GRDC - Driving Agronomy Podcasts

Research into the attitudes of Asian flour millers to Australian wheat has revealed a high level of satisfaction with the Australian product, but issues such as increasing levels of screenings and contamination as well as a reduction in market support is of concern to our customers. In this program Dr Ken Quail outlines the results of the Asian component of a wider study funded by Grain Growers Limited and DAAF entitled What the World Wants from Australian Wheat. Contact: Dr...

Insecticide resistance is increasing and GRDC is funding research programs to identify the scale of resistance and methods to prevent the onset of insect resistance. On this program Dr Paul Umina talks about ways growers can minimise the risk of selecting for resistance amongst red legged earth mite. Contact: Dr Paul Umina (03) 9349 4723 Email: pumina@unimelb.edu.au

There’s been some interesting work done on medium soil types in central west NSW comparing a no till tyne based seeding system and a zero till disc system and the interplay of livestock. Researchers wanted to see the impact grazing livestock on the stubble from each system would have on the following yield and weed control in the summer fallow. Contact: Lachlan Caldwell 0427 816 897 Email: lcaldwell@lachfert.com.au

Liebig’s Law of the Minimum states that growth is controlled not by the total amount of resources available, but by the scarcest resource – the limiting factor. On this program Dr Mike Bell explains how the law applies to managing nutrient levels in today’s cropping environment. Contact: Dr Mike Bell (07) 4160 0730 Email: mike.bell@dpi.qld.gov.au

Farmers are urged to be careful not to place fertiliser granules too close to seeds. With heavy fertiliser use expected in the east and likely dry sowing condition on sandy soils in the west, the season is set for an increase in cases of fertiliser toxicity. Scientists are most worried about fertilisers, such as urea, that release free ammonia and the possible impact on small seed crops like canola. Contact: Dr Robert Norton (03) 5381 2673; Email: rnorton@ipni.net

With the world population predicted to reach 9 billion by 2050, it’s widely held that worldwide food production will need to double in that time. Is it possible? And what are the risks and opportunities for the world and its farmers. Science communicator, Professor Julian Cribb offers his view in this edition of GRDC Driving Agronomy. Contact: Professor Julian Cribb (02) 6242 8770 Email: jcribb@work.netspeed.com.au

GRDC has funded a campaign called Rust Bust in an effort to lessen the effect of cereal rust diseases in a growing season that's expected to be the worst for rust in 40 years. A step by step checklist has been developed beginning with the control of the green bridge over Summer and Autumn to monitoring paddocks and talking with neighbours.　 Contact: Prof Robert Park Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (02) 9351 8806

New performance measures, which allow farmers to compare their performance to other farmers in their agro-ecological region, have been unveiled by the Grains Research and Development Corporation. For the first time, many of the performance parameters are expressed in per hectare terms allowing realistic comparisons to be made regardless the size of the farm. Peruse the benchmarking data for your area while you listen at www.grdc.com.au/abaresreports Contact: Zoltan Lukacs (02) 6166 4500 Email: z.lukacs@grdc.com.au

There are both short term and long term benefits from retaining crop stubble. Benefits such as disease suppression and nitrogen fixation may take up to 7 years before they are realised. This program is a timely reminder of the benefits of stubble retention. Contact: Vadakattu Gupta (08) 8303 8579 Email: gupta.vadakattu@csiro.au

Despite a high awareness amongst farmers, the number and severity of incidents of chemical spray drift continues to climb. Bill Gordon gives some tips on minimising spray drift, particularly during night time spraying operations and talks about upcoming changes to chemical labels. Contact: Bill Gordon, Email: bill.gordon@bigpond.com

Extensive trials across a range of soil types have examined the yield advantages of wider row spacings. The trials have revealed yield losses are significant when row spacings move from 30 cm to 50 cm in above average yielding seasons and that there is little difference in the performance of different varieties at wider row spacings. Contact: Guy McMullen (02) 6763 1100 Email: guy.mcmullen@industry.nsw.gov.au

New GRDC Managing Director John Harvey says his goal is to ensure that growers receive true value for their levy investment in GRDC during his tenure at the helm of the organisation. Mr Harvey says a major challenge will be to keep growers ahead of declining terms of trade, improving their productivity and profitability through research and development. Contact: John Harvey (02) 6166 4500

Plant scientists have begun to quantify the benefits of grazing cereal and canola crops to the whole farm enterprise. Suprisingly, up to 40 percent of the benefit comes from grazing the rested pasture once stock are removed from the crop. Anecdotal evidence suggests gross margin increases from dual purpose cropping range from $100 to $400 per hectare. Contact: Dr John Kirkegaard (02) 6246 5080 Email: john.kirkegaard@csiro.au

According to the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative depleting the weed seed bank in your soil need not be a long process. Professor Stephen Powles says as weed numbers fall, technology such as Weed Seeker can help prolong the efficacy of chemicals by targeting specific weeds. Professor Powles says if weed seed levels are high there is an argument for a one off cultivation to deeply bury weed seeds in the soil making them ineffective. Contact: Professor Stephen Powles (08) 6488...

Choosing resistant varieties and managing stubble loads should be considered by growers in Eastern Australia who are facing another year of heavy yellow spot infection in their wheat crops. And growers in Western Australia may not get off lightly despite many carrying light stubble loads. Low disease levels in one year do not necessarily mean low disease levels in the following year. Contact: Greg Platz (07) 4660 3633 Email: greg.platz@deedi.qld.gov.au