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  • Review of NVT a chance for growers to have their say (National, 14 August 2008)

    14.08.2008

    • GRDC Board announces review of National Variety Trials
    • Submissions invited from growers, researchers and farming systems groups
    • NVT provides independent information on regional crop variety performance

  • Harvesting the Science (National, 14 August 2008)

    14.08.2008

    Using grains to promote health and prevent and manage lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, is a theme common to two GRDC supported conferences in the next couple of months.

    The first annual Go Grains Health & Nutrition conference, ‘Grains Today – Harvesting the Science, Refining the Facts’, will be held at the CSIRO National Measurement Laboratory in Sydney, October 1 and the 12th International Lupin Conference, ‘Lupins for Health and Wealth’, in Fremantle, September 15-18.

  • GRDC seeks grower input on NVT (National, 11 August 2008)

    12.08.2008

    The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has responded to grower requests to discuss improvements to the GRDC-funded National Variety Trials (NVT).

    GRDC representatives will tour key Queensland grain-growing centres this week to consult with growers and seek input into progress with the 2005-launched independent crop assessment system.

  • No Black Spots So Far (West, 12 August 2008)

    12.08.2008

    So far, the 2008 growing season has not seen significant blackspot in field peas in WA, which is good news for growers in Esperance and the Northern Agricultural Region, where the disease, in its severe form, can destroy an entire crop.

    Windblown ascospores, produced by the fungus on the previous season’s infected pea stubble, are the key agent causing blackspot infection of field pea.

    Resistant varieties are not available and fungicide control is not economic, hence management has depended on agronomic or cultural practices.

  • Russian Resistance Research (National, 12 August 2008)

    12.08.2008

    Dr Mehmet Cakir, Senior Research Fellow at Murdoch University, WA, will conduct and co-ordinate research evaluating Russian wheat aphid resistance in wheat and barley, thanks to a five year GRDC grant.

    Russian wheat aphid can destroy up to 70 per cent of a wheat crop and more than that in barley.

    A significant pest in the USA, South Africa and parts of South America, Europe and Asia, it is present in all major wheat and barley growing areas of the world except Australia.

  • No-Nonsense Approach To Rust (West, 12 August 2008)

    12.08.2008

     Dr Kith Jayasena, GRDC supported plant pathologist with DAFWA at Albany, has urged WA growers to be vigilant in checking barley crops for barley leaf rust and adopt a ‘no-nonsense’ approach if found.

    He said barley leaf rust had been found in two South Stirling commercial crops and growers finding the pin-sized orange rust pustules on barley leaves would have to spray to protect their crops, as most varieties are susceptible.

  • Early rust samples spark fears of epidemic (North/South, 12 August 2008)

    12.08.2008

    Early rust samples analysed by the Cereal Rust Laboratory have sparked concerns that stripe rust, and possibly leaf rust, may hit for wheat crops across southern Queensland and northern and central western NSW this season.

    Colin Wellings, University of Sydney plant pathologist said rust detection so early in the 2008 season should raise industry-wide concern and warned growers to plan for control strategies.

  • Early rust samples spark fears of epidemic (North/South, 12 August 2008)

    12.08.2008

    Early rust samples analysed by the Cereal Rust Laboratory have sparked concerns that stripe rust, and possibly leaf rust, may hit for wheat crops across southern Queensland and northern and central western NSW this season.

    Colin Wellings, University of Sydney plant pathologist said rust detection so early in the 2008 season should raise industry-wide concern and warned growers to plan for control strategies.

    “One sample from Marombi wheat at Dunedoo, NSW was infected with leaf rust, and a sample of stripe rust was taken from Tobruk triticale at Young, NSW,” Dr Wellings said.

  • Timely Diamondback Moth Alert (West, 12 August 2008)

    12.08.2008

    Canola growers finding Diamondback moth (DBM) grubs in a crop by early August may have a problem, according to entomologist, Kevin Walden, of the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA) in Geraldton.

    Mr Walden indicated DBM, or Plutella xylostella, has been found in canola crops in the northern agricultural region, which is a concern since yield loss due to plant stress caused by DBM eating canola leaves and stems can be as high as 80 per cent.

    “If DBM infests canola early in the season and there is enough warmth to complete three or four generations, numbers can quickly build, exceeding threshold levels,” he warned.

  • WANTFA Spring Field Day 2008 (West, 11 August 2008)

    11.08.2008

    On Tuesday, September 9, the Western Australian No-till Farmer’s Association (WANTFA) will hold its Spring Field Day at the WANTFA Technology Demonstration Site at Meckering.

    WANTFA Communications Manager, Kaye Phillips-Webb said WANTFA was committed to providing working examples of the no-till system.