GRDC Investment Summaries
GRDC Investments Addressing a Selection of Issues
Low Rainfall Zone
- Minimise the impact of spring radiation frost on grain yield and stability.
- Amelioration and management of sandy soils.
- Effective summer weed control including identified issues -
- Issue No. 1 - Herbicide options and tips and tactics for summer weed control because restrictions on the use of important products has meant that spraying may not be able to occur under optimum conditions as the window for spraying has narrowed.
- Issue No. 4 - The loss of glyphosate as a major tool through either regulation or resistant weed species would significantly impact on the profitability and sustainability of farming systems in low rain zone.
- Issue No. 27 - Phenoxy herbicides - alternatives
- Better adapted cereal varieties a key part of Issue 29 - Better adapted cereal and pulse varieties i.e. shorter season varieties with a longer flowering period.
- Issue No. 36 - Better access to profit and production focused precision agriculture support would increase return on investment in the low rainfall zone
- Issue No. 42 - Crown Rot is increasing with changed farming practices leaving stubble crowns intact and not susceptible to breakdown
- Southern Pulse Agronomy, Southern Pulse Validation and Southern Pulse Extension investments
- Issue No. 29 - Seed banks of problem grass weeds are increasing because harvest weed seed management is not being fully utilised
- Issue No. 42 - Crop establishment under marginal soil conditions – moisture, stubble, precision seeding, discs, chemicals and also incorporates a number of related issues including –
- Issue No. 10 - The risk (either perceived or real) of herbicide residues accumulating in sandy soils in low rainfall environments is reducing returns
- Issue No. 33 – Sandy soils – crop establishment and growth …
- Issue No. 36 – Fertiliser toxicity
- Issue No. 42 – Understanding seed zone environment – vertical furrows – need confirmation
- Maximising water use and profit across the crop sequence
- Issue No. 9 - Hard to control weeds
- Issue No. 18 - The opportunity to use big data to improve grower profitability in the low rainfall zone
- Issue No. 20 - Glyphosate-resistant weed populations are developing on fence lines
- Issue No. 20 – Nitrogen management decisions - value of legume contribution and cost vs. return on investment in N fertiliser
- Issue No. 20 – Managing insects - forecasts and alerts, new pests, thresholds, new insecticide groups and control of resistant populations
- Issue No. 24 - Phenoxys - alternatives
- Issue No. 1 - Improved pulse varieties to improve profitability of farming systems in the low rainfall zone
- Issue No. 5 - Farm business management skills are essential to improving long term profitability
- Issue No. 6 - Robotics provide opportunities to increase efficiencies and profitability of farm businesses
- Issue No. 7 – New and novel methods of weed control
- Issue No. 10 – Predicting flowering time and manipulating crop development to reduce exposure during high risk periods to mitigate impact of frost
- Issue No. 12 - The sustainable use of cost effective herbicides and the development of alternative management tools are critical for effective weed control and profitability of cropping systems
- Issue No.15 - The downside risk of highly leveraged, high input, high crop intensity farming systems threatens the economic viability of low rainfall farm businesses
- Issue No. 21 - Barley and Brome Grass control
- Issue No. 24 - The lack of low cost open pollinated canola varieties is contributing to the reduction in canola area in the low rainfall zone
- Issue No. 31 - Rhizoctonia – economics of fungicides (seed dressings and in-furrow application)
- Issue No. 1 - The loss of glyphosate as a major tool through either regulation or resistant weed species would significantly impact on the profitability and sustainability of farming systems in low rainfall zone.
- Issue No. 4 - As the global trend for pesticide regulation based on hazard rather than risk continues, deregistration of affordable active ingredients will cause an increase in pesticide costs and erode profit margins.
- Issue No. 4 - Increased model skill in seasonal forecasts provided from March to May and better forecast utilisation by growers and advisers presents an opportunity to improve decision-making management risk more effectively.
- Issue No. 6 – The risk (either perceived or real) of herbicide residues accumulating in sandy soils in low rainfall environments is reducing returns.
- Issue No. 7 – Limited knowledge, skills and experience of growers and advisers new to pulse growing increases production risk of pulses in the low rainfall zone.
- Issue No. 10 - Opportunities to improve the integration and management of livestock into the farming system with site specific grazing is impeded by technology cost and state regulation.
- Issue No.10 - R,D & E capacity in the low rainfall zone is diminished by retraction of public investment in infrastructure and human resources and the exit of experienced professionals.
- Issue No. 10 - Opportunities to improve profit are missed as new practices are not adopted due to a lack of grower trust in small plot results.
- Issue No. 11 - The downside risk of highly leveraged, high input, high crop intensity farming systems threatens the economic viability of low rainfall farm businesses.
- Issue No. 13 - The strong preference growers demonstrate for peer to peer learning via digital communication (Twitter) is an opportunity for effective extension to builds skills and capacity and practice change.