Research priorities
DAFWA senior research officer Chris Gazey testing the pH status of soils in the Avon River Basin in WA. Photo: Evan Collis
Each year the GRDC tailors its investment portfolio to best address the R&D priorities identified by its key customer groups: Australian grain growers and the Australian Government.
Australian grain grower priorities
Australian grain growers’ R&D priorities were identified during the development of Prosperity through Innovation, through the GRDC’s consultations with the Grain Council of Australia (GCA), local research advisory committees, grower groups, grower organisations and individual grain growers.
Key priorities identified were:
- environmental
- responses to climate change
- improved water use efficiency
- sustainability and resource management
- soil health and biology
- responses to climate change
- farm management
- integrated farming practices and technologies
- integrated management of weeds, diseases
and pests
- herbicide resistance management
- integrated farming practices and technologies
- variety development
- biotechnology for improving genetic gain
- superior new varieties
- biotechnology for improving genetic gain
- new and innovative product development
- capacity building
- improving skills, training and education in
agriculture
- farm business management.
- improving skills, training and education in
Table 7 shows how investments in 2007–08 directly addressed these priorities.
| Table 7 Investments to meet grain grower priorities in 2007–08 | |
|---|---|
| Priorities | Examples of relevant GRDC investments |
| Environmental | |
Responses to climate change Improved water use efficiency |
The GRDC supported work by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food to better understand the likely impact of global climate change on the Western Australian grains industry. A study of greenhouse gases emitted in the production and delivery of one tonne of wheat to port in south western Australia was undertaken by Agricultural Research Western Australia partners with the support of the GRDC and the Australian Government Department of Climate Change. The beta version of Waterworks, an economic model for irrigation farming, was released in 2008 by the GRDC, Charles Sturt University and the Irrigated Cropping Forum. Following extensive testing, the downloadable version will be released later in 2008. |
Sustainability and resource management Soil health and biology |
A draft GRDC environmental plan was produced following extensive consultation with growers, government and industry organisations. The GRDC and the University of South Australia supported a nation-wide survey of farmers and contractors who currently use, or have used, disc seeders in no-tillage cropping systems. The goal of the survey was to determine why the adoption of disc seeding equipment has been slower than expected, given the perceived benefits in using those systems. Ten projects in different parts of the country brought together knowledge of management practices that increase soil health (such as increasing organic matter to improve soil structure and fertility), and developed regional guides for delivery through workshops, training sessions and field days. Demonstration sites were used to show growers how to implement those practices under different local conditions and production systems. |
| Farm management | |
Integrated farming practices and technologies Integrated management of weeds, diseases and pests Herbicide resistance management |
The GRDC continued to actively promote a three-pronged strategy to manage the significant impacts of cereal rust: using varieties with cereal rust resistance; adopting cultural tactics such as controlling the green bridge; and using fungicides more strategically. A large capacity, patented grinder that is able to process chaff exiting harvesters has been developed in Western Australia. During 2007, the Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative tested the grinder’s efficacy behind a commercial harvester and found that up to 98 percent mortality of annual ryegrass seed was achieved. Contingency plans for potential incursions of dwarf bunt of wheat, fusarium wilt of canola, barley stripe rust, barley stripe mosaic virus and sunn pest were completed. A national uniform disease rating for all crops was established within the National Variety Trials (NVT) framework to assist growers to select resistant varieties and appropriate disease management practices. GRDC-supported research proved the effectiveness of a double-knock tactic for controlling glyphosate-resistant barnyard grass populations. Adding soil-active herbicides to the second knock further improved the level of barnyard grass control. |
| Variety development | |
Biotechnology for improving genetic gain |
In partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), researchers at the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (ACRCP) screened Australian varieties for resistance against the exotic Ug99 stem rust pathogen, in Kenya. More than 100 exotic pearl lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) germplasm accessions were passed through quarantine and characterised for anthracnose, brown spot and herbicide tolerance. The Australian Centre For Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) identified a boron tolerance gene in barley, providing several diagnostic markers for boron tolerance to barley breeders. The University of Adelaide screened advanced lines from all Australian wheat-breeding companies for their genetic predisposition to produce certain grain defects. Multiplexed microsatellite technology developed at the Molecular Plant Breeding Cooperative Research Centre (MPB CRC) was routinely used in wheat and barley breeding. The major wheat-breeding programs used Cross Predictor software from the MPB CRC for the design of their crosses. Plant Breeding Australia’s germplasm enhancement program identified two frost-tolerant field pea selections. Useful genetic variation was identified for ergot resistance in sorghum. CSIRO successfully combined resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus and leaf rust resistance Lr19 in wheat. Researchers at the University of Sydney, CSIRO, University of Adelaide and CIMMYT collaborated with other research organisations around the world to slow the progress of the stem rust strain Ug99. |
| Superior new varieties | More than 40 new crop varieties were released, including:
|
| New and innovative product development | |
The genotyping service operations of the incorporated joint venture Triticarte Pty Ltd became self-funding, only four years after the company’s foundation. The incorporated joint venture Arista Cereal Technologies Pty Ltd engaged with potential international commercial partners, who are currently testing the company’s high-amylose wheat product in their laboratories. Representatives of the Crop Biofactories Initiative continued to engage with international chemical companies in relation to the technology emerging from the initiative. Unsolicited offers were made to the GRDC seeking support to develop innovative technologies and products in relation to:
|
|
| Capacity building | |
Improving skills, training and education in agriculture Farm business management |
The GRDC used a pilot capacity audit and an audit of the Varieties output group to develop a draft GRDC capacity-building strategy. National Agribusiness Reference Groups were formed and held workshops in Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney. Regional Agribusiness Reference Groups were formed in Horsham (Victoria), Moree (New South Wales) and Perth. The GRDC established formal steps for the development of a research advisory committee in Tasmania. Training packages in precision agriculture were developed for growers, advisers and tertiary students, and tested with target audiences. The GRDC-developed Farming Practices Database was established, at www.grdc.com.au/farmingpractices. The database aims to simplify the process of assessing on-farm environmental practices and effects, and streamline reporting systems. The redeveloped GRDC website was launched and further developed. GRDC representatives liaised with representatives of state affiliated bodies, the State Extension Leaders Network, agribusiness and state government departments to inform the development of the GRDC extension plan. The GRDC developed integrated information packages on key issues, including Pestlinks, Weedlinks, Rustlinks, Australian Winter Cereals Pre-Breeding Alliance, Australian Feedgrain Partnership and the 2008 GRDC Planning Guide for Low-Risk Farming. |
and Roe
Regular, systematic and careful monitoring of pest and beneficial species in crops is essential. Growers who have adopted integrated pest management (IPM) report cost savings of between $4 and $25 per hectare.
Australian Government priorities
The relevant Australian Government R&D priorities are identified in the:
- National Research Priorities, as outlined by the Prime Minister in December 2002, and their associated priority goals
- Rural R&D Priorities as announced to the RDCs by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in May 2007.
Table 8 shows the relationship between the government’s research priorities and the associated goals that relate to them, while Table 9 shows how GRDC investments addressed the National Research Priorities and Rural R&D Priorities in 2007–08. The total expenditure allocated to each of the Australian Government’s priorities is shown in detail in Table 23 and Table 24.
| Table 8 Australian Government priorities and associated goals | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Research Priorities | ||||
| An environmentally sustainable Australia | Promoting and maintaining good health | Frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries | Safeguarding Australia | |
| A1: Water—a critical resource | B1: A healthy start to life | C1: Breakthrough science | D1: Critical infrastructure | |
| A2: Transforming existing industries | B2: Ageing well, ageing productively | C2: Frontier technologies | D2: Understanding our region and the world | |
| A3: Overcoming soil loss, salinity and acidity | B3: Preventive healthcare | C3: Advanced materials | D3: Protecting Australia from invasive diseases and pests | |
| A4: Reducing and capturing emissions in transport and energy generation | B4: Strengthening Australia’s social and economic fabric | C4: Smart information use | D4: Protecting Australia from terrorism and crime | |
| A5: Sustainable use of Australia’s biodiversity | C5: Promoting an innovation culture and economy | D5: Transformational defence technologies | ||
| A6: Developing deep earth resources | ||||
| A7: Responding to climate change and variability | ||||
| Rural R&D Priorities | ||||
| Productivity and adding value | Supply chain and markets | Natural resource management | Climate variability and climate change | Biosecurity |
| Improve the productivity and profitability of existing industries and support the development of viable new industries | Better understand and respond to domestic and international market and consumer requirements and improve the flow of such information through the supply chain, including to consumers | Support effective management of Australia’s natural resources to ensure primary industries are both economically and environmentally sustainable | Build resilience to climate variability and adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change | Protect Australia’s community, primary industries and environment from biosecurity threats |
| Supporting the Rural R&D Priorities | ||||
| Innovation skills | Technology | |||
| Improve the skills to undertake research and apply its findings | Promote the development of new and existing technology | |||
| Table 9 Investments to meet the Australian Government National Research Priorities (NRP) and Rural R&D Priorities (RRDP) in 2007–08 |
|
|---|---|
| Priorities | Examples of relevant GRDC investments |
| RRDP: Productivity and adding value | Investments in breeding led to the release of more than 40 new varieties, including:
|
RRDP: Supply chain and markets NRP: Promoting and maintaining good health |
The GRDC is increasingly involved in collaboration along the grains industry value chain. In 2007-08, the GRDC engaged with value chain issues such as the promotion of the nutritional and health value of grains (through Go Grains), the development of high-amylose wheat, grain storage and grain hygiene. GRDC-supported research produced a new soybean variety, Fraser |
NRP: An environmentally sustainable Australia RRDP: Natural resource management |
The GRDC and the University of South Australia supported a nation-wide survey of farmers and contractors who currently use, or have used, disc seeders in no-tillage cropping systems. The goal of the survey was to determine why the adoption of disc seeding equipment has been slower than expected, given the perceived benefits in using those systems. Ten projects in different parts of the country brought together knowledge of management practices that increase soil health (such as increasing organic matter to improve soil structure and fertility), and developed regional guides for delivery through workshops, training sessions and field days. Demonstration sites were used to show growers how to implement those practices under different local conditions and production systems. |
NRP: An environmentally sustainable Australia RRDP: Climate variability and climate change |
The GRDC supported work by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food to better understand the likely impact of global climate change on the Western Australian grains industry. Ongoing research at the GRDC-supported Australian Grains Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment experimental facility in Victoria investigated the interacting effects of elevated carbon dioxide, irrigation, nitrogen and variety on wheat growth and production under field conditions. |
NRP: Safeguarding Australia RRDP: Biosecurity |
As part of its strategy to manage biosecurity risks, the GRDC is investing in a national surveillance plan for emergency plant pests of the grains industry. This includes the development of contingency plans by Plant Health Australia and work to increase biosecurity awareness in the grains industry. Five contingency plans for emergency plant pests were developed in 2007–08, covering dwarf bunt of wheat, fusarium wilt of canola, barley stripe rust, barley stripe mosaic virus and sunn pest. Investments through the CRC for National Plant Biosecurity have resulted in improved molecular diagnostic techniques for karnal bunt and a better understanding of Russian wheat aphid virulence and resistance sustainability. In partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), researchers at the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program (ACRCP) screened Australian varieties for resistance against the exotic Ug99 stem rust pathogen, in Kenya. More than 100 exotic pearl lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) germplasm accessions were passed through quarantine and characterised for anthracnose, brown spot and herbicide tolerance. |
| Supporting the Rural R&D Priorities | |
RRDP: Innovation skills NRP: Frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries; (includes the associated priority goal of ‘Promoting an innovation culture and economy’) |
The GRDC used a pilot capacity audit and an audit of the Varieties output group to develop a draft GRDC capacity-building strategy. National Agribusiness Reference Groups were formed and held workshops in Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney. Regional Agribusiness Reference Groups were formed in Horsham (Victoria), Moree (New South Wales) and Perth. The GRDC began the process of developing a research advisory committee in Tasmania. Training packages in precision agriculture were developed for growers, advisers and tertiary students, and tested with target audiences. The GRDC-developed Farming Practices Database was established, at www.grdc.com.au/farmingpractices. The database aims to simplify the process of assessing on-farm environmental practices and effects, and streamline reporting systems. The redeveloped GRDC website was launched and further developed. The NVT online website was upgraded: www.nvtonline.com.au. GRDC representatives liaised with representatives of state affiliate bodies, the State Extension Leaders Network, agribusiness and state government departments to inform the development of the GRDC extension plan. The GRDC developed integrated information packages on key issues, including Pestlinks, Weedlinks, Rustlinks, Australian Winter Cereals Pre-Breeding Alliance, Australian Feedgrain Partnership and the 2008 GRDC Planning Guide for Low-Risk Farming. |
NRP: Frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian Industries RRDP: Technology |
Multiplexed microsatellite technology developed at the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC was routinely used in wheat and barley breeding. Representatives of the Crop Biofactories Initiative continued to engage with international chemical companies in relation to the technology emerging from the initiative. The genotyping service operations of the incorporated joint venture Triticarte Pty Ltd became self-funding, only four years after the company’s foundation. Unsolicited offers were made to the GRDC seeking support to develop innovative technologies and products in relation to:
|
| Notes: ‘NRP’ priorities are the Australian Government’s four national research priorities. ‘RRDP’ priorities are the ministerial priorities for rural R&D corporations and companies. |
|
Greenhouse gas emissions from cropping and mixed farming systems in Victoria
Two projects have been established in Victoria in partnership with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, The University of Melbourne and the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, to measure greenhouse gas emissions.
The projects are examining emissions under a range of cereal and legume crops and under improved legume based pasture. Automated chambers are being used to measure nitrous oxide (N2O) and other nitrogen (N) emissions. This has been the first year in which data has been collected. The highest N2O losses have occurred following rainfall events, especially in the warmer months. Emissions occurred even in the fallow period and when no N fertiliser was applied.
Climate change in the Western Australian wheat belt
In 2007–08, the GRDC supported work by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food to better understand the likely impact of global climate change on the Western Australian grains industry.
Simulations showed that summer rainfall was likely to increase and autumn, winter and spring rainfall to decrease in most locations in the Western Australian wheat belt. The simulations also showed that yield declines are likely for most of the wheat belt, because lower rainfall in autumn will delay sowing, reduce the growing period and increase the chance of severe water deficit during grain fill. Yield decline predictions were greater on heavy-textured soils than on light-textured soils. However, yield increases were predicted in some high-rainfall locations, due to the combined positive effects of increased carbon dioxide levels (leading to greater photosynthetic efficiency) and reduced incidence of waterlogging.
Adaptation to likely future climate will clearly be needed, both to mitigate risk in drier regions and to take advantage of opportunities in wetter regions. The timeliness of operations will become even more important in achieving economic yields.
Greenhouse gas emissions from a tonne of grain delivered to port
A study of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted in the production and delivery of one tonne of wheat to port in south-western Australia was undertaken by Agricultural Research Western Australia partners with the support of the GRDC and the Australian Government Department of Climate Change.
The study examined emissions at pre-farm, on-farm and post-farm stages. The pre-farm stage included GHG emissions from agricultural machinery and fertiliser and pesticide production. The on-farm stage included GHG emissions resulting from diesel use and liming, and nitrous oxide emissions from the application of nitrogen fertiliser. The post farm stage included emissions resulting from grain storage and transportation of grain to the port.
The study found that fertiliser production in the prefarm stage contributed significantly (35 percent) to GHG, followed by on-farm emissions (27 percent) and emissions from the transportation of inputs and wheat (12 percent). Nitrous oxide emissions represented 12 percent of the total GHG emitted.
The use of regionally specific data for nitrous oxide emissions is critical to get an accurate picture of the life cycle assessment of crop production. GHG emissions decreased from 393 kilograms to 259 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents when regionally specific data for nitrous oxide emissions were used instead of the international default value of 1.25 percent for the application of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers to land.
The background-level nitrous oxide emissions (without fertiliser application) are also important, as they show that the major part of the nitrous oxide loss occurs following summer in-fallow rainfall even when no nitrogen fertiliser has been applied.
Climate change focus
The wheat belt of south-west WA covers about 4.7 million hectares and produces about 36 percent of Australia’s wheat, and its financial margins increasingly rely on accurate climate forecasting. Photo: Brad Collis
Research by organisations such as the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology supports predictions that Australia’s grains industry will be significantly affected by climate change. The changes in climate over the next few decades will be substantial, but the effects will vary across the industry’s agroecological zones. Some zones will experience average warming of up to 1.8°C by 2030; in others average rainfall will decrease as much as 40 percent between 1990 and 2070. Coupled with the gradual changes will be an increase in the frequency of extreme climatic events. The potential of these impacts must be understood so that the industry can minimise risk and maximise opportunities.
Changes in Australian and international policies, programs and market expectations in response to climate change will also affect the grains industry. For example, primary industries contribute an estimated 22 percent of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with 18 percent of these emissions arising from crop management practices such as cultivation and the application of nitrogenous fertilisers. The introduction of an emissions-trading scheme will force the industry to reduce these emissions and explore the potential for providing valuable offsets in the form of stored carbon.
The grains industry has had a strong history of adapting to overcome threats and capitalising on new opportunities. The response to the steep reduction in rainfall in south-west Western Australia, where grain yield has increased in the face of reduced rainfall, is a well-documented example.
The GRDC climate theme was established in June 2008 and a Climate Change Strategy has been developed consistent with the Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries.
The objective of the strategy is to have growers adapting to climate change and mitigating on-farm greenhouse gas emissions. This is to be achieved through the implementation of four strategies:
- Understand the impacts of climate change at the agroecological zone scale
- Develop crop plants and farming systems better able to adapt to climate change
- Develop practices that minimise on-farm greenhouse gas emissions
- Improve growers’ capacity to adapt to climate change and mitigate emissions
Dr Louise Barton from the School of Earth and Geographic Sciences at UWA has been studying greenhouse gases along with analysing the carbon footprint of one tonne of wheat ‘from cradle to gate’. Photo: Brendon Cant
The theme members will report to National Panel on achievements against these strategies.
The following sections describe some of the climate change initiatives arising from GRDC investments in 2007–08. Many of these successes have been achieved in collaboration with other RDCs, Australian Government and state government bodies, regional natural resource management organisations and grower groups.
More information about the grains industry’s strategic approach to environmental issues, and the energy-efficient practices the GRDC applies in its own work, is provided in Part 3.
| C A S E S T U D Y : Evaluating the impacts of climate change on wheat production |
Through the establishment of the GRDC-supported Australian Grains Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (AGFACE) facilities at Horsham and Walpeup in Victoria, there is now significant investment in a state-of-the-art facility to evaluate the impacts of climate change on plants, crops and, potentially, farming systems. The investment from 2006 until June 2010 is approximately $5 million. The focus of the work in the AGFACE facility is to undertake research to investigate the interaction of water supply, temperature and elevated carbon dioxide levels with Australian wheat varieties under ‘field’ conditions. In addition to developing a physiological understanding of the responses to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide, the data generated will be used to calibrate and extend current crop simulation models to assess the impacts of climate change on wheat production within Australia. In 2007, data was collected from AGFACE on the interacting effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide, irrigation, nitrogen and variety on wheat growth and production. Carbon dioxide was injected over the crop in open-air 12 metre rings from emergence (July) until maturity (December) in 2007. The main effect of higher carbon dioxide was to increase the number of kernels per spikelet on the wheat plants, which could lead to an increase in grain produced. The fertilisation effect of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide was demonstrated even when yields were greater than 6 tonnes per hectare. The second phase of AGFACE experiments will seek to test various adaptation strategies for likely future climates.
Representing partners in the Australian Grains Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment Array (AGFACE) project are (left) Dr Tim Reeves, GRDC board member, Dr Rob Norton, AGFACE project leader, University of Melbourne, Dr Mahabubur Mollah, VDPI (AGFACE engineer) and Mr Joe Helper MP, Minister for Agriculture, Victoria. Photo: Dr Rob Norton |
