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GRDC Websites

74 results found
  • GRDC invests $35M to drive machine automation and intelligent technology for grain growers
    Announcements, 26 Jul 2024
    GRDC invests $35M to drive machine automation and intelligent technology for grain growers

    An innovative, new $35 million, five-year investment to accelerate the adoption of machine automation and digital, intelligence technologies by Australian grain growers has been launched by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).GRDC Managing Director Nigel Hart launched the Grain Automate initiative last night (Thursday, 25 July) at the Innovation Generation 2024 conference on Queensland’s Gold Coast.This GRDC future-focused initiative will include a portfolio of up to 30 new research, development and extension (RD&E) investments complementing GRDC’s dynamic research in ag tech, precision agriculture, digital agronomy and advanced analytics.

  • Hugh ‘Bugs’ Brier, Queensland IPM pioneer, retires
    Announcements, 24 Jul 2024
    Hugh ‘Bugs’ Brier, Queensland IPM pioneer, retires

    Entomologist Hugh Brier is retiring after a 50-year career in the northern grains region, where he pioneered insect pest control for summer pulses including integrated pest management practices

  • $17M project to unlock enhanced efficiency fertiliser potential
    Announcements, 17 Jul 2024
    $17M project to unlock enhanced efficiency fertiliser potential

    Australian grain growers could unlock tools to improve nitrogen use efficiency and reduce on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through a national research project examining enhanced efficiency fertilisers (EEFs).EEFs use chemical or physical approaches to regulate the release of nitrogen and its availability to plants. They aim to reduce the risk of nitrogen loss by better synchronising the supply of fertiliser to the demands of the crop.The four-year, $17.33M project is a co-investment of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and will be led by the University of Melbourne alongside several research organisations and industry partners.

  • GRDC supporting SA growers through SAGIT
    Announcements, 01 Jul 2024
    GRDC supporting SA growers through SAGIT

    The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is bolstering its support for South Australian grain growers through new research collaborations with the South Australian Grain Industry Trust (SAGIT). SAGIT, which funds research through a voluntary levy on grain receivals in South Australia, is investing $2.6 million in new projects this year. GRDC is co-investing $333,324 in three key initiatives. One of these projects, managed by the Upper North Farming Systems group, aims to develop strategies for mitigating frost damage in the Upper North region. This local project will also enhance the broader national understanding of frost management, a longstanding research area for both GRDC and SAGIT. Another significant co-investment focuses on optimizing fertiliser strategies for on-row sowing of lentils in saline soils, led by Sam Holmes of Central Ag Solutions. This research will adapt successful practices from the Yorke Peninsula and Mid North to other regions such as the Mallee and Eyre Peninsula, where lentil cultivation is growing.

  • New GRDC Western Panel Chair appointed
    Announcements, 24 Jun 2024
    New GRDC Western Panel Chair appointed

    Gary Lang has been appointed as the new chair of the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) Western Region Panel. With over four decades of farming experience and a strong commitment to research and innovation, Lang is poised to lead the panel in delivering impactful research investments that align with the priorities of Western Australian grain growers. Lang’s farming journey began with a 1,000-hectare Merino stud enterprise, which he expanded into a 5,600-hectare cropping-focused business. He has been a key participant in agricultural research, hosting GRDC National Variety Trials (NVT) and playing a pivotal role in frost research initiatives. Lang’s dedication to sustainable and profitable grain farming, combined with his extensive industry connections and history of leadership in the Facey Group, positions him well for his new role. He succeeds Darrin Lee, who has significantly contributed to the GRDC’s research, development, and extension (RD&E) outcomes over the past decade.

  • New soil knowledge website now online sharing science and management insights for agriculture
    Announcements, 17 Jun 2024
    New soil knowledge website now online sharing science and management insights for agriculture

    A new website to support farmers, researchers, advisors, and students in their understanding of soil science and management is now online, with hundreds of resources and topics available to be explored.

  • Growers to lead change to hyper profitable crops
    Announcements, 29 May 2024
    Growers to lead change to hyper profitable crops

    Field Applied Research Australia (FAR Australia) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) have initiated a new project aimed at transforming the on-farm profitability of wheat and barley growers in Australia's high-rainfall zones. The initiative seeks to bridge the gap between current crop yields and potential profitability through improved management practices. By 2027, the project aims to equip growers with the necessary motivation, agronomic support, and knowledge to maximize yields and profits. Seven innovation and benchmarking hubs will be established in key high-rainfall areas including the south coast of Western Australia, south-eastern South Australia, southern Victoria, Tasmania, and southern New South Wales. These hubs will facilitate knowledge exchange, crop inspections, and discussions to help growers implement innovative agronomic practices.

  • Geneticists on the hunt for tastier, higher value narrow-leafed lupins
    Announcements, 10 May 2024
    Geneticists on the hunt for tastier, higher value narrow-leafed lupins

    The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has initiated two significant research projects with a combined investment of $7 million to advance the genetic development of narrow-leafed lupin (NLL), focusing on enhancing its nutritional quality and agronomic value. These projects are part of a collaboration involving the Western Crop Genetics Alliance (WCGA), Murdoch University, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) of Western Australia, CSIRO, and Australian Grain Technologies. Dr. Camilla Hill, GRDC's manager of genetic technologies - pulses, highlighted that Australia leads global lupin production, contributing 85% to the market, primarily exporting to Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. Given the growing global population and increasing interest in plant-based diets, these initiatives aim to tap into the expanding plant protein market by improving the nutritional profile of NLL, specifically by reducing its anti-nutritional seed alkaloid levels.

  • Farming systems project to inform decision-making for southern growers
    Announcements, 07 May 2024
    Farming systems project to inform decision-making for southern growers

    The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is investing $7.6 million, with an additional $6.1 million co-investment from the University of Adelaide, into a significant new farming systems project aimed at boosting the profitability and sustainability of grain growers in the southern regions of Australia. Over the next five years, this project will conduct extensive research across nine field sites in South Australia and Victoria, examining various soil types and rainfall conditions. Led by Dr. Matthew Knowling of the University of Adelaide, the multi-disciplinary team will employ biophysical modeling and economic evaluation to assess a broad spectrum of farming practices and their long-term impacts. The study will explore diverse cropping systems and performance metrics such as gross margins, soil health, organic carbon levels, input requirements, greenhouse gas emissions, and associated risks.

  • New catalogue unlocks potential of Australian grains research data
    Announcements, 30 Apr 2024
    New catalogue unlocks potential of Australian grains research data

    The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has launched the GRDC Data Catalogue, a pivotal new resource aimed at empowering Australian researchers by providing access to extensive grains research, development, and extension (RD&E) data. This public catalogue will expedite the discovery and utilization of data collected from GRDC investments spanning the last two decades, enhancing the development and deployment of new technologies and knowledge for grain growers. Dr. Jeff Cumpston, data analytics manager at GRDC, highlighted the launch as a key step in GRDC's ongoing efforts to maximize the value of RD&E data for the agricultural community. The catalogue not only facilitates current research needs by making vast data sets more accessible but also plans to expand data availability as more partners integrate their systems with this new platform. This initiative is expected to significantly advance agricultural research, fostering innovations that will benefit grain growers across Australia.

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