RESEARCH & EXTENSION
Irrigation discussion groups
The irrigation discussion groups were part of the GRDC investment in the Optimising Irrigated Grains projects. Using a facilitated group approach, farming systems groups created an environment where growers learnt from each other discussed research results relevant to their region and provided support to manage the risk of implementing change in irrigated farming business through:
- Identifying agronomy and soil improvement techniques that have potential to increase returns of irrigated durums, barley, canola, faba beans, chickpeas and maize
- Determine how irrigation water may be best allocated for a given cropping season and how to maximise $/ML returns across the whole farm
- Experimenting with new techniques on your property through focus paddock projects
Action Learning
Regional Groups
Each group has different topics and activities driven by the needs and wants of the members. Check out what groups have been up...
Video
Harvesting lodged cereals in a wet year
The importance of getting your header setup right, is vital for getting the maximum crop yield off in a wet harvest. Watch Rod Gribble as he demonstrates harvester set-up to help achieve an even feed in a lodged crop.
Video
Learning about Growing maize grain crops in Tasmania
This video is exploring the potential of Maize grain production in Tasmania utilising the experience of a local farmer trialing different varieties on his farm in North- West Tasmania.
On Farm
Group Activities
Each groups focuses on issues important in their region. Here is a collection of stories, focus paddocks, case studies and demo's.
Podcast
High Moisture Grain Storage
With a wet harvest a real possibility this year, we talked to grain storage specialist Chris Warrick. Chris shared his tips for managing high moisture grain and how to prepare your storage effectively.
Podcast
Using water strategically to maximise returns
Each year growers are making decisions about the best way to use their water, winter crops, summer crops, different crop types (varieties) etc. Craig Reynolds from Congupna shares how they best use water in their system to maximise returns and meet their farm goals.
Podcast
Grazing Crops Under Irrigation
Dual-purpose crops under irrigation offer an attractive graze and grain return. But what's the best set-up to maximise potential at the paddock level? Hear from three growers who put forward paddocks in an ambitious effort to answer just that.
Podcast
Maize Marketing
We are seeing more maize been sown across the region and one of the key challenges that some growers face is the lack of markets for grain maize. This podcast is to help growers gain some insights into marketing options and to provide information to help them make informed decisions.
Podcast
Planning for Harvest
Is during harvest, one of the most stressful and busy times of the year the best time to be making sound business decisions? This podcast aims to get farmers thinking more strategically about making decisions for next season and beyond. Dr Kate Burke from Think Agri is a highly experienced independent farm consultant with a PhD in agronomy, have a listen to her thoughts and ideas on good planning.
Podcast
Plant growth regulants and nitrogen rates
This podcast features Sam O'Rafferty agronomist with Summit Ag discussing the influence of plant growth regulants and nitrogen rates on the standability, head loss and yield of an irrigated barley crop.
Podcast
Maize Marketing Options 2024
We spoke to Luke about marketing options for grain maize in 2024 as part of the Optimising Irrigated Grains Project, funded by GRDC
Farmer Stories
Adaptable Farm Systems Case Studies
Read about how famers are innovating, adapting and creating flexible farm systems to thrive in changing operating environments.
The investment in the lateral irrigation system has given us more flexibility with our cropping rotations and opens up the opportunity to consider different crops.
Michael and Simone developed a process to determine a viable business model with reduced water availability, by ranking paddocks based on their productivity potential.
The mixed enterprise increases adaptability of the system and allows
decisions to be made based on water price and availability and the
comparative commodity prices of the two enterprises. The new irrigation
system provides more flexibility to pre-water crops and fully irrigate over
spring to maximise yields and opens up options for incorporating different
crop types into the system, including summer crops.
The OIG project results suggested that an 18-19t/ha maize crop contains about 400kg N/ha of which 100 – 160 kg N/ha was supplied by the soil N and in-crop mineralisation and therefore applied N rates above 240 kg N/ha saw no yield response, so we tested this in a paddock demonstration.
The trial was designed to investigate the interaction between plant densities sown in spring barley and the time of sowing of them.
In Francis SA different nitrogen rates and application timings will be examined to determine which management approach can maximise yield without compromising the end market.
The aim of the trial was to assess the influence of PGR and nitrogen rates on the standability, head loss and yield of
an irrigated barley crop.
The aim of this trial is to determine the fit for Plant Growth Regulators on Durum wheat sown in a double cropping scenario behind cotton.
This report follows the Opimising Irrigated
Grains focus paddock which looked at
winter crop of barley followed by summer
crop of mung beans in 2020-21.
In 2021, members of the GRDC Riverine Plains Irrigation Discussion Group tested the practical and financial implications of grazing irrigated wheat and canola.
We are seeing more maize been sown across the region and one of the key challenges that some growers face is the lack of markets for grain maize. This podcast is to help growers gain some insights into marketing options and to provide information to help them make informed decisions.
Listen to Adam Robinson the General Manager of Robinson Grain Trading Co. discuss grain maize marketing.
The aim was to assess the strategic use of nitrogen in the form of urea to improve spring wheat yields under irrigation. The demonstration trial was conducted on Scullions property near Apsley in 2020. One of our aims was to achieve a yield of 10t/ha in this system using N.
Riverine Plains focus paddock to demonstrate that higher seeding rates in irrigated beans provides higher yields and to compare the economics of irrigated beans to irrigated canola and wheat.
The aim of this trial, at the IREC field station, was to look at the value and implications of having a winter green manure crop on ground preparation, soil condition and growth of the following summer crop.
Southern Growers focus paddock to
investigate growers in this environment have been hesitant
to graze canola due to the long season traditional
grazing varieties and the suspected heat stress in
late spring/ early summer. The hope was that a
series 5 spring variety would mature earlier and
require one less irrigation in spring.
Maize grain production in Tasmania is an emerging enterprise. This series of video clips aims to explore the potential of Maize grain production in Tasmania utilising the experience of a local farmer, agronomist, seed rep and a grain marketer. A report from the 2019-20 harvest can be downloaded to find out more about the focus paddock work.
Ian and Mary Hamono own and operate a cropping farm in Northern Victoria, incorporating 390 ha of irrigation, including 160 ha of sub-surface drip, 65 ha under pivot and 163 ha of flood irrigation.
Is there improved profitability for additional water and fertiliser for durum wheat crops?
What are the nitrogen requirements for safeguarding high protein to ensure DR2+ is met?
What is the role growth regulators play?
SA Focus paddock looking at ensuring that the crop is fed to the yield potential to maximise both. Know your starting base of nitrogen within the soil is important to determine nitrogen fertiliser rates.
The project aimed to look at the impact of
autumn irrigation in establishing canola plant population and increasing biomass.
During the 2019/20 maize season a demonstration
trial was established at Cooma near Byrneside,
Northern Victoria to evaluate the effectiveness of
these predatory mites in controlling Two-Spotted
Mite in a commercial maize crop.
High Canola prices in 2022 encouraged Tasmanian growers to embrace the crop. Nutrition in canola crops remain a central question for Tasmanian croppers, as growers who can produce high yielding cereal crops are unable to replicate their success in Canola.
Deep Ripping at Pretty Pine -By strategically ripping and adding manure we aim to create a better soil for dryland cropping or pasture and/or opportunistic irrigation.
The aim of this demonstration was to ensure no nutrients were limited to see what yield may be possible, and to also evaluate the effect of a late application of nitrogen.
To monitor for 3 key pests in maize crops -
Heliothis, Fall Armyworm (FAW) and Two Spotted
Mites, then apply treatments that are IPM friendly.
Southern Growers had a soil amelioration focus paddock.
The paddock has various amendments
applied at depth, surface and incorporated to understand what was going on in the paddock.
Riverine Plains focus paddock tested several amelioration strategies for a heavy clay soil under a lateral pivot irrigator
This GRDC funded Project “Facilitated action learning groups to support profitable irrigated farming systems in the northern and southern regions” includes 8 irrigation discussion groups. The ICC are partnering with IREC, Southern Growers, Riverine Plains, the Maize Association, MFMG, Southern Farming Systems to facilitate discussion groups in Griffith, Coleambally, Finely, Mulwala, Kerang, Corop, Frances and Longford.
