Summary

This project delivered a one-year regional internship that gave an early-career researcher hands-on experience in all aspects of research trial work from planning, seeding, in-crop management, crop and soil assessments and sampling, through to trial harvest, data analysis and reporting. The intern also developed their communication skills by delivering research results to local growers and advisers. The internship continued Hart Field-Site Group’s strong track record of placing graduates into applied grains roles, with most past interns moving on to research-based positions in regional South Australia. For growers, the program supports stronger local research capacity, including robust trial design and analysis and more effective communication of results relevant to growers and advisers.

Background

Effective applied research and extension relies on skilled people who understand local farming systems, challenges and research priorities. Regional groups often struggle to attract and retain early-career researchers. Hart has run a regional internship program since 2016, providing graduates with a supported transition from university into roles in applied grains research and extension. Supported by SAGIT and the SA Drought Hub, the 2024 Hart internship helped to maintain research capacity in the Upper and Mid North regions of SA by providing hands-on exposure to grains industry research, development and extension and opportunities to develop grower and industry networks.

Research Aims

The core objectives of the project were to:

• Encourage high-quality agricultural science graduates to pursue careers in applied grains research through a regionally based internship.
• Provide hands-on training in applied research, development and extension relevant to the grains industry.
• Continue and strengthen Hart’s regional internship model and links with university students, research partners and industry.

In The Field

The internship combined field-based and laboratory-based research with extension and professional development. The 2024 intern, Miffy Purslow, developed skills in planning and managing a field trial at the Hart field site, including trial establishment, in-crop assessments, sampling, harvest, analysis and reporting. The field trial examined nitrogen responses in wheat and barley across a wide range of rates, reflecting grower interest in variable nitrogen responses and the haying-off risk in dry seasons.

Miffy also completed a laboratory-based project at the Waite campus with support from SARDI Senior Research Officer Blake Gontar and SARDI Sub Program Leader in soil biology Dr Liz Farquharson.

The pot trial in SARDI’s research glasshouse investigated the effects of a novel seed treatment on fusarium root rot disease and nodulation.
To develop her communication and extension skills, Miffy contributed to Hart field days and crop walks including presentations and written material, and completed targeted training in statistics, communication and public speaking. Miffy also conducted a year-long video communications project highlighting her year at Hart.

Results

The internship successfully delivered practical skills across the full research cycle, from trial design through to communication of results. In the field trial, Miffy developed an experimental protocol including planning the trial method, timing and measurements and liaised with local growers and advisers to gather advice on trial design. Although drought conditions impacted the trial, it provided an opportunity to test the impact of high rates of nitrogen on ‘haying off’ and generated data relevant to nitrogen-use decisions made by local growers in a dry season.

The laboratory-based pot trial strengthened Miffy’s skills in experimental design, plant pathology, data collection and statistical analysis, and highlighted the importance of detailed protocols and measurement timing to collect high quality data. More information on the lab and field trials can be found in the 2024 Hart Trial Results.

Miffy’s involvement in Hart’s extension activities improved her confidence and effectiveness in presenting research results to growers, advisers and students. For the 2024 Hart Field Day, Miffy was involved in event preparation, introduced speakers and facilitated question time. Miffy also spoke at various group tours at Hart throughout 2024, was joint author on an article with Blake Gontar for the Hart Field Day Guide and co-presented at Hart’s Spring Field Day event. Strong mentoring through SMART goal setting and regular performance reviews supported her skill development and she was also inducted into workplace practices and procedures.

Miffy also had the opportunity to network with growers and industry by attending the GRDC Updates, SAGIT researcher forum and external events run by Mid North High Rainfall Zone and Northern Sustainable Soils groups. To extend her skills in communications, Miffy prepared a five-part video series titled Ag Research – the seasonal timeline which takes viewers on a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of agricultural research. In March 2025 Miffy commenced as a Farming Systems Project Officer with Upper North Farming Systems (UNFS) group.