News

Great leap forward in innovation and choice for South Australian Farmers

Winter cropping Nov. 2, 2020



South Australian growers will have access to GM crops from next season after Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham declared that all of mainland South Australia’s farmers would be allowed to commercially cultivate the crops.

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Researchers investigating virus outbreak in faba beans

Winter cropping Oct. 12, 2020



A combination of a wet start to the year and the perfect breeding ground for aphids may have been responsible for unusually severe outbreaks of viruses in faba bean crops in northern New South Wales this season.

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Gene search aims to combat heat stress in canola

Winter cropping Oct. 2, 2020



Identifying the genes that make canola heat tolerant is the aim of a five-year Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) research project now underway, with field trials planted in New South Wales and Western Australia in 2020. The long-term objective of the research (full story available in GroundCover™ online) is to provide heat-tolerant germplasm to plant breeders.

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More grain in the bin, more dollars in the pocket with harvester forums

Winter cropping Sept. 8, 2020



Grain losses during harvesting equate to significant lost income for growers across Australia every year. To support growers in their efforts to reduce harvest losses and improve operations at harvest time, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is hosting a series of free-of-charge harvester forums.

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New South Wales leads expected winter crop bounce back

Winter cropping Sept. 8, 2020



Australian winter crop production is forecast to increase by 64 per cent in 2020-21, with New South Wales expected to have its second biggest winter crop in a decade.

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New variety transitions quinoa from boutique to broadacre

Winter cropping Sept. 5, 2020



A new open access quinoa variety developed in Australia is set to boost opportunities for farmers to grow the popular superfood, with increased production potential for both local and international markets. As the first public, non-contract variety in Australia, “Kruso White” may be the key to transitioning quinoa from a niche, cottage crop to wider adoption across Australian broadacre farming environments.

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Potentially destructive Russian wheat aphids found in WA's south-east

Winter cropping Aug. 20, 2020



A foreign and potentially destructive pest has been detected in Australia's largest grain-growing state. Russian wheat aphids have been found on farms near Esperance in Western Australia's remote south-east. It is the first time the pest has been found in WA.

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Digging deeper to understand crop performance: Rhizoctonia

Winter cropping Aug. 11, 2020



Why do cereal crops planted early into warm and moist soil appear healthy at the start of the season and then begin to show uneven growth from mid-winter to spring?

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Free kick for ryegrass control

Winter cropping Aug. 4, 2020



Wheat and canola crops offer growers some really practical options to improve crop competition against weeds, particularly grasses, and vastly reduce weed seed set.

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Canola growers urged to monitor for blackleg in upper canopy

Winter cropping Aug. 3, 2020



Canola growers are being encouraged to closely monitor crops for signs of blackleg infection in the upper canopy to avoid costly yield loss this season. Effective disease management will be critical for growers across the northern cropping region banking on a productive 2020 winter cropping season following the recent run of dry years

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Keep an eye on Russian wheat aphid as crops develop

Winter cropping July 21, 2020



Grain growers in Victoria and Tasmania are advised to continue monitoring crops for Russian wheat aphid (RWA) but only consider treatment if infestations are approaching potentially damaging levels. Colder conditions since March – in comparison with 2019 – are likely to have slowed aphid population growth during establishment and early tillering stages.

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Winter crop production to jump 53 per cent

Winter cropping July 2, 2020



The ABARES Australian crop report – June 2020 is forecasting a 53 per cent increase in winter crop production in 2020–21, with a 23 per cent jump in the area planted.

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Quick, test your winter weed escapes

Winter cropping June 30, 2020



This winter, researchers are recommending that growers and agronomists consider collecting live plant samples for herbicide resistance testing as a first step to identify and manage herbicide resistance in crop.

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Grower project confirms widespread fungicide resistance to net blotch in southern WA

Fungicides Herbicide & fungicide resistance Winter cropping June 22, 2020



First-year results from a unique project have confirmed fungicide resistance to both spot and net forms of net blotch in barley is widespread in southern areas of Western Australia’s grainbelt, with findings of reduced sensitivity or fungicide resistance the dominant situation.

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Growers warned of potential crop injury if switching herbicides

Post-emergent herbicides Winter cropping June 15, 2020



Grain growers are being warned about the potential injury to young cereal crops should they consider applying 2,4-D as a direct replacement for MCPA phenoxy herbicides.

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