GRDC Podcast

Jan 28 2025 400 ep. 16 mins 65
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Investing in RD&E to create enduring profitability for Australian grain growers

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What to do - about wheat powdery mildew

Jan 28 2025 18 mins  
Wheat powdery mildew is becoming increasingly difficult to manage, in part because there’s widespread resistance to the available chemicals. So, what to do? It’s a complex matrix of deciding whether it’s worth growing a disease resistant variety which doesn’t yield so well or go with the susceptible variety and hope your fungicides will do the job. There is some hope on th

Getting a jump start on managing 2025 disease risks

Jan 21 2025 12 mins  
Warm conditions across much of Western Australia and variable rainfall in 2024 contributed to mixed levels of fungal disease severity in the State’s cereal, pulse and oilseed crops. With this in mind, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in Western Australia, with investment from GRDC, is urging growers to start thinking about their integrated disease man

GRDC in Conversation: Merrie Carlhausen

Jan 19 2025 28 mins  
In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre chats with Merrie Carlshausen, a former nurse turned essential advocate for farming communities in Western Australia. Merrie shares her journey from her beginnings in nursing to her work with rural financial counseling and the Liebe Group, where she has facilitated impactful change in farming practices and family dynamics

Getting grain storage right 

Jan 14 2025 14 mins  
Chris Warrick and Alex Conway are part of the GRDC's grain storage extension team. Their task is to help growers with their on-farm storage, as well as undertake development activities to try and understand tools and equipment that can be used to better store grain on-farm. On this podcast episode, Chris and Alex talk about three topics on grain storage - fumigating and venting in

GRDC in Conversation: David Tropiano

Jan 12 2025 22 mins  
In this episode, we sit down with David Tropiano, a grain farmer from Mullewa, WA, as he shares his journey from a reluctant start in farming to running a multi-generational operation. David opens up about the realities of farming in Western Australia, from handling different soil types and the competitive land market to the impact of weather on crops. He also reflects on the evo

Plant breeding and genetics: Understanding the basics

Jan 07 2025 19 mins  
According to Dr Greg Rebetzke, Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO, plant breeding is the key cornerstone of modern agriculture. Unless we have the best varieties, giving us the capacity to breed high yielding crops, then there's greater risk in farming. This podcast delves into the history of plant breeding and Dr Rebetzke brings us up to date with the latest research into breeding

GRDC in Conversation: Fiona Dempster

Dec 22 2024 30 mins  
In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre speaks with Fiona Dempster, a researcher and grower from Mingenew, Western Australia. Fiona’s unique background in natural resource management and her ongoing research with the University of Western Australia bring fascinating insights into the intersection of scientific study and hands-on farming. Fiona shares her jour

Agricultural study around the world: insights from a GRDC supported Horizon scholar

Dec 17 2024 7 mins  
The AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program provides a bursary of $5000 a year during the final two years of a degree, along with professional development, work placements and networking opportunities. Supported by the GRDC, the scholarship program fosters the next generation of agricultural leaders who are interested in contributing to the Australian grains industry's success. I

GRDC in Conversation: Mike Ewing

Dec 15 2024 55 mins  
In this episode, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Mike Ewing, a scientist with over 40 years of experience in agricultural research, particularly in farming systems, break crops and whole-farm profitability. Mike discusses his long-standing passion for plants and their unique adaptations, especially in the challenging environment of Western Australia's grain-growing regions. He s

The how-to of effective mouse baiting - techniques, machinery and safety

Dec 10 2024 14 mins  
Mouse populations across a large part of grain growing regions were higher than average across the 2021 and 2022 seasons, requiring an increased effort in mouse management from growers. To help Australian grain growers reduce crop losses due to mouse damage, a GRDC investment is examining mouse bait application techniques to better understand the performance and likely efficacy