trials

To work out what are the most important factors affecting bait efficacy on small pointed snails.

To report on a survey of the “Red Leaf Clover Syndrome”.

This trial aims to assist growers in making informed decisions around the construction of sub-surface drainage to reduce the impacts of waterlogging on crop production and farm profitability. By 2024, 45% of growers whose properties are affected by waterlogging will have a good understanding of the yield benefits and time to return on investment of installation of on-farm sub-surface drainage and ability to implement on-farm.

To present research information available on role of foliar fungicide mixtures with new chemistry against barley LR in a variety with known APR.

• To gain an indication of the distribution of some beneficial species across the region.
• To gain an appreciation of what beneficial species occur in the different ecosystems.
• To investigate the potential role of native grasslands in assisting to control pests in agricultural crops and pastures

To present the Cereal Variety Disease Guide for 2011.

• To compare the various tools for determining paddock zones.
• To determine whether thse zones neededt o be managed differently.

• To investigate the benefits of a range of spatial datasets including soil pH mapping, satellite imagery, yiled maps.
• To compare different potash rates in areas of paddocks which are believed to be potash deficient.

To test the accuracy of ryegrass mapping using satellite imagery.

• To use PA maps to indentify and sample soil zones within paddocks.
• To identify potential soil specific nitrogen responses within paddocks.

To build resilience into EP farms by understanding the interactions between soil potential, climate and management.

To investigate swathing early then harvesting for weed seed collection to evaluate usefulness for farmers in providing another tool for integrated weed management, especially for barley grass that matures and sheds seed before crops ripen.

Previous work in the Mallee has shown the EM38 technology has benefited farm profit. On that basis we have commenced a demonstration on the Minnipa Agricultural Centre to validate previous Mallee outcomes.

To reinvigorate the livestock component of the EP farming system.

• The Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC) has been funded by Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to run a research and extension program (Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems 3 – Responsive Farming Systems) to improve water use efficiency on farms by 10% on upper Eyre Peninsula (EP). This is seen as one of the main ways to improve profit and manage risk for farm businesses.

To test whether knowledge of soil potential, soil variation and in-season predictions of grain yield with Yield Prophet could be useful to improving management.

Barley grass weed density was monitored in three paddocks on upper EP (Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC), Heddle's at Minnipa and Wilkins' at Yaninee) using a UAV during the 2017 growing season at three different timings, with paddock transects conducted to verify grass weed density in paddocks.

Barley grass weed density was monitored in three paddocks on upper EP (Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC), Heddle’s at Minnipa and Wilkins’ at Yaninee using an UAV during the 2017 (EPFS Summary 2017, p 83) and 2018 growing seasons at three different timings, with paddock transects conducted to verify grass weed density in paddocks.

Barley grass continues to be a major grass weed in cereal cropping regions on upper Eyre Peninsula (EP). The use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to identify and assess barley grass populations in paddocks and monitor potential resistant populations may be a useful tool for farmers. This approach was tested in three paddocks on upper EP Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC), Minnipa Hill and Yaninee using a UAV during the 2017, 2018 and 2019 growing seasons at three different timings, with paddock transects conducted to verify grass weed density in paddocks. In 2019 grass weed escape paddocks were targeted at MAC and Condada in the final flights.

The aim of the research was to determine if the UAV imagery could monitor the grass weed populations across seasons in crops and pastures, if resistant weed patches were continually in the same area of the paddock and if the information could be useful for farmers to adopt this method to better target grass weed control.

To evaluate variable rate technology using low, standard and high seed and fertiliser inputs on 3 soils zoned as of poor, medium and good production potential from a pre-2008 yield monitor, EM38 and elevation maps.

Barley grass is now one of the top 10 weeds of Australian cropping in terms of area infested, crop yield loss and revenue loss (Llewellyn et al. 2016). Barley grass has several biological traits that make it difficult for growers to manage it in the low rainfall zone, so it is not surprising that it is becoming more prevalent in field crops in SA and WA.

Through recent GRDC investment, the research project ‘Demonstrating and validating the implementation of integrated weed management strategies to control barley grass in the low rainfall zone farming systems’ (hereby referred to as GRDC Low Rainfall Barley Grass) has commenced. An initial grower survey of current practice and attitudes towards barley grass was undertaken in 2019 to be used as the baseline to assess changes in grower attitudes and any change in practices after the completion of the three-year project.

To evaluate if there is any difference in deriving management zones from soil or production spatial information and in what situations each of these layers may be useful to help maximise grower investment in PA technologies.

To (i) establish a network of 100 engaged women from farm businesses across all port zones; (ii) increase confidence and capacity of women involved in farm businesses; (iii) increase engagement of women in local and industry organisations; (iv) increase sharing of farm business management responsibilities across various partners; (v) increase awareness and understanding of farm business succession, governance, farm advisory boards, technology, the impact of social media, office management systems, farm employment obligations and options, structures and strategies for overcoming the unexpected; (vi) improve communication and team management skills; (vii) aid better understanding of how significant agriculture is globally and the opportunities that brings Australian farm businesses; (vii) improve relationships and understanding between farmers and their consultants, accountants and bankers.

To assess the effect of blackleg on canola crops and varieties in the South East of SA.

The aim of the project was to increase the understanding and awareness of how spatial measurement tools (EM38 mapping, Imagery data, RTK Elevation Data & Yield Mapping) can be utilised to identify variations in soil capabilities & to then demonstrate how management can potentially be changed over these areas & the economics of implementing these changes.4 of the 6 sites were looking at changes in Nitrogen management over the demonstration paddocks, another site focussed on varying rates of gypsum & the final site looked at seeding rates & varieties in broad beans.

This project is being carried out across the South East Region to assess the role that Precision Agriculture (PA) can play in the region, what the most effective PA techniques are, and the role of PA in soil carbon management.

To look at the economic benefits of varying inputs based on various technologies. To assess the technologies that have the best or most reliable outcome in varying situations over a 3-4 year period, and to assess what is happening at sites where soil manipulation has occured by looking at above ground yields and comparing with below ground soil carbon levels. 

The project aims to educate farmers across the region, and the wider agricultural community on how working with the environment will provide long term economic and social benefits.

To investigate the use of Gamma Radiometrics in SA. 

To determin if harvest weed seed practices can be adopted to reduce soil week seed banks in high yielding HRZ areas of the southern region to address herbicide resistance issue.

Toreport on decisions used by NSW grains industry advisers to determine nitrogen fertiliser management recommendations.

The aim of this experiment was to test a novel method of imposing heat stress in the field and determine the effect of heat stress on canola grain yield and its interaction with water availability

 To determine the various causes and to address concerns around fusarium head blight (FHB) infections.

The objectives of this study were to assess the current level of infestations of Button grass (Dactyloctenium radulans) both in dryland and irrigated cotton farming systems and also to investigate the germination biology for future phenology/biology studies of this species.

To explore the assumptions used in our regular N2O emissions sampling. These campaigns examined:

1. the variation in N2O emissions in relation to chamber closure time.
2. the variation in N2O emissions over a full 24-hour period 
3. the variation in N2O across a two metre cross section of hills and furrows within a cotton crop.

To assess the efficacy of two nitrification inhibitors, 3,4-dimethylpyrazole (DMP) and nitrapyrin, when applied directly into the anhydrous ammonia stream during pre-plant nitrogen (N) application for commercial irrigated cotton production.

To explore systems to control the air–water interface to reduce evaporation from water storages.

The objective of this survey is to understand if HWSC systems influence in mice populations in paddocks.

Properties with mice activity around sheds or houses were targeted.

To determine environmental triggers and time of day vegetable beetles and slaters are active.

To gain insights from some of the top performing farm businesses in the zone about their management, agronomy practices and the triggers for key decision-making.

This project aims to evaluate if there is any difference in deriving management zones from soil or production spatial information and in what situations each of these layers may be useful to help maximise grower investment in PA technologies.

This project aimed to assess the accuracy and precision of SBAS and PPP technologies across different farming tasks on farming properties using a range of GNSS positioning systems. In addition, this project conducted an economic survey of mixed farming enterprises throughout WA to collect data on the impact, benefits, and potential uptake of SBAS technology in small-medium mixed farming enterprises.

To inform about the 1995 farm bill.

To comment on the year that was 2006.

To review the broadscale weather pattern and summarise implications for the 2007 cropping season, i.e. May-October.

To discuss the benefits of using aeroplanes for monitoring purposes in cropping.

To present the main messages from the agronomy trial work undertaken in 2005.