The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has announced registrations are now open for Western Australia's premier grains research forum in 2020.
GRDC Western Region Panel chair Darrin Lee says the GRDC Grains Research Update, Perth, will be held at Crown Perth on February 24 and 25.
Mr Lee says the two-day event continues to be an important source of agronomic and industry information and resources, and a key opportunity for interaction between advisers, growers and other industry personnel.
"The Update provides excellent information on high priority issues ranging from technical research results that can be applied on-farm, through to broader industry perspectives, and is an excellent networking opportunity, with more than 600 people attending the event in 2019," he said.
"The past season has been one of ups and downs, but it is important to stay focused on the long game and to continue to adopt every improvement we can in order to achieve sustainable and profitable grain production.
"This year the cost of attending has been reduced to encourage even greater participation from industry and growers.
"The maximum price will be $300, for which you will receive two packed days of information with more than 50 presenters talking about the latest research results and innovations to assist on farm profitability."
Invited speakers include leading international agricultural consultant Keith Norman, from the United Kingdom, who will address the topic 'How to farm in a highly regulated environment', and South Australian grain grower Grant Pontifex, who will talk about his experiences increasing soil health and reducing farm costs using cover crops and animal manure.
Updates on market access and regulatory issues relating to farm chemicals will be covered by Gerard McMullen, chair of the National Working Party on Grain Protection. He will be joined by Craig Dunlop, Global Head of Crop Protection Regulatory Policy for Syngenta, Switzerland.
Speaking on the theme of innovation will be Jean Ristaino, from North Carolina State University in the United States, talking about the use of the 'plant sniffer' for detecting fungal diseases. She will be joined by others demonstrating tools under development to assist researchers, agronomists and growers to increase productivity in research and agronomy.
More than 40 concurrent sessions will be held over the two days on important issues impacting on grower profitability – ranging from specific crop agronomy, nutrition management and weed control through to frost and soil constraints.
Extended focus sessions on the second day will cover coping with climate change, external crop protection challenges and how to implement integrated pest management systems on farm.
The GRDC Grains Research Update, Perth will be followed by five one-day GRDC Grains Research Update events in the Geraldton port zone at Yuna, the Kwinana West zone in Corrigin, the Kwinana East zone in Merredin, the Albany zone at Jerramungup and the Esperance zone at Lake King.
