The GRDC Board is accountable to Australia's grain growers, through the industry peak organisation and to the Commonwealth Parliament, through the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The GRDC Board normally has between seven and nine directors.

The Chairman is selected and appointed by the Minister. Mr Keith Perrett was appointed by the Minister on 1 October 2007, and reappointed until 30 September 2013.

The Managing Director is appointed by the Board of the Corporation. The Managing Director is the sole Executive Director and holds office at the Corporation's pleasure. John Harvey was appointed as the GRDC’s Managing Director on 1 March 2011.

Five to seven Directors are appointed by the Minister, on advice from a selection committee selected by the Minister. On 22 November 2011 the Minister announced the appointment of 6 directors, until 30 September 2014.

Yields above six tonnes a hectare in faba bean trials at Wagga Wagga sown in late May have convinced NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) research agronomist Luke Gaynor that some varieties of the pulse could be a profitable break crop for Riverina growers.

Study topics range from business structures and weather data in decision making, to weed control, seed coatings and energy efficiency for the GRDC’s latest Nuffield scholars.

New research shows Western Australia's most common seeding technique, involving furrow sowing with knife points and press wheels, could exacerbate water repellence on sandplain soils.

Trials show lightly grazing sheep on disc-sown stubbles over summer can improve business margins without undoing the soil-management benefits of zero-till.

Remediating sandy soils with clay-rich subsoil can often generate substantial crop yield improvements, providing appropriate methods are followed.

Take home messages

• Grass removal in pastures is far more effective than spray topping at reducing soil rhizoctonia inoculum.
• Not controlling volunteer Autumn grasses can lead to severe rhizoctonia build up.
• Low inoculum levels can still lead to high root damage.
• At the Wynarka site this season, early soil disturbance has had greatest impact on disease reduction in the crop.

Take home messages

Better management
• New research to evaluate banding fungicides at seeding shows promise to reduce yield loss in wheat with tine and disc seeders.
• Canola is a useful break crop, but the effect lasts only for one season.
• N deficiency exacerbates Rhizoctonia damage.

Better understanding of biology
• Cereals and probably other grasses are the main hosts and promote the build-up of Rhizoctonia inoculum.
• Significant summer rainfall reduces Rhizoctonia inoculum in weed free paddocks
• Most Rhizoctonia inoculum is in the top 2.5 to 5 cm of soil in no-till systems.
• Patching is reduced in crops sown early, but significant damage to the crown roots can result in uneven crop growth.

Tenindewa grower Daniel Critch is consistently seeing the benefits of dry seeding a significant proportion of his family’s cropping program, with this year being no exception.

Take home messages
• No one control option will work
• Moisture availability is a key regulator of slug and snail populations
• Need to understand underlying biology
• Baiting at establishment is still the best emergency control option