‘Exchange Experience’ Study Tour to South Australia

A group of twelve recently joined the Hub team on tour to South Australia.

South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub Project Manager Kellie-Jane Pritchard and Adoption Manager Julianne Hill led the charge. The cohort, comprising farmers, researchers, consultants, and hub staff, examined agtech, glasshouse and field trials that showcased innovative research as part of an ‘exchange experience’ with the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.

SW WA Hub Project Manager Kellie-Jane Pritchard said the tour was co-designed between the SW WA Hub and the SA Hub to highlight a range of options that could be applied on-farm to help manage variable seasons.

“Tour participants joined from Yuna, Northampton, Dowerin, Quairading, Merredin, Coorow, and Perth, providing opportunities to learn from one another as well from the South Australian growers and researchers.

“In designing the tour, the hubs wanted to ensure a well-rounded experience for all participants,” she said.

Launching the tour near Roseworthy at the SA Hub headquarters, Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) Marketing and Communications manager Dan Vater led the WA group through the greenhouses, seed storage chambers, malting area and bread testing area highlighting that while yield was still the major parameter in their breeding. quality, disease, and abiotic stressors are significant in their selection criteria.

The group then visited Dr Mariana Caetano at the University of Adelaide who spoke to the group about measuring methane emissions and different approaches to reducing these emissions, including the use of bromoform from Asparagopsis (seaweed).

The Farrell Flat Frost Learning Centre was the final stop for day one. a number of strategies they are working on to manage frost risk, including mixing wheat varieties, mixing faba bean and lentils; using safflower; and the use of ice-nucleating bacteria.

Kicking off day two, the Hart Field day shed insights on crop breeding and genetics; finding out what the latest was around drought and salinity tolerance; investigating if it was possible to farm without glyphosate; and to see if there was anything new in frost mitigation.

Extensive trials and 30 highly regarded speakers were showcased. Two highlights included as update on RiskWi$e, a 5-year national investment by the GRDC of $30 million that will run from 2023 to 2028, to understand and improve the risk-reward outcomes for Australian grain growers by supporting grower on-farm decision-making,  of which GGA and eight WA grower groups are involved. Dr. Chris Preston of the University of Adelaide Weed Science Research Group addressed the cohort exploring the logistics of farming without glyphosate which created much discussion.

Just outside of Loxton, Lowaldie’s Mallee Sustainable Farming hosted the group on day three where they looked at the ripping effect on mid and top slopes of their dune swale system.

The group toured Bulla Burra’s collaborative farming operation exploring farming in this low rainfall (average growing season is approximately 150mm over the last 10 years). General Manager Robin Schaefer shared with the group why summer weed management is key. This pitstop also explored the use of variable rate nutrition and seed in variable soil types – shifting nutrition from the poor soils to the better loamy soils, and increasing seeding rate on more fragile sandy ridges.

The success of the study tour was evident in the responses from the participants as to relevance (high), take home messages (many), practice change (most) and enthusiasm during the tour (evident).The tour was designed through interaction between the SW WA Hub and the SA Hub as part of an exchange experience.

Yuna grower Jess Groves gave an interview with Rural Focus covering the tour.