NEXT month, the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) is hosting two major forums in South Australia, which will take a look back at the issues that impacted grain growers in 2014, and how they can best prepare for next season.
The first is a two-day conference in Adelaide entitled Emerging systems - new decisions, which will be attended by agronomists, consultants, researchers, growers and other grains industry personnel committed to ensuring the State's grains sector remains productive and profitable well into the future.
It will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on February 10 and 11 and will feature a line-up of expert speakers from throughout Australia and overseas who will provide insights into research developments and advice about progressing cropping enterprises.
Headlining the Adelaide event will be Malcolm Morrison, a research scientist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, who will discuss innovations that underpin yield improvements in the Canadian canola industry.
Dr Morrison, who is also a Fellow and past president of the Canadian Society of Agronomy, will inform the audience of the latest state-of-the-art innovations from Canadian science, targeting canola productivity.
The second grain research update will be held at the Murray Bridge Golf Club on February 12, where frost, in-crop herbicides, pastures, canola, top performing cereals and emerging commercial innovations will be on the agenda.
GRDC Southern Regional Panel member Richard Konzag says the Update will be a worthwhile opportunity for local growers to hear from industry experts on a range of topics that have relevance to their farming systems.
"GRDC-funded research, development and extension (RD&E) is addressing issues that impacted on growers in 2014," he said.
"Outcomes and insights from those activities will be of great interest to Murraylands growers as they start to prepare for the 2015 cropping season."
Chris Preston from the University of Adelaide will detail new developments with in-crop herbicide R&D, while Jeff Braun from Agrilink and Michael Zerner from the University of Adelaide will discuss the destructive frosts of 2014 and the key research activities being undertaken to tackle this insidious yield thief.
Pasture varieties and their management will be the focus of a presentation by consultant Tim Prance, who will also look at practical and applied pasture agronomy for mixed farming systems.
South Australian Research & Development Institute (SARDI) researcher Andrew Ware will delve into plant development of canola under different sowing times and seasonal conditions, while SARDI's Rob Wheeler and University of Adelaide's Jason Eglinton will highlight the "best and fairest" wheat and barley performers in trials across SA in 2014.
Emerging commercial innovations backed by the GRDC will be revealed by the GRDC's market requirements manager Paul Meibusch.
* Details on both forums at www.grdc.com.au/GRDC-Update-Dates or contact ORM on 03 5444 4299
