GRDC Podcast

Apr 15 2025 478 ep. 15 mins 66

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GRDC podcasts cover the latest grains research, development and extension knowledge and outcomes to help grain growers improve their profitability.

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Drone weed mapping case study: Precision weed management

Apr 15 2025 9 mins

New precision weed management technologies are helping Australian grain growers to more effectively target weeds and ultimately reduce their total herbicide costs. Optical sensors as well as ‘remote and sensor’ weed mapping systems are becoming more widely available, and that’s why GRDC is investing in a series of case studies to explore the benefits and costs related to t

20-year yarns: NVT over the years - Steve Jefferies

Apr 08 2025 10 mins

The National Variety Trials (NVT) Program was established by GRDC in 2005 and since then it has evolved into the largest coordinated variety trial network in the world. Each year, more than 640 trials are conducted across over 300 locations nationwide, encompassing 10 different crop species. This year marks the 20-year anniversary of NVT – a great time to reflect on the evoluti

Cam Nicholson: 2025 Seed of Light award - South

Apr 01 2025 17 mins

Victorian agricultural consultant, Cam Nicholson, has had a career spanning more than four decades – and over the years he’s learned a lot but mostly he spends his time passing on his knowledge to others. And that’s one of the reasons Cam has received this year’s GRDC “Seed of Light Award” in the south, which recognises the outstanding contribution, dedication and co

Spot on fungicide application for rhizoctonia

Mar 25 2025 15 mins

Rhizoctonia is an important disease of cereals in southern and western growing regions, especially in low rainfall areas. Losses have been estimated at about $15 per hectare for wheat and $12 per hectare for barley in the southern region. Unfortunately, fungicide control of rhizoctonia has proven to be difficult, often with mixed results with seed treatments. In February 2025

Get bang for your herbicide buck

Mar 18 2025 12 mins

With the ever-increasing cost of farming, getting bang for your herbicide buck is an important consideration when it comes to chemical handling and sprayer set-up. In this podcast Victorian grower, Richard Stecher, shares his experience with getting professional advice on correct sprayer set-up. We also hear from Nutrien Ag agronomist, Chris Dunn, who shares his thoughts on how a

Applied N under irrigation - what’s the magic number?

Mar 11 2025 19 mins

More is not always better when it comes to adding nitrogen (N) to your irrigated wheat crop. That's one of the key messages from a GRDC investment that’s been set up to investigate profitable, irrigated farming systems. In this podcast, FAR Australia Managing Director, Nick Poole, Pinion Advisory senior consultant, Brendan Wallace and Francis grower, Wayne Hawkins, share some su

Farming systems in low and medium rainfall areas of WA

Mar 04 2025 15 mins

A major farming systems initiative, spanning five years, is underway in the low and medium-rainfall regions of Western Australia. Its aim is to support growers in navigating evolving climatic conditions, enabling them to make informed business and agronomic choices to bolster both on-farm profitability and sustainability. In this episode, we get an overview of the results from th

Crop establishment essentials

Feb 25 2025 12 mins

Both yield and performance rely heavily on good crop establishment, which is why GRDC is investing in a range of projects to determine the key factors affecting crop establishment. Getting crops established in hot, dry conditions is the focus of this research, which also looks at soil textures and deep sowing across multiple environments. In this podcast we speak to CSIRO farming s

Long coleoptile wheat: Deep sowing seeder set up

Feb 18 2025 13 mins

In this week's podcast, machinery specialist Jack Desbiolles from the University of South Australia runs through important considerations for seeder set-up when sowing long coleoptile wheat varieties. The work is part of a major national GRDC project, led by CSIRO, exploring integrating long coleoptile wheat into Australian farming systems. Research partners include the Universit

Skills for agronomists to handle tough conversations

Feb 11 2025 20 mins

Listeners are advised that this podcast contains references to suicide There’s no shortage of stressors in farming, and while crop destruction is often clearly visible, the impact on grower mental health can be less apparent. Although awareness and access to rural mental health services is growing, agronomists can sometimes find themselves on the frontline witnessing or discussi