIRO, and NSW DPIRD, aim to optimize rain-to-grain conversion. In 2024, new rotations at Wagga Wagga were introduced to study slow-release fertilizers and greenhouse gas emission reduction. The 'Diverse Farms' initiative, added in 2024, extends small-plot results to paddock-scale trials across six farms, focusing on soil nitrogen, weeds, diseases, yields, and profit. Grassroots Agronomy consultants lead this initiative. Keep an eye out for paddock walks over the next three years for insights from researchers and growers.
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Diversity is a defence against weeds
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-03-21T09:00:00+11:00A diverse crop sequence can cost-effectively help reduce the annual ryegrass population. From 2014 to 2017, CSIRO's research at Temora, NSW, funded by GRDC, compared three farming systems' effects on the annual ryegrass seedbank. The initial ryegrass population was 1864 plants per square meter. System 1 used a conservative canola-wheat-wheat sequence, System 2 an aggressive canola-wheat-wheat sequence, and System 3 a diverse vetch-canola-wheat-barley sequence. System 3 significantly reduced ryegrass to 204 plants per square meter and yielded better results, with barley outperforming other crops. This study highlights barley's competitiveness in weed suppression and its resilience in dry conditions.
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Hardy barley proves its worth in rotation trials
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-03-20T09:00:00+11:00Long-term farming systems experiments support barley as a profitable inclusion in canola and wheat rotations
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Research enthusiast sees value in ground-truthing
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-03-13T09:00:00+11:00Seven years ago, a forward-thinking mixed farmer from southern New South Wales applied to become a GRDC panel member to ensure growers’ needs were put first
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National survey shows glyphosate resistance is on the rise
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-03-08T09:00:00+11:00The latest Australia-wide survey of weeds has painted a concerning picture about increased herbicide resistance among weeds, particularly annual ryegrass
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High-yielding wheat varieties draw interest
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-02-18T09:00:00+11:00In south-west New South Wales, the irrigated Mayrung National Variety Trials near Blighty attracted plenty of interest from southern growers keen to assess the range of new high-yielding wheat varieties on offer
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Audits keep trial quality high
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-02-10T09:00:00+11:00The work of service providers is audited each year to ensure the NVT program sustains high-quality outputs
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NVT: a test for pathogen resistance
Author: By Nicole Baxter, 2025-01-31T09:00:00+11:00GRDC invests in plant pathologists and pre-breeders who use the National Variety Trials to screen and select varieties for resistance to disease
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Grains steps up preparations for GHG monitoring
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-01-21T09:00:00+11:00With the grains industry, like agriculture more broadly, facing increasing pressure to know its carbon footprint, GRDC has made a strategic investment into a new calculator for growers
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PA and wi-fi tractors leave little to chance
Author: Nicole Baxter, 2025-01-20T09:00:00+11:00After a few people in the Grenfell district started using the firm Precision Ag to source satellite imagery in 2016, Paul hired the company to complete an electromagnetic (EM38) survey to identify differences in soil types and see if these correlated with yield.