GRDC Podcast

Grain Automate: The Autonomous Agronomist

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of GRDC’s Grain Automate series speaks with Tim Neale, an expert agronomist and the director of Data Farming, a precision farming compa...

GRDC in Conversation: Edward Scott

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ed Scott grew up on a mixed farming property on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, but his path into agriculture wasn’t a straight line. What b...

Legume marketing: How it works in the west

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Legume marketing has long been considered a chicken and egg scenario. What comes first? The market or the grower collaborations? This episode explores...

GRDC in Conversation: James Walter

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

James Walter is the bioinformatics lead at Australian Grain Technologies (AGT), working at the intersection of genetics, data science and plant breedi...

Herbicide safety and weed management in pulses

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This episode explores how to set pulse crops up for success, because they really don't forgive shortcuts with herbicides. Navneet Aggarwal, a senior r...

Improving pulse productivity in sandy soil with amelioration

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This episode focuses on sandy soils and how to unlock their potential to successfully grow pulses, which have traditionally been a challenge. GRDC's i...

Pulse agronomy foundations: Getting pulses right from the start

29 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Get pulse agronomy foundations right on your farm to reduce risk and build long term profitability. This episode explores examples from the South Aust...

GRDC in Conversation: Ashley Amourgis

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC in Conversation, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Ashley Amourgis, General Manager of Southern Farming Systems, just west of Gee...

Grain Automate: From data to decisions

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is part two in the GRDC Grain Automate initiative series and is led by the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia (SPAA). E...

GRDC in Conversation: Darcy Warren

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Darcy Warren, a leading researcher at Field Applied Research (FAR) Austral...

weedSAT: how satellite imagery is being used to pinpoint weeds

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Tim Neale from DataFarming explains a new precision ag tool, weedSAT. weedSAT — a satellite-powered weed detection tool developed w...

Supporting young grower groups

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, facilitators Amy Wright and Lucy Pedler talk about the rise of young grower groups across South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Support...

Legume harvesting (lentils): Tips and tricks for growers

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been thinking of adding a legume to your rotation? In this episode, we are joined by Calingiri legume grower John Young and Glen Reithmu...

Bushfire response: Coping, rebuilding & future-proofing

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As we recorded this podcast, the bushfire threat in Victoria was ongoing with lives, homes, and thousands of hectares of cropping land still at risk. ...

What the eef are EEFs? Unlocking the potential of enhanced efficiency fertilisers

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What the eef are EEFs? This episode dives deep into not only what EEFs are, but how they can change modern grain farming. On the face of it, they are ...

Grain automate: Getting started with autonomy

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Adapting new technology on farm has always been vital to farming success. As modern Australian farming moves further into the digital age, fully autom...

GRDC in Conversation: Wayne Pech

25 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, mixed farmer Wayne Pech shares the sustainable farming practices he’s weaving into his business North Stirl...

Sandy soil amelioration on the Eyre Peninsula

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, grower Tristan Baldock and agronomist Brett Masters from EPAG Research in South Australia talk about why growers on the Eyre Penins...

Durum: Gross margins and role in rotation

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There are new tools available for durum wheat growers, presenting opportunities to close the yield gap with bread wheat. With a major pasta processing...

GRDC in Conversation: Ian Longson

11 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ian Longson reflects on his incredible career in the grains sector spanning 55 years, servicing farmers and agriculture businesses and passionately ad...

Cultivating learning: Ag education for Aussie kids

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

According to a survey done by the Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (PIEFA), 75 per cent of surveyed students say they know nothing o...

From idea to investment: The rigour behind every GRDC project

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

GRDC has a rigorous process in and around how it invests. GRDC is constantly engaging with growers and looking for opportunitiesto take an idea, groun...

GRDC in Conversation: Clint Della Bosca

14 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It doesn’t get much more marginal than Yilgarn, on the eastern fringe of WA’s wheatbelt, and it takes a certain kind of farmer to remain profitabl...

Harvest headaches: Managing regrowth in crops

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many growers are currently facing the challenges that come with paddocks that are split. Some nearly ready for harvest, others showing significant reg...

A practical guide to tramline renovation machines

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Permanent tramlines in a controlled-traffic farming system offer a range of benefits including less soil compaction across the whole paddock, fuel sav...

GRDC in Conversation: Courtney Piesse

30 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Much like mechanics might have cars in a less-than-ideal state, agronomists often have the messiest crops, with their attention going to their custome...

Updates on Gazania control

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Vibrant, colourful blooms and an attractive daisy-like appearance make them a popular choice for gardens and landscaping. But unfortunately, quick gro...

Predicting weeds using multi-layer analytics

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Groundbreaking innovation tends to happen through multidisciplinary approaches and a range of expertise. That statement has never been truer than in a...

GRDC in Conversation: Shannen Davies

16 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Shannen Davies’ idyllic childhood in Geraldton gave her a deep connection to the regions, and an appreciation for the innovation and growth happenin...

How to collect a rust sample

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered how to collect the perfect sample of cereal rust? This is the episode for you. Listen as Matthew Williams and Margarita Paatela...

Breeding ground for disease resistance

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode explores the rise in fungicide resistance in Australian crops like wheat and barley by discussing work being done at Horsham Smart Farm i...

GRDC in Conversation: Julianne Hill

02 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With farming roots deep in the south coast of WA, Julianne Hill’s career path has taken many twists and turns. Supporting farmers to reach their ful...

To spray or not to spray?

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Think twice when it comes to prophylactic spraying. That's the advice to southern growers this season. When disease pressure is low, reducing sprayi...

Look out for barley scald in Western Australia

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Growers in Western Australia need to be on the lookout for barley scald as it is increasing in prevalence and severity, including virulence onto varie...

GRDC in Conversation: Fritz Bolten

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fritz Bolten is so dedicated to making agriculture work in Western Australia’s rugged Kimberley region he’s tried growing more than 26 different c...

Behind the scenes of fungicide resistance testing

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s an ever-present challenge for Australian grain growers, but understanding how fungicide resistance develops, and what can be done to manage it,...

Legume agronomy: How to grow them in the west

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Growers in Western Australia are well aware of the benefits of growing legumes in their rotation, but often have concerns about their reliabilit...

NVT new variety series 2025 - Barley, canola and chickpea 

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to GRDC’s National Variety Trials, or NVT new variety podcast series, where Australia's leading breeding companies share their latest relea...

NVT new variety series 2025 - Wheat

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to GRDC’s National Variety Trials, or NVT, new variety podcast series, where Australia's leading breeding companies share their latest rel...

Fertiliser storage dos and don’ts

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to storing fertiliser on-farm, small mistakes can turn into big problems. In this GRDC podcast, Grain Storage Extension Team member, Ben...

Soil health in Australia

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

No matter what crop you grow, or livestock you run, the soil beneath your boots is the foundation of your farm's productivity, profitability, and long...

Different angles on re-ripping: There is no right or wrong

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Growers around the Eradu area of Western Australia's northern growing region have been deep ripping for many years. Now they're going back and re-ripp...

Managing WPM fungicide resistance in the west

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fungicide resistance is a serious threat to cropping. When all available registered fungicides are no longer effective at managing disease, options fo...

Pre-harvest prep: Protecting stored grain

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Don't wait until harvest to consider how you are going to protect your stored grain. That's the message from GRDC's stored grain extension team. When ...

Nail the snails: An ID guide

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to nail those snails in the crop? Well, naming those snails is the first step. In this episode, Prue Adams is in York Peninsula, on the sn...

Redlegged earth mite: Management guide

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At just one millimetre long, redlegged earth mites are tiny, but that doesn't stop them from causing significant damage across Australia, especially i...

GRDC in Conversation: Andrew and Marie Fowler

10 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Oli Le Lievre interviews Andrew and Marie Fowler about their innovative farming practices in Esperance, Western Australia. The Fowlers, who met throug...

Changing the game: On farm agtech solutions

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Justine Baillie and Michael Scobie are the co-leads of the Ag Technology Adoption program at the University of Southern Queensland. They’re triallin...

Organic or not? Considering alternative phosphorus sources

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At GRDC's National Grower Network (NGN) forums, growers have been asking for information about the cost of inorganic P fertilisers and potential lower...

GRDC in Conversation: Ash Wiese

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ash Wiese is a farmer, food producer and agribusiness innovator from Western Australia. In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre si...

Flying high with new mungbean varieties

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We know Brolga and Kookaburra are great Australian birds but they are also the names of two new, game changing varieties of mungbeans. To find out how...

Kate Witham: 2025 Emerging Leader award – West

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kate Witham is a research agronomist in Western Australia and has a passion for broad acre cropping. She’s also the 2025 recipient of GRDC'S “Emer...

GRDC in Conversation: Brad Egan

13 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Brad Egan, a forward-thinking grain grower from Esperance, Western Australi...

Green on green case study: Precision weed management

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Precision weed management is where optical sensors and remote and sensor weed mapping systems are used to target weeds and therefore cut herbicide cos...

Strategies to manage turnip yellows virus

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Australian canola crops, turnip yellows virus is the one of the most widespread and economically damaging viruses, and over the past decade, epid...

GRDC in Conversation: Callum Wesley

29 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Callum Wesley, a third-generation farmer from Southern Cross, WA. They disc...

Sandy soils: What next?

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

GRDC, CSIRO and University of South Australia have done a lot of work on how to deal with the sandy soil situation. Hot off the back of a huge investm...

Audrey Delahunty: 2025 Emerging Leader award – South

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A passion for pulses and in particular a love of lentils has inspired the career of research scientist Dr Audrey Delahunty. Growers are already benefi...

GRDC in Conversation: Gemma Walker

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gemma Walker is a mover and shaker in the Western Australian grains industry, literally! If she isn’t moving from a board meeting in one city to the...

How researchers are developing sclerotinia stem rot resistant canola

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sclerotinia stem rot is a canola disease that is challenging to manage using rotation due to the wide range of crops that play host to the fungus that...

Green on brown case study: Precision weed management

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Precision weed management is where optical sensors and remote and sensor weed mapping systems are used to target weeds and therefore cut herbicide cos...

GRDC in Conversation: Ray Harrington

01 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ray Harrington has always had an eye on the battle taking place in the fields of Aussie agriculture, the war on weeds and pests. So, he and a group of...

From risk to response: Managing sclerotinia in lupin in WA

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sclerotinia in lupin is a sporadic disease found across the WA grainbelt. When weather conditions favour disease spread, it can cause significant loss...

Profitable fallow strategies to consider

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A GRDC National Grower Network investment, based in Western Australia, has been working to improve knowledge of fallow management and the economic val...

GRDC in Conversation: Neil Wandel

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Neil Wandel moved to Esperance in 1979 with his wife, one kid, and another on the way. Their operation was a tough lot to crack, but through gumption ...

Svetlana Micic: 2025 Seed of Light award – West

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Svetlana Micic has spent the past 22 years as an entomologist with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, where she has been a...

Future-proofing Australia’s soybean industry

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An ambitious GRDC investment, being led by the University of Adelaide, is working to develop new high yielding soybean varieties for a broader range o...

GRDC in Conversation: Tom Longmire

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Longmire from Beaumont, Western Australia, has dedicated himself to driving sustainability and efficiency on the family farm through innovation. T...

Mark Congreve: 2025 Seed of Light award – North

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Each year, the GRDC Seed of Light Award recognises the outstanding contribution, dedication, and commitment of individuals to communicating research o...

Get on the front foot with crown rot

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fusarium crown rot in cereals is often associated with a tough finish, but the characteristic whiteheads are far from the full picture. It’s a signi...

Drone weed mapping case study: Precision weed management

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New precision weed management technologies are helping Australian grain growers to more effectively target weeds and ultimately reduce their total her...

20-year yarns: NVT over the years - Steve Jefferies

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The National Variety Trials (NVT) Program was established by GRDC in 2005 and since then it has evolved into the largest coordinated variety trial net...

Cam Nicholson: 2025 Seed of Light award - South

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Victorian agricultural consultant, Cam Nicholson, has had a career spanning more than four decades – and over the years he’s learned a lot but mos...

Spot on fungicide application for rhizoctonia

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rhizoctonia is an important disease of cereals in southern and western growing regions, especially in low rainfall areas. Losses have been estimated a...

Get bang for your herbicide buck

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the ever-increasing cost of farming, getting bang for your herbicide buck is an important consideration when it comes to chemical handling and sp...

Applied N under irrigation - what’s the magic number?

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More is not always better when it comes to adding nitrogen (N) to your irrigated wheat crop. That's one of the key messages from a GRDC investment tha...

Farming systems in low and medium rainfall areas of WA

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A major farming systems initiative, spanning five years, is underway in the low and medium-rainfall regions of Western Australia.   Its aim is to su...

Crop establishment essentials

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Both yield and performance rely heavily on good crop establishment, which is why GRDC is investing in a range of projects to determine the key factors...

Long coleoptile wheat: Deep sowing seeder set up

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's podcast, machinery specialist Jack Desbiolles from the University of South Australia runs through important considerations for seeder s...

Skills for agronomists to handle tough conversations

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Listeners are advised that this podcast contains references to suicide There’s no shortage of stressors in farming, and while crop destruction is of...

Grow your own nitrogen: harvestable annual legume options

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Significant research is underway to help Western Australian farmers sustain their own on-farm nitrogen factory though growing and harvesting pasture l...

What to do - about wheat powdery mildew

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wheat powdery mildew is becoming increasingly difficult to manage, in part because there’s widespread resistance to the available chemicals. So, wha...

Getting a jump start on managing 2025 disease risks

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Warm conditions across much of Western Australia and variable rainfall in 2024 contributed to mixed levels of fungal disease severity in the State’s...

GRDC in Conversation: Merrie Carlhausen

19 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre chats with Merrie Carlshausen, a former nurse turned essential advocate for farming commun...

Getting grain storage right 

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Warrick and Alex Conway are part of the GRDC's grain storage extension team. Their task is to help growers with their on-farm storage, as well a...

GRDC in Conversation: David Tropiano

12 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we sit down with David Tropiano, a grain farmer from Mullewa, WA, as he shares his journey from a reluctant start in farming to runni...

Plant breeding and genetics: Understanding the basics

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

According to Dr Greg Rebetzke, Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO, plant breeding is the key cornerstone of modern agriculture. Unless we have the best...

GRDC in Conversation: Fiona Dempster

22 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre speaks with Fiona Dempster, a researcher and grower from Mingenew, Western Australia. Fion...

Agricultural study around the world: insights from a GRDC supported Horizon scholar

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program provides a bursary of $5000 a year during the final two years of a degree, along with professional develop...

GRDC in Conversation: Mike Ewing

15 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, host Oli Le Lievre sits down with Mike Ewing, a scientist with over 40 years of experience in agricultural research, particularly in ...

The how-to of effective mouse baiting - techniques, machinery and safety

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mouse populations across a large part of grain growing regions were higher than average across the 2021 and 2022 seasons, requiring an increased effor...

GRDC in Conversation: Steve Davies

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre speaks with Steve Davies, a soil scientist and researcher based in Western Australia. Stev...

Finding your feet as an agronomist

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Being an agronomist is a role with many hats, and while the in season can be demanding, with the right network and support it can be hugely rewarding ...

GRDC in Conversation: Ryan Skamp

01 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre talks to Ryan Skamp, a former carpenter-turned-farmer and co-founder of an ag-tech startup...

Managing rhizoctonia in low and medium rainfall zones

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rhizoctonia is a soil borne disease that causes a huge impact for farmers in Australia, particularly in the low and medium rainfall zones, with yield ...

GRDC in Conversation: Erin Cahill

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of GRDC’s In Conversation, host Oli Le Lievre chats with Erin Cahill. Erin is a fourth-generation farmer and agronomist from Moora, ...

Reduced returns? Plan your finances for 2025 now

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For many farmers, it’s been a tight finish to the season due to dry conditions or frost. This makes preparing the books and finances for the year ah...

GRDC in Conversation: Brianna Peake

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More about this podcast  In this episode of GRDC In Conversation, we’re joined by Brianna Peake, Chief Stakeholder Relations Sustainability and Str...

Legume Leaders – Scott Wandel: Growing and marketing lentils

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When a new variety of lentil came out that was a bit more boron tolerant, Scott Wandel thought it was time to give the legume another go. Farming at M...

GRDC in Conversation: Bec Kelly

10 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More about this podcast  In this episode, we sit down with Bec Kelly, a third-generation farmer from Mingenew, WA, who shares her journey from global...