Hyper Profitable Crops - cereal paddock benchmarking and innovation groups

⁠⁠⁠In the high rainfall zones of Australia, there are significant gaps between the crop yields produced in commercial paddocks and the water-limited yield potential. A considerable amount of RD&E has been conducted in the high rainfall zones over the past decade or more, however recent peer-to-peer learning has been a major success factor in reducing in these gaps and prompting growers to reassess their yield targets. Innovation and benchmarking groups created as part of the GRDC Hyper-Yielding Crops (HYC) investment proved a powerful tool for promoting the adoption of enhanced agronomic practices and impressive crop yields by international standards.

The investment has been highly regarded by growers and agronomists alike, redefining what yields are possible in Australia. Facilitated discussions and crop inspections enabled growers to better understand and test the management practices required to produce crop yields previously thought to be unattainable, and the implications of integrating these practices into their farming systems. GRDC is seeking a service provider to manage and support seven innovation and benchmarking hubs throughout the high rainfall zones of Australia, starting in 2024, for three growing seasons.

These facilitated groups will feature discussions throughout the year addressing best practice agronomic management for high yielding and profitable wheat and barley crops in the high rainfall zones of the south coast WA, south-eastern SA, southern Victoria, Tasmania and southern NSW. Paddock benchmarking will allow growers to compare cereal agronomy, production and financial performance, and a small trial program will also be supported at each hub – these trials will be funded and managed by the GRDC NVT team in collaboration with the service provider, and do not need to be included in applicant budgets.

These activities will facilitate the continued extension of key agronomic management strategies suited to the high rainfall zone and will promote broad on-farm adoption of practices that boost the performance of wheat and barley in profitable and sustainable ways. This investment will include the development of a high rainfall cropping manual to facilitate the collation of research including case studies of how to best leverage rainfall in the high rainfall zone for high yielding and profitable crops.