GRDC Podcast

Pigeon pea, a mainstay crop grown in India, is now being touted as an alternative summer crop for southern Queensland and northern New South Wales as its hardiness to adverse weather conditions is one of its favoured features. GRDC, Woods Seeds and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries have been running trials over several years around the Toowoomba region with Principal Research Scientist Bruce Winter and Angus Woods of Wood Seeds leading the charge.

Contacts:

Angus Woods

Woods Seeds

angus.woods@woodsgroup.com.au



Bruce Winter

Queensland DPI

bruce.winter@dpi.qld.gov.au



More Information:

https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2026/03/pigeonpea-agronomy,-performance-and-system-fit

https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2025/08/field-trials-confirm-the-potential-of-pigeonpea-as-a-summer-pulse-crop-for-the-northern-region

https://grdc.com.au/events/past-events/2024/07/grdc-grains-research-update-goondiwindi

https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2025/11/pigeonpea-for-central-qld-agronomy-performance-and-system-fit

https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/golden-opportunity-for-the-norths-hot-and-dry-spots

https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/crops/pulses/new-broadacre-summer-pulse-crop-for-queensland-and-northern-nsw



Project Code:

DAQ2511-004RTX
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gravel and sand mulches are being tested to improve crop emergence in areas affected by challenging soil conditions, including non-wetting soils, waterlogging and salinity with some unexpected results. Ella Shaylor from SLR Agriculture explains how surface mulches can help conserve soil moisture, reduce evaporation and limit the movement of salts towards the soil surface. Local grower Jake Latham shares his experience with persistent patches where crops have struggled to germinate year after year. While gravel has performed well in previous trials, sand mulch is showing particularly promising results— raising new questions about how and why the treatment is working.

This podcast is part of a 6-part GRDC series looking at managing soil constraints in Western Australia. The project adopting innovative solutions for challenging soils is a GRDC investment led by SLR Agriculture.

Contacts:

Ella Shaylor

SLR Agriculture

ella.shaylor@slragriculture.com.au



Jake Latham

Grower

Lathja16@gmail.com



More Information:

https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2026/02/gravel-mulch-improves-cereal-yield-and-water-use-efficiency-on-alkaline-sodic-soils-in-the-eastern-wheatbelt-of-wa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPqOC5zbwC8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foExvBXRFjo



Project/Investment Codes:

PLT2409-001SAX

SLR25002-001SAX
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Farm automation adoption isn’t just about technology - it depends on people. Dealers are essential in building trust, proving value in local conditions, and supporting farmers through training, service, and confidence-building. Andrew Speed has spent a lifetime in the grains industry and knows first hand not just the frustration of when technology doesn’t hit the mark, but the jubilation when it does. Now working in the precision ag team at RDO Equipment, he joins Conor McGuckian from eastern Australia’s Boekeman Machinery in a frank conversation around how growers can work with their machinery dealers to move towards an autonomous business. This GRDC podcast series is led by the Society of Precision Agriculture Australia as part of the GRDC Grain Automate Initiative.

Contacts:

Conor McGuckian

Boekeman Machinery

conor@boekemans.com.au



Andrew Speed

RDO Equipment

Andrew.Speed@rdo.com.au



More Information:

Grain Automate website

Major initiative: Grain AutomateGrain automate project round up

Momentum builds for on-farm task automation

GRDC invests $35M to drive machine automation and intelligent technology for grain growers

Grain Automate webinar: getting automation farm-ready

SPAA webinar: Paving the way for on-farm autonomy

The latest in ag tech comes to grain
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weeds can be especially challenging in High Rainfall Zones, where favourable growing conditions can drive significant weed pressure. Agronomists Luke Wilkins and Candice Robinson share their insights about proactive weed management strategies for tough seasons, including crop competition, herbicide rotation, harvest weed seed control and emerging technologies. They also discuss changing rainfall patterns, paraquat restrictions, brome grass and the role of research in developing future weed control options.

Contacts:

Luke Wilkins

Bawdens Rural Trading

lukew@bawdensrural.com.au

Candice Robinson

Seftons

candice@seftonagronomics.com.au



Project/Investment Code:

SPP2502-001SAX
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GRDC investment ‘improving surface and subsurface water management across the medium and high rainfall zones of Australia’ is investigating the benefits and challenges of different drainage options across different production regions, cropping systems and soil types. Grower Jeremy Whyte and agronomist Quenten Knight discuss how landforming uses natural and constructed gradients to assist excess water to flow off paddocks, thereby reducing ponding and waterlogging, and increasing yields. This podcast is part of a 6-part GRDC series on managing soil constraints in Western Australia.

Contact:

Jeremy Whyte

Warakirri Cropping

jeremy.whyte@warakirricropping.com.au



Quenten Knight

Agronomy Focus

Quenten@agronomyfocus.com.au

More Information:

https://groundcover.grdc.com.au/grdc/announcements/drainage-that-delivers-new-tools-for-profitable-water-management



Project Code:

PAP2510-001RTX
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices