Grains Research and Development

Research & Development

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There has been fundamental adjustment to GRDC’s structure and focus to align with the pillars of successful, profitable grain production. These are the GRDC research themes.

  1. Meeting market requirements
  2. Improving crop yield
  3. Protecting your crop
  4. Advancing profitable farming systems
  5. Improving your farm resource base and
  6. Building skills and capacity

The GRDC Strategic Plan 2012-17 will focus on delivering benefits to growers from current research and development (R&D). The GRDC recognises that impacts on grower profit and sustainability can be achieved through better delivery of the current outputs of R&D. GRDC is also committed to balance the research, development and extension (R,D&E) portfolio to deliver immediate outcomes and generate the information and technologies from R&D required for future delivery of innovation to growers.

The themes are designed to focus the RD&E portfolio on activities that will make the biggest difference and deliver the best return to Australian grain growers. The Research and Development section of this website is designed to provide better access to information on GRDC-funded Research and Development projects.

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More information

The filter module allows you to filter the project list so you can find the projects most relevant to your interests.

Filtering by location can be done by entering your postcode, district or state, or simply using the Google Maps zoom and pan functions to find the area you are looking for. Location-specific projects are indicated by green markers on the map. Clicking on the marker of interest will bring up a brief description of the project. From there, you can click on the “More information” link to take you to the project page.

Filtering by category will show you all relevant projects according to your interest area. This could be by your region, by the research institution type, by the Research and Development area or by the year the research was conducted in.

Filtering by Institution allows you to filter according to the type of Research Institution that funded or carried out the research. These include: State Government; Australian Government; R&D Corporation; University; CRC; CSIRO; Farming Systems Group; On Farm Trial; International Research; Private Sector; Private Consultant; and Agribusiness.

  • Supporting a global program to establish soil metagenomic databases for iconic grain production trials

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    31.10.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    DAV00120

    Soil Biota mediate several processes that grain production systems rely upon for sustainable profitability. The benefits of N and P capture and release, suppression of soil-borne disease agents, degradation of herbicides, and maintenance of structural integrity are increasingly recognised as being important though not fully valued. In order to manage these processes, it is imperative that these functions are able to be measured and related to the management regime and overarching drivers such as soil type and climate. Bioplatforms Australia (BPA) Pty Ltd is proposing to provide support to sequence soils of national significance. The nascent BASE (Biome of Australian Soil Environments) project, builds on recent efforts in metagenomics, microbiology, invertebrate and plant ecology to create a coherent database of the genetic diversity present in Australian soils; while the construction of this database will reveal many insights into the functional relationships underpinning soil health, the primary aim is to generate a publically available reference dataset that will act as a baseline for studies of ecosystem change for the decades to come. Bioplatforms Australia is promoting this collaborative initiative in recognition of the national significance of such a database in addressing the future and its challenges.The investment by Bioplatforms Australia relies upon the support of collaborative agencies to assist in the 'front-end' collection of soils and associated site data (metadata). This project will assist in the collection of soils and metadata according to international guidelines established by the Earth Microbiome project (EMP) (www.earthmicrobiome.org) and aligns with the existing investment within SBI-II Theme 1 Soil quality monitoring program and also with theme 2 and 3 where long-term agronomic trials are being accessed already. The real advantage of this project is that it will facilitate the collection of microbial community composition and function to a depth never before attempted from sites of real value in grain production.These sites will consider the Liebe trial (WA), the Hermitage site (Qld), the SCRIME site (Victoria) and the Avon site (SA).

  • Can arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi be harnessed to enhance P nutrition and grain yield in rotations?

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    UA00128
    Region
    National
    Institution
    University

  • Core DRT Database to Support the Ground Application of Pesticides (boom sprayer), accommodating Nozzles, Formulations and Adjuvants

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    UQ00060
    Region
    National
    Institution
    University
    R&D Area
    Crop Protection

  • New technologies and biological concepts for pre-breeding resistance to the Ascochyta blight diseases of pea, chickpea, lentil and faba bean

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    CUR00014

  • Pathways to registration. Tactical pesticide registration program

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    AKC00005
    Region
    National
    Institution
    Private Consultant
    R&D Area
    Crop Protection

    The combined effects of changes in pest management needs, e.g., through resistance, regulatory activity, market access and registrant indifference with respect to generic pesticides, is placing increasing pressure on grains, pulse and oilseed industries to pursue gaining access to needed alternative pest and weed management options. A potentially serious outcome of the lack of pest management options can be the use of unapproved pesticides or inappropriate choices for pest control. The impact of such actions can be to compromise industry efforts to develop best management practices, e.g., in resistance management, and market access through the detection of unwanted pesticide residues in crop or animal commodities, jeopardise QA accreditation as well as have negative trade implications. While APVMA minor use permits are potentially available for non-major industries, as a means of gaining access to pest management options, permits are not generally an option for major broadacre agricultural industries. More recently, the option of gaining label extensions via Category 25 applications has been explored and appears to provide an alternate avenue for gaining regulatory approvals for major industries.The proposed modification to the pathways project aims to secure access to necessary pesticide options generally not available to growers via pesticide manufacturers and formulators. Industry can support Category 25 applications via critical data development, undertaken through ongoing liaison with industry stakeholders regarding priority needs and consultation with manufacturers and federal regulators on data requirements and availability.

  • Predictions of Heat Extremes on the Multi-Week Timescale

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    MCV00031
    Region
    National, North, South, West
    Institution
    Australian Government
    R&D Area
    Environment / Climate / Land Mgt

  • Pulse Breeding Australia: Field Pea Breeding Program.

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    DAV00118
    Region
    National
    Institution
    State Government
    R&D Area
    Breeding/New Varieties

    Pulse Breeding Australia will conduct a world class field pea breeding program that will deliver superior new varieties with increased productivity and profitability for field pea growers and which will expand the crops adaptation range in Australia. To achieve this the focus of breeding will be on improving yield potential, yield reliability and general adaptation, particularly for lower rainfall climates. The program will aim to combine desirable genetic variation that will increase grain yield potential, reduce crop input costs, reduce crop risk and maintain grain market access. The specific focus on trait genetic improvement will be annually reviewed and will cover: 1) Grain yield and adaptation (general and regional): - High yield potential across and within the major production regions for field pea - Yield reliability particularly in low rainfall or short season climates 2) Grain quality - Emphasis on smooth, spherical "Kaspa type" field pea • Light tan-red seed coat • High splitting yield • High hydration capacity • Superior cooking time3) Plant features and suitable agronomy: - Emphasis on the "Kaspa" ideotype which is characterised by: erect and vigorous vegetative plant growth, plant features that improve harvesting efficiency (e.g. lodging resistance, suitable plant height) and reduce harvest losses caused by pod shattering (e.g. sugar pod trait). - Optimal flowering time and flowering duration particularly for lower rainfall climates (e.g. PBA Gunyah) - Regional adapatation for grain yield. 4) Multiple disease resistance / tolerance to: - Blackspot complex - Bacterial blight - Downy mildew - Powdery mildew - Viruses: BLRV, PSbMV5) Abiotic stress tolerance to: - High soil boron and soil salinity - Herbicides - Reproductive frost damage - Drought The program will ensure long-term genetic improvement for growers by undertaking a targeted parent building program for the major abiotic and biotic traits were superior genetic variation has been identified. This will be achieved by utilising germplasm and knowledge from agencies conducting pre-breeding, breeding and molecular marker research on field pea globally.

  • Specifying Australia's climate Variability in the context of a changing climate

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    MCV00029
    Region
    National
    R&D Area
    Environment / Climate / Land Mgt

  • Study of surface inversions and Sigma Theta relationships and development of grower tools to manage spray drift risk.

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    MRE00001
    Region
    National
    Institution
    Private Consultant
    R&D Area
    Environment / Climate / Land Mgt

  • The strategic use of tillage within conservation farming

    Research & Development

    Grains

    Date
    30.06.2011
    GRDC Project Code
    DAN00152
    Region
    National
    Institution
    State Government
    R&D Area
    Agronomy/Farming Systems

    The issueConservation cropping involving reduced tillage, stubble retention and appropriate rotations underpins sustainable grain production systems worldwide. Problems arise when complete zero tillage is made the centre of the farming system:-On one hand we are encouraging the adoption by farmers of zero tillage. On the other hand we are advising farmers that limestone has to be incorporated into the soil or else it does little to ameliorate acidity. -A lack of tillage causes nutrients to accumulate on the soil surface where they are less accessible to plants due to extremes of temperature (sub zero to >50°C) and because of soil drying. -Zero tillage can favour diseases such as Rhizoctonia and Pseudomonads around the roots of some species and cultivars. Additionally, conventional tillage has been found to suppress plant parasitic nematode populations compared with direct drilling. I-Integrated weed management might require the use of strategic tillage to manage herbicide resistance. In mixed farming systems grazing of the pasture phase can be used to minimise weed burdens but for continuous croppers, or within the cropping phase of mixed farming, some tillage might be needed for integrated weed management. - Finally, zero tillage maintains soil structure and conserves soil moisture but in a mixed farming system, infiltration of rain can be poor following compaction by livestock. Tillage might be necessary to improve infiltration of rain. Therefore from an overall systems perspective, limited and strategically timed tillage could form part of a productive, sustainable system. A central question emerges, therefore: How much damage is done to soil by occasional tillage, strategically applied, in an otherwise no-till system We seek to investigate this question based on the hypothesis: That the agronomic and economic benefits of a strategic tillage operation exceed any agronomic costs due to damage to soil structure. The net benefits accrue from such factors as lime incorporation, the homogenization of stratified nutrients, disease control and weed management.