Current Projects

ARC x WSU Silicon: a novel solution to reduce water use and pest damage in wheat

ARC-funded research led by Western Sydney University (WSU), in collaboration with Agripower Australia  and grower groups including MIG in Western Australia, has established field plots to test silicon supplementation. These partnerships aim to integrate Si fertilization into conventional farming practices to enhance crop productivity and sustainability. This project seeks to address critical challenges in Australian wheat farming, such as water scarcity and pest damage, which significantly impact yields and production costs.

GRDC - DPIRD Sclerotinia Management for Narrow Leaf Lupin Crops in WA Farming Systems

WA lupin growers face increasing pressure from Sclerotinia, with the disease-causing widespread damage in 2021 across multiple port zones. Research conducted in this new GRDC-funded project will help growers understand the infection process and determine how the disease develops, causes yield and/or quality impacts and may be best managed. MIG is assisting plant pathologists at DPIRD Geraldton in identifying, monitoring, and managing sclerotinia in narrow leaf lupins. While there are many established control methods for sclerotinia in canola, lupins have little research about the effects and control of the disease.

GRDC - DPIRD Furthering grower knowledge and understanding of the scientifically unidentified ‘Dongara Weevil’

A mysterious weevil damaging crops in the Mid West will be the focus of a new joint project seeking to identify the pest and find out its distribution. Dubbed the ‘Dongara weevil’, it was first reported in a canola crop on a property east of Dongara in 2013.

Local growers have since reported the tiny black weevil infesting canola and coriander crops in the district and adjacent Mingenew area.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Murdoch University and the Mingenew Irwin Group (MIG) have joined forces to find, describe or classify the weevil.

The project has co-investment from the Grains Research and Development Corporation..

Future Drought Fund: Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes
Making Every Drop Count - Below and Above Ground Targeted Moisture Conservation from Paddock to Landscape

This project will deliver demonstrations designed through a 3-tiered (scaled) analysis of soil, paddock, and landscape.

The project aims to:

- Increase the number of land managers trialling and adopting drought resilient land management practices – both directly through project activities, and by providing case studies and evidence that can support the “scaling out” of effective practices. 
- Strengthen collaborative networks between farmers and other land managers in support of increased adoption of drought resilient land management practices.  
- Demonstrate the effectiveness of particular land management practices, and combinations of practices, in improving drought resilience.   

The 10 demonstrations will showcase the following drought resilient technologies: 

- Approaches to groundcover management practices

- Management of riparian areas and rehabilitation.  

- Improved moisture and nutrient removal in downslope waterlogged and nutrient leached environments.  

- Summer cover cropping and soil amelioration applications for improved moisture utilisation and reduced salt accumulation. Upslope water use improvements with improved crop agronomy and systems. 

- Enhancement of biodiversity by rehabilitating erosion gullies, planting shelterbelts and re-vegetating hillside to improve soil moisture retention in landscape and paddock.  

- Improving farm water storage. Management of farm dams both for stock water and biodiversity purposes. 

The key achievements to date are that 6 of the 10 demonstrations have had site works completed and are now in the monitoring stage. And progression at the remaining four sites is underway with the remediation techniques/drought resilient practices applied by spring and over summer. Outcomes will be promoted widely through extensive networks across the Australian Ag Industry.

This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.