GRDC - Driving Agronomy Podcasts
Summary: Brought to you by the Grains Research and Development Corporation and presented by Online Business Radio’s Chris Brown, Driving Agronomy podcasts are released weekly and discuss various agronomic issues to assist and inform those in the Australian grain industry.
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Podcasts:
GRDC is funding research that aims to harness the power of spiders in killing insect pests. Synthetic spider venom is just one of the innovative research projects underway to control insect pests in an environmentally sustainable fashion, underpinned by IPM principles. Find out more on this edition of GRDC Driving Agronomy.
GRDC is funding a project to map the occurrence of insecticide resistance in grain growing areas of Australia. The project aims to help farmers and their advisers better manage insect pests and to act quickly if evidence of further resistance emerges.
On this program, GRDC’s Executive Manager for Regional Grower Services, Stuart Kearns takes us through the Crop Sequencing Initiative – its purpose and design.
The quality of the water you use in your spray applications can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the spray job. In this GRDC Driving Agronomy, Bill Gordon explains why it is important to have your spray water tested.
In some parts of Australia, trace element deficiency is common and farmers address the problem on a regular basis. However, elsewhere trace element deficiency may not be top of mind for farmers. Agronomists say growers risk creating yield problems if they don’t check for trace element deficiency using soil tests and tissue sampling.
Work undertaken during last year’s winter crop showed that some farmers are continuing to apply their first Stripe Rust spray too early. Farmers are spraying for stripe rust when their wheat crop reaches Growth Stage 25 but they are being encouraged to wait until Growth Stage 32 to provide greater protection.
The control of fleabane should not be left entirely to a double knock strategy during the summer fallow. Farmers should also watch for new germinations of fleabane in the Autumn and take action to kill the weed while still at seedling stage.
Work being undertaken in southern NSW is looking at the role brown manure – a cashless crop – might play in phase farming. Consultant Robert Patterson says there is little difference in gross returns because of the additional yield that is achieved in subsequent cash crops. Contact: Robert Patterson (02) 6942 3666. Emai: robertp@rmsag.com.au
Narrow windrow burning has become popular in Western Australia in recent times as a means of destroying herbicide resistant weeds. But is it for everyone? On this edition of GRDC Driving Agronomy, WA farmer, Doug Smith describes some of the practical considerations of windrow burning – when and how you do it. Contact: Doug Smith 0429 201 012. Email: dbkasmith@bigpond.com
Avoiding herbicide resistance must be a priority for all farmers. On this program Andrew Storrie talks about a couple of non-chemical weed control methods popular in Western Australia – deep cultivation and windrow burning. Contact: Andrew Storrie. Email: andrew@agronomo.com.au
The key to lifting soil carbon levels is simple mathematics. The amount of nutrient inputs needs to be greater than the carbon dioxide outputs. What that means and how it can be achieved is the subject of this edition of GRDC Driving Agronomy. Contact: Jeff Baldock 08 8303 8537. Email: jeff.baldock@csiro.au
Global demand for grain is expected to increase significantly over the next 10 years leading to improved prices, according to the USDA. But with farm costs expected to increase commensurately, the key to prosperity will be to increase production. Where does that leave the Australian grains industry? USDA policy analyst, Michael Dwyer offers his views on this edition of GRDC Driving Agronomy.
While wheat prices look set to remain subdued due to world stock levels, demand for feed grains and oilseeds is expected to remain strong. On this edition of GRDC Driving Agronomy, Steve Powell from Market Check takes a peak behind what’s driving world markets right now and to some possible volatility later in the year. Contact: Steve Powell (02) 9499 4199. Email: steve.powell@agrisk.com.au
A new commercial test developed with funding from GRDC will help growers ensure they are growing malting barley most sought after by maltsters. Malting barley varieties have increasingly been more difficult to differentiate. This new test will provide DNA analysis of barley seed and should be available within months. Contact: Paul Meibusch, GRDC Manager for Commercial Farm Technologies (02) 6166 4500. Email: p.meibusch@grdc.com.au
Scientists warn of a greater risk of blackleg disease in canola crops this year if growers plant canola in last year’s canola stubble. With high canola prices and low cereal prices growers are expected to maximise their canola plantings. But with large levels of blackleg inoculum present, growers will need to be wary. Contact: Steve Marcroft (03) 5381 2294. Email: steve@grainspathology.com.au
