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Grains Research & Development Corporation

Tools

This page contains a range of tools and support models related to the Australian Grains Industry.

  • Canola Yield Calculator

    24.01.2008

    A new, simple but accurate method for estimating potential canola yield can assist growers assess the performance of their crops.

  • National Farm Practices Database Survey

    23.07.2007

    A national database of farming practices is to being established to not only enable a comparative assessment of farming practices in regions but also to enable the Grains industry to more effectively report on the current state of the industry.

    A capacity for grain producers to demonstrate their comparative ability in sustaining their natural resources has not been previously available apart from various pilot projects using paper based systems.

    This project has developed a electronic internet and email reporting system based on a relatively simple set of fundamental farming information. This system allows any farmer to have an environmental assurance report produced for their farm with a minimum of time and trouble for them.


    It also gives them valuable comparative information about how their own farming system compares to established district benchmarks and best practices. This system gives farmers information about their own farm productivity as well as its sustainability.

  • HowOften?

    19.07.2007

    HowOften? is a Windows program that explores long-term rainfall records to find how frequently rainfall events occur. Some examples of applications include finding:

    • How often planting opportunities occur 
    • If there were more wet harvests in the 1950's 
    • Seasonal rainfall fluctuations and value of SOI 
    • Comparisons between districts 
    • Risk associated with opportunity cropping

  • HowWet?

    19.07.2007

    HowWet? is a Windows based program which uses farm rainfall records to estimate how much plant available water has been stored in the soil and the amount of organic nitrogen that has been converted to an available form during a fallow (non-crop period). HowWet? tracks daily evaporation, runoff and soil moisture using estimates of weather conditions and rainfall input by the user. Accumulation of available nitrogen in the soil is calculated based on soil moisture, temperature, soil type and age of cultivation

    For more information: http://www.apsru.gov.au/apsru/Products/HowWet/how%20wet.htm

  • HowMuch?

    19.07.2007

    HowMuch? has been designed to allow for exploration of a range of simple constructs of crop models which use concepts of water use efficiency (WUE) and transpiration use efficiency (TUE). Output is presented to enable the user to build up a picture of climate risk, and explore how this might be managed.

    HowMuch? uses a simplified approach to yield prediction based on the French-Shultz model, but is flexible enough to allow for more complex model constructs.

    It is an "open box" modelling environment in which growing season rainfall is adjusted by user defined weightings to compare the influence on yield of rainfall at various crop stages.

    For more infomation: http://www.apsru.gov.au/apsru/Products/HowMuch/how%20much.htm

  • APSoil

    19.07.2007

    APSoil is a database of soil water characteristics enabling estimation of Plant Available Water Capacity for individual soils and crops. It covers many cropping regions of Australia and is regularly updated. It is designed for use in simulation modelling and agronomic practice.

    For more information: http://www.apsru.gov.au/apsru/Products/APSoil/default.HTM

  • HowLeaky?

    19.07.2007

    What is HowLeaky?
    Howleaky? is a simple, graphical interface to a daily water balance model. Its main purpose is to explore the effects of different vegetation (including crops, pastures and trees), climates, soil types and management on the water balance: evapotranspiration, runoff, and deep drainage. Erosion, sediment and pesticide movement are estimated. This leads to:

    • Better understanding of the implications of management on landscape processes.
    • Better connection between science and community.

    For more infomation: http://www.apsru.gov.au/apsru/Products/HowLeaky/howleaky2.htm

  • AQUAMAN

    06.07.2007

    Irrigated peanuts have become the highest value rotational legume crop in high rainfall and irrigated production regions of Queensland. The yield potential of peanuts in high input irrigated systems is more than 8 t/ha with some fields returning commercial yields in the 6-7.5 t/ha range. However invariably, many growers are only realizing 4-5 t/ha. Lack of timely and adequate irrigation is a major contributor to this huge yield gap. Irrigating the crop at the right time with the right amount of water, together with the adoption of other important best management practices can help to consistently achieve high yields in the vicinity of 75% of potential. The management of irrigation water is critical to target high yields, better water use efficiency and good farm profits. All peanut production areas can benefit from better decision-making about water management.

    To assist with the irrigation scheduling of peanuts, DPI&F are currently trialing a new decision support system called ’AQUAMAN’. 

    For more information visit www.apsim.info/apsim/aquaman

  • APSIM

    06.07.2007

    APSIM was developed to simulate biophysical processes in farming systems, particularly as it relates to the economic and ecological outcomes of management practices in the face of climate risk.

    APSIM is structured around plant, soil and management modules. These modules include a diverse range of crops, pastures and trees, soil processes including water balance, N and P transformations, soil pH, erosion and a full range of management controls.

    APSIM resulted from a need for tools that provided accurate predictions of crop production in relation to climate, genotype, soil and management factor while addressing the long-term resource management issues.

    For more information visit http://www.apsim.info/

  • e-VarietyProfiler

    06.07.2007

     

    It collates scattered information from the Crop Variety Sowing Guide and other sources, such as agronomic trials, and arranges that information in profiles of physical characteristics, disease risk, abiotic stresses, herbicide tolerance and yield. It also provides and opportunity to obtain potential net return from a variety in a given location. Users can compare up to six varieties side by side at a time.

    For further information visit the WA Department of Agriculture and Food eProfiler website