Grains Research & Development

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has grains research and development connections across Australia and with more than 25 countries worldwide – ranging from collaboration with Japanese flour millers involved with the udon noodle industry through to seeking out barley genes tolerant of acid soils on the Tibetan Plateau and commercialising department-bred lupin varieties for use in the Chilean salmon industry.

These research, development and extension linkages and partnerships underpin the department’s capacity to tackle grains issues of national and regional agricultural importance and deliver profitable management solutions to the state’s 4000 grain producers.

The department is committed to leading and contributing to specific priority areas of research and development through the Grains Industry National Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Strategy.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) – a national organisation coordinating research and development of behalf of Australian grain growers is a key funder of the department's grain research, development and extension activities.

Major initiatives being undertaken through the GRDC-DPIRD partnership include developing solutions to frost and soil constraints, which together can cost the Western Australian grains industry hundreds of millions of dollars in lost production each year.

Grains Research and Industry Development Projects

Articles

Developing a controlled traffic (tramline) farming system

6 January 2011

Controlled traffic farming (CTF) is a farming system built on permanent wheel tracks where the crop zone and traffic lanes are permanently separated.
Improving resistance to septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) in wheat

9 February 2016

Septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) is a significant fungal disease of wheat. Resistant varieties would complement on-farm disease management practices to maintain grain yields under disease epidemics.
Crop weeds: reduce weed seed numbers in the soil

9 December 2010

One method of weed control is to remove weed seeds in the fallow, stubble and pre-sowing phase.
Crop weeds: weed management at harvest

29 May 2012

This management strategy provides an opportunity to control weed seed set in the pasture and during harvest.
Fleabane

4 February 2011

Flaxleaf and tall fleabane (Conyza spp.) are emerging weeds in Western Australia, germinating in spring and becoming major weeds in summer.
Doublegee

3 February 2011

Doublegee or spiny emex is a significant weed in Western Australia. It is a vigorous annual herb with a strong tap root and a long, fleshy, hairless stem.
Silver grass

4 February 2011

Silver grass is an annual grass occurring in both cropping and grazing regions across Australia. There are several species, the most common being Vulpia myuros and V. bromoides.
Wild radish

18 May 2012

Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) is highly competitive in crops and can cause a yield loss of 10-90%.
Herbicide resistance

31 January 2011

Herbicide resistance is the inherited ability of an individual plant to survive a herbicide application that would kill a normal population of the same species.
Smut and bunt diseases of cereal - biology, identification and management

13 December 2012

Cereal smut and bunt diseases are caused by fungi which parasitise the host plant and produce masses of soot-like spores in the leaves, grains or ears.