THE number of applications for funding from the SA Grain Industry Trust continues to grow, with a record 49 applications for research projects in 2017.
The trust has allocated $3 million in funding to 26 projects in topics as diverse as the use of drones, frost management, nitrogen-use efficiency, copper management, molecular selection for heat stress tolerance in peas to Khapra beetle extension and a cereal aphid risk assessment.
SAGIT chair Michael Treloar said the trust, which was funded through a grower levy of 30 cents per tonne, had been pleased to be able to increase funding support this year on the back of the record-breaking SA harvest.
“We continue to be pleased with the quality and diversity of project applications we receive and we believe these new projects will provide some excellent outcomes for growers with a real mix of extension, communication and scientific projects,” he said.
“As a grower-funded organisation, we are always mindful of selecting projects that will deliver tangible results to growers.”
In addition, SAGIT has continued its funding of grower groups who are members of the Ag Excellence Alliance to cover costs associated with hosting guest speakers, awarding five groups a total of $14,500 funding.
“These smaller grants are designed to cover travel, accommodation and speaker fees, which can add up quickly when you’re a small organisation,” Mr Treloar said.
“We want to ensure growers across the state have access to a broad range of national and international expertise in growing the best crops they can so it is vital we support the grower groups in bringing these experts to SA.”
The successful research projects are:
- CARASA: Cereal Aphid Risk Assessment for South Australia - SARDI
- Common vetch as a break crop for marginal cropping systems - SARDI
- Copper management for the future - LEADA
- Developing new capability for research on Rhizoctonia - SARDI
- Development of dual-purpose awnless wheat varieties for frost management - LongReach Plant Breeders
- Development of wheat population using speed breeding for salinity tolerance - University of Adelaide
- Efficiency of fertiliser N products on calcareous and sandy soil types - Agronomy Solutions
- Enhanced N-use efficiency in durum through improved genetics - University of Adelaide
- Enhancing diagnostics and extension for Khapra Beetle to secure trade - SARDI
- Farm scale AquaTill demonstration and field day - SANTFA
- Field testing of sodicity and salinity-tolerant oat varieties - University of Adelaide
- Further development of crown rot resistance in durums - SARDI
- Improving monitoring and management of Etiella in lentils - SARDI
- Increasing the knowledge and understanding of micronutrient deficiency in the Upper North - Upper North Farming Systems
- MacKillop Farm Management Group Annual Trial Results Book - MacKillop Farm Management Group
- Optimisation of Seed Terminator settings in the South Australian context - Trengove Consulting
- Publication of the 2018 Farm Gross Margin Guide for SA - Rural Solutions
- Regional internship in applied grains research - Hart Field-Site Group
- SA Crop Variety Sowing Guide - SARDI
- SANTFA Conference 2018 - SANTFA
- Seed to Store video clip competition - Ag Communicators
- Spading header rows for grass control, improved yields and soil protection - Insight Extension for Agriculture
- Swathing for barley grass weed seed collection and applying drone technology - SARDI
- Towards molecular selection for heat stress tolerance in field pea - SARDI
- Uniform seed distribution along the row to increase yields and reduce seed costs - Northern Sustainable Soils
- Use of drones to non-destructively assess wheat varieties - University of Adelaide
The successful grower groups are:
- Accu-Spread spreader calibration workshop – Ag KI
- Ag Excellence Alliance Grower Group Forum – Ag Excellence Alliance
- Deep soil amelioration speaker at field day – Northern Sustainable Soils
- Farming Systems Alternatives workshop – 2017 Member Day – EPARF
- Getting more from crop rotations: Cereals, the new UN break-crop? – Upper North Farming Systems
- Details: sagit.com.au
