The South Australian Grain Industry Trust (SAGIT) has announced more than $2.01 million in funding for 19 new grain research projects starting in 2022.
Funding was allocated to research projects designed to increase the profitability and sustainability of the grains industry and which align closely to the South Australian Grain Industry Blueprint.
Among the projects is the introduction of a lead agriculture teacher for SA to encourage a new generation to pursue careers in agriculture, and an investment into developing a high-value noodle wheat market for the state.
Other projects are also supporting early career development with internships, a crop competition and student compendium outlining career pathway opportunities.
SAGIT chairman Max Young said collaborations with the Grains Research and Development Corporation also enabled additional research to be supported.
“We are committed to delivering research results for the benefit of all South Australian growers and we want to support the next generation coming through,” he said.
“It’s always difficult when we have more applications than we have funds to allocate, but we think it demonstrates the enthusiasm and passion there is for agricultural research in SA.
“These new projects will provide some excellent outcomes for growers with a combination of highly technical, agronomic, new technology and educational projects.”
SAGIT is funded by a voluntary grower levy of 30 cents per harvested tonne.
The successful projects are:
| Ag Institute Australia | Student Compendium – supporting the next generation, 2023 – 25 |
| AgCommunicators | Lead Agriculture teacher for South Australia – growing curriculum and learning |
| Agronomy Solutions | Sulphur dynamics and budgets in two contrasting soil profiles |
| AgXtra | AgXtra High School and University Crop Competition |
| AIR EP | Lower Eyre Peninsula Ag Expo 2022 |
| AIR EP | Eyre Peninsula internship in applied grains research 2023 |
| AIR EP | Managing crown rot on upper EP – a joint learning experience |
| Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre | Developing a new high-value noodle market for South Australian growers |
| Central Ag Systems | On row sowing benefits on Yorke Peninsula – what are the drivers? |
| CSIRO | Improved resilience of soil function through crop management |
| Elders | Nitrogen strategies for HRZ wheat in waterlogged soils and denitrification |
| MacKillop Farm Management Group | Reducing wheat yield loss from Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus in the HRZ |
| SARDI | Ground truthing wheat and barley flowering time in the Mid North and Mallee using the Mesonet |
| Trengove Consulting | Independent benchmarking of harvester weed seed mills |
| University of Adelaide | Agronomy strategies for frost management in pulse crops |
| University of Adelaide | Realising cereal yield potential using crop physiology and drone technology |
| University of Adelaide | Revegetation for enhanced biocontrol of pest conical snails |
| University of Adelaide | Harvest and use of medic pods on-farm |
| Upper North Farming Systems | Profitability of canola as a break crop in the Upper North |
ENDS
Caption: SAGIT Chair Max Young (second from left), pictured with SAGIT Project Manager Malcolm Buckby (left), Mick Faulkner from the Mid North High Rainfall Zone Group, SAGIT Trustee Ted Langley and SAGIT Scientific Officer Jenny Davidson. The Mid North High Rainfall Zone Group leads the Frost Learning Centre project which was awarded SAGIT funding in 2021, in conjunction with the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
For interviews, please contact Sharon Watt, AgCommunicators, 0409 675 100
