Helping high rainfall zone (HRZ) grain growers and their advisers to reduce the gap between current and potential crop yields will be the focus of coming Western Australian events.
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) HRZ workshops in Dandaragan, Green Range and Esperance, to be delivered by the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) Australia, will have a particular emphasis on wheat and canola.
GRDC grower relations manager – west, Lizzie von Perger, said relevant research findings would be presented in an interactive format by three leading researchers, at each of the events.
“WA’s HRZ zone for grain crop production has an average annual rainfall of 450 to 800mm and high crop yield potential,” she said.
“However, the ‘yield gap’ in these areas, or difference between current and potential crop yields, is estimated to be at least one tonne per hectare for wheat and 0.5t/ha for canola in lower-than-average to medium rainfall years, and 1-3t/ha for wheat and 0.5-1.5t/ha for canola in higher-than-average rainfall years.”
Ms von Perger said the workshops would extend outcomes from national and regional research projects with GRDC investment, with the aim of helping growers to increase the value of their cropping phase.
The events will be conducted with support from grower groups the West Midlands Group, Stirlings to Coast Farmers and the South East Premium Wheat Growers Association.
Speakers and topics will include:
- FAR Australia managing director Nick Poole – addressing management and germplasm challenges for higher yields in the HRZ, with reference to results from the GRDC investment ‘Hyper yielding cereals – a feed grain initiative’
- CSIRO project leader Heping Zhang – talking about findings from the GRDC investment ‘Achieving stable and high canola yield across the rainfall zones of WA’
- Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions senior research scientist Penny Riffkin – discussing outcomes from the GRDC’s ‘Optimising the yield and economic potential of high input cropping systems in the HRZ investment’.
Workshops will be held at the following locations:
- Dandaragan Community Recreation Club – 9am-12.30pm, July 23 2019
- Green Range Country Club – 9am-12.30pm, July 24 2019
- Esperance Civic Centre – 9am-12.30pm, July 26 2019.
More information is available on the GRDC website and to register contact rachel.lowther@faraustralia.com.au.
Source: GRDC
Featured Image: GRDC high rainfall zone workshops in WA will extend outcomes from national and regional projects that have GRDC investment. Photo: Catherine Norwood / © GRDC