issue 172, september october 2024
This page shows the articles in issue 172, september october 2024 of GroundCover. As articles are developed and published online, the list below will grow until all articles are available.
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Added diversity reduces wild radish control evasion
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 30 Sep 2024Wild radish has developed resistance to multiple herbicide modes of action, prompting the need for more non-herbicidal, integrated weed management solutions. Studies by Dr Michael Ashworth’s Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative team reveal wild radish is now adapting to evade harvest weed seed control by shedding seeds early. To counter this, incorporating various weed control methods and leveraging modern machinery and weed mapping technologies are essential.
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Is human ingenuity winning the war on weeds?
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 27 Sep 2024Ray Harrington has spent more than six decades innovating and adapting sustainable farming practices. This has included minimum tillage and developing tools such as the harvest weed destructor to combat herbicide-resistant weeds and improve cropping efficiencies. His collaborative efforts with researchers and continuous adaptation to evolving agricultural challenges reflect his commitment to advancing farming techniques and supporting the farming community.
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Genebanks made to order for the 21st century
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 26 Sep 2024Upgrades to the Australian Grains Genebank have created an integrated pipeline delivering the genetic resources breeders need to put advanced crop varieties into growers’ paddocks. This upgrade is being undertaken as a $30 million, five-year co-investment by GRDC and the Victorian Government from 2022 to 2027. Recently completed was an $8.8 million infrastructure upgrade to Agriculture Victoria’s Horsham SmartFarm, also as a co-investment. The upgrade aims to transform the AGG from a traditional genebank into a bio-digital resource centre, where digital and genomic information is used to make the plant genetic resources conserved within the AGG even more accessible and useful to the grains industry.
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New pathways for nematode control explored
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 25 Sep 2024Research into root lesion nematode is investigating new options for control while identifying the prevalence of different species in Western Australia. Murdoch University PhD researcher Dr Rhys Copeland has identified that chemicals common to both tolerant and susceptible cereals had differing effects on nematodes, depending on their concentration.
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Machine learning heralds a new era of functional soil mapping
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 24 Sep 2024The mapping pf soil constraints and plant-available water capacity has benefited significantly from consecutive GRDC investments in the development and deployment of machine-learning models
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The science of cool
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 23 Sep 2024New 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.
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New phosphine residue limits test venting standards
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 20 Sep 2024The 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.
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The automatic advantage of grain cooling
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 19 Sep 2024Queensland 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.
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Chickpea optimism grows with breeding and market improvements
Issue 172, September-October 2024 - 18 Sep 2024Higher prices for chickpeas and improved varieties are encouraging expanded plantings in 2024. Among them is Western Australian grower Neil Smith. To support the development of suitable new varieties, Neil is hosting genetic trials as part of Chickpea Breeding Australia (CBA) for the second year this year. CBA is a five-year, $30 million collaboration between GRDC and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), based at the Tamworth Agricultural Institute and led by NSW DPIRD chickpea breeder Dr Kirsty Hobson.