Grains Research and Development Corporation

A new digital decision support tool to help lupin growers manage Sclerotinia canopy infection in lupins has been released.

The SclerotiniaLM app was developed by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development with co-investment from GRDC.

It will support lupin growers in WA, Vic, NSW and SA with foliar fungicide application decisions during the crop bloom stage to reduce the impact of sclerotinia canopy infection.

Sclerotinia stem rot is a fungal disease that can infect lupin species during winter through to spring, which can cause yield losses of up to 20% in WA.

This decision support tool compares the likely profitability of fungicide applications and no disease treatment, taking into account costs, yield benefits, grain price and seasonal conditions to determine the best case and worst case scenarios.

The app is based on data captured through a GRDC and DPIRD co-funded investment in lupin sclerotinia research.

Read more ▶️ https://bit.ly/4fBbVS9

📷 Lumens Photography/GRDC

Disease management is one of the most critical and ongoing challenges facing Australian growers.

The GRDC Ute Guides have been developed to assist growers, agronomists, researchers and students to identify the most significant diseases affecting crops in Australia.

The 4 new guides help growers identify major crop diseases, covering endemic pathogens and exotic threats, with photos, descriptions and risk factors to support early, accurate diagnosis.

Download them now:

➡️ Oilseed: https://bit.ly/4pLpjpX
➡️ Cereal: https://bit.ly/4pLpjGt
➡️ Summer crop: https://bit.ly/4pYtvCX
➡️ Pulse crops: https://bit.ly/4yOkLn1

Could the ARLF's TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program be your next step?

Past participants have called the experience:
💫 "Life-changing"
💫 "A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity"
💫 "An absolute no-brainer"

Through GRDC-supported scholarships, TRAIL gives emerging grains industry leaders the opportunity to challenge themselves, develop leadership skills and build lifelong industry connections.

If you're ready to step outside your comfort zone and grow your impact in the grains industry, we'd love to see your application.

Applications are open now ▶️ https://bit.ly/4bKerD1

Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

How similar is herbicide resistance in Canada compared to Australia?

Research Fellow and w**d scientist at The University of Western Australia, William Kramer, shares his global perspective on this challenging issue for growers and his journey in genomics research to better understand what genes are involved in resistance.

William is part of the GRDC W**d Management Initiative research team, run in partnership with UWA, Adelaide University, Charles Sturt University and The University of Queensland.

Listen now 🎧 https://bit.ly/4x9Op4s

**dManagement

New insights into the most profitable and sustainable crop rotations in high, medium and low-rainfall zones are being revealed in comprehensive farming systems research for the southern region.

The GRDC investment is being led by Adelaide University’s Dr Matthew Knowling in collaboration with local advisers, agronomists and grower groups.

It involves hundreds of treatments across 9 sites spanning a range of soil types in high, medium and low-rainfall zones in SA and Vic.

Dr Knowling says farm productivity has increased over time, hand-in-hand with “great innovations in genetics and agronomy” improving the performance of individual crops.

“This project is about looking at how these innovations interact and play out over time,” he says.

Read more ▶️ https://bit.ly/4bEUEos

📷 Naomi Scholz, AIR EP

The 2nd course in a free online learning platform developed by SoilsWest at Murdoch University will equip WA growers to make critical farm management decisions.

GRDC Grower Relations Manager – West Luke Dawson said the course, Understanding Soil and Plant Nutrition, would build on the platform’s value for existing participants while also accommodating experienced growers and industry professionals.

“By making these courses freely available online, we're helping more growers and advisers access practical, research-backed information they can use to support better nutrition decisions on-farm,” Luke said.

"The project was identified as a priority through GRDC National Grower Network forums and responds directly to the need for accessible information on the links between soil, nutrition and plant performance."

“It draws on cutting-edge research from national soils and nutrition projects, as well as insights generated through recent GRDC investments across the western region, to support stronger understanding and wider adoption.”

Read the full story https://bit.ly/4x0UzUs

WEBINAR RECORDING: Does every hectare earn its place? Understanding the profit contribution of owned, leased and sharefarmed land

💻 https://bit.ly/4pGJbe6

Does every hectare earn its place in your business? Whether land is owned, leased or sharefarmed, every block consumes capital, management time and involves risk. This webinar explores practical ways to evaluate the profitability, production capacity and cost structure of individual land parcels, regardless of how they are held.

Presented by Tony Hudson from Hudson Facilitation. Watch the recording now.

Adjuvants are oils, surfactants and other additives that improve the performance of farm chemical sprays. This guide explains how they work and provides advice for matching with chemical groups.

🫗 Adjuvants work by improving how chemicals mix in the spray tank. They also affect how droplets act on the leaf and how pesticide enters the plant.
🫗 Using the wrong type of adjuvant can actually reduce a pesticide's effectiveness or even damage crops.
🫗 ‘Hard’ water containing calcium and magnesium can reduce herbicide performance, particularly glyphosate. Pre-treating water with ammonium sulphate before adding herbicide helps overcome this problem.

Download the guide now ▶️ https://bit.ly/44N9lSD

⚠️ Stay ahead of disease challenges this season

A new series of workshops is set to deliver practical, science-based guidance on disease identification, fungicide stewardship and integrated disease management advice.

The events will be run by the Disease Management Extension Network (DMEN) led by AgCommunicators:

🌱 28 July, Kimba
🌱 29 July, Cummins – half-day free canola workshop following GRDC Grains Research Update
🌱 20 August, Toowoomba
🌱 1 September, Maitland
🌱 3 September, Mildura

Read the full media release for topics, registration links and more ▶️ https://bit.ly/44G1V3t