GRDC Podcast

Knowledge gained from six years of research on root lesion nematodes has been compiled into easy to read region specific fact sheets. Growers and advisers will be able to better assess the risk that root lesion nematodes pose to a paddock across a range of scenarios – from doing nothing to a full control program. Agriculture Victoria plant pathologist, Josh Fanning talks us through the new facts s...

Delivering nitrogen to your crop is one of the more difficult decisions you make each year. Have you supplied enough, or have you supplied too much. This year you have a new friend, in the form of the Nitrogen Reference Manual for the Southern Region. The release of the manual comes at the perfect time for growers who are poised to do top up nitrogen applications. On this podcast, we hear from ag...

The national Hyper Yielding Crops initiative is the GRDC’s new investment to push crop yield boundaries in high yield potential grain-growing environments across Australia. The initiative will involve five centres of excellence. Attached to each centre of excellence will be five focus farms (25 farms in total) and a lead grower network aimed at taking research and development learnings from small...

Between 2017 and 2019 strategically placed wheat trials, located as far north as Central Queensland down to the Riverina region of NSW delivered data that will provide grain growers with regional information about variety adaption and recommended sowing times. The project is part of a bilateral agreement under the grains agronomy and pathology partnership between GRDC and NSW DPI, who brought Quee...

A GRDC investment could see growers in the southern region growing crops like wheat and canola and even peas in the same paddock at the same time. Inter-row cropping is not new, but scientifically evaluating it on a broadacre scale is new. On Part 1 we heard Agriculture Victoria crop scientist, Garry O’Leary explain the aims of the multi-site trials. On Part 2, senior research agronomist, Penny Ri...

It’s radical. It certainly looks different. But the potential benefits could be enormous. It’s called intercropping – growing two or more crops in the same paddock at the same time. In Part 1 of this two part mini-series, we hear about the sheer scale of trials underway across Victoria and what is hoped to be achieved. Agriculture Victoria crop scientist, Garry O’Leary dreams of a future that migh...

Rhizoctonia is a fungal disease that’s causing some concern to growers in the Southern and Western regions. On this podcast we speak to SARDI scientists Alan McKay and Blake Gontar about some of the management options available to growers and, in particular, how they can lessen the presence of the disease in the soil moving in to 2021. Contact: Alan McKay Alan.mckay@sa.gov.au Blake Gontar Blake.go...

New research into Nitrogen applications as part of the Tactical Wheat Agronomy for the West project could challenge the way the industry thinks about what determines the timing of N applications. The research project, a WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and GRDC investment, involved trials across Western Australia’s wheatbelt and revealed a key influencer of wheat yield,...

Yield losses from Red Leather Leaf in Oats could be significantly higher than growers have previously believed. One reason might be that the stubble borne foliar diseases is difficult to identify. On this podcast, Agriculture Victoria research scientist, Mark McLean talks about trials currently underway and why there is strong suspicion that this disease is costing farmers yield. Contact: Mark McC...

A five year GRDC investment aimed at boosting the yield of high value irrigated crops is entering its second year in southern NSW and Victoria. In this podcast, FAR Australia researcher Michael Straight says the gap between what is achieved and what is achievable when it comes to yield comes down to doing the little things right. We also hear from Charlie Aves from the Irrigate Cropping Council ab...

The Dryland Legume Pasture Systems (DLPS) project is evaluating a diverse range of annual pasture legumes on mixed farms in the low to medium rainfall zone (

Think of it as a new breath of fresh air for your crops. Keeping the critical growing window open longer will deliver you bigger yields. Professor Victor Sadras from the South Australian Research and Development Institute has been researching this topic and on this podcasts he speaks about what he has found, in particular the relative importance of grain weight and grain number. Contact Victor Sad...

By 2030 Asia’s demand for wheat will increase by a further 8 million tonnes and that offers Australia’s wheat industry real opportunities. Speaking at the Perth Grains Research Update the CEO of the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre, Richard Simonaitis told delegates, Australia is well placed to win a share of the forecast increase in demand. While the topic for Richard’s Update presentat...

Farmers in northern Queensland were left perplexed and alarmed by damage done to soybean crops by fungal disease. Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries plant pathologist explains in this podcast that crops had been hit by two fungal diseases – Target Spot and Anthracnose, with damage being compounded by Stem Fly attack. Further information: Lisa Kelly Lisa.kelly@daf.qld.gov.au Learn m...

A new resource is available to help grain growers make proactive integrated pest management (IPM) decisions to control diamondback moth (DBM) in canola. It’s called the DBM best management practice guide, and in this podcast, entomologist Dr Kym Perry from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) the research division of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, explor...

Green peach aphid (GPA) has evolved resistance to a large number of insecticides globally, but a handy new resource is available to help Australian canola growers make proactive and sustainable management decisions. It’s called the GPA best management practice guide, and in this podcast entomologist Dr Paul Umina breaks-down its contents, including the key drivers of GPA numbers and effective inte...

The overuse of insecticides and evolution of resistance in redlegged earth mite (RLEM) is a significant issue for southern and western grain growers. But a new snapshot-style resource is available to help growers make sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) decisions to deal with this pest in canola. It’s called the RLEM best management practice guide, and in this podcast, entomologist Dr Pau...

The past can teach us many valuable lessons, particularly when it comes to nature. Scientists around the world are going back in time to capture valuable new traits for modern day chickpeas. Australian scientists are using chickpea varieties collected from the harshest environments to capture strong traits for properties such as increased drought tolerance. On this podcast, Lars Kamphuis from the...

There has been some conjecture in the grains industry as to whether Yellow Leaf Spot is simply a cosmetic disease that has little impact on yield and the contrary view that yield loss can be significant. New research has found that in wet winters the disease does indeed lead to reduced tonnages. On this podcast, Agriculture Victoria plant pathologist, Grant Hollaway talks about what his research f...

Septoria Tritici Blotch has re-emerged as a disease that growers in the southern region should watch out for. Septoria Tritici Blotch is a foliar disease in wheat and was last most prevalent during wet years in the 1970’s. On this podcast, Agriculture Victoria plant pathologist, Grant Hollaway explains the management of a disease that many growers may not have seen before. Contact: Grant Hollaway...

New research by CSIRO has revealed that grazing crops can add up to $1000 per hectare to a farm’s bottom line. With high livestock prices, dual purpose cropping has many advantages, both direct and indirect, including filling the winter feed gap and allowing extra spring pasture growth. On this podcast, CSIRO’s Lindsay Bell outlines those benefits. Contact: Lindsay Bell Lindsay.bell@csiro.au Usefu...

Understanding the amount of nitrogen already available in the soil prior to developing a nutrient budget will help growers to optimise yield and maximise profit for the season ahead. That is one of the key themes discussed in a new Grain Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) podcast on nutrient budgeting by Cropfacts consultant Harm van Rees, Norton Agronomic director Robert Norton and Agron...

Zoning areas within a paddock depending on soil characteristics such as soil nutrition, soil type and performance can help growers make smarter fertiliser decisions to optimise yield and maximise profit for the season ahead. That is one of the key themes discussed in a new Grain Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) podcast on zoning and data management by Nutrien Ag Solutions pecision ag sp...

Goomalling grower Rob Dempster is confident the production potential from yellow sandplain soils on his family’s property can be “unlocked” to become an asset – especially in dry seasons. Rob’s confidence stems from his involvement in a series of research trials on his property, investigating the impacts of a range of soil-inversion and deep-tillage tactics on crop performance. In this podcast, Ro...

Chickpea growers have been cautioned to recognise the potential for an increased risk of Ascochyta Blight in chickpeas in 2020. NSW DPI senior plant pathologist, Kevin Moore warns that Ascochtya inoculum will still be present in chickpea residue that is several years old. A new fact sheet focusing on management options in 2020 is now available to growers and advisers. Contact: Kevin Moore Kevin.mo...