Western Australia
September 12, 2007
Source:
GRDC's The Crop Doctor
Like all graingrowers, barley
growers need effective communication strategies to ensure they
understand new variety developments and the latest crop agronomy
for their particular growing conditions.
With the release in late August of three new
Department of Agriculture
and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) barley varieties, Hannan,
Lockyer and Roe, the need for growers to understand what they
can expect from new varieties is timely.
DAFWA Development Officer, Jeff Russell, is addressing such
strategies through a GRDC
supported project to develop better communication between
growers and industry.
Mr Russell’s project will lead to an industry development
program providing guidelines to assist the industry find
pathways to market for new varieties, quality targets via
improved crop management and better defining barley’s role in
farming systems.
Barley production in Western Australia continues to climb, now
averaging two million tonnes per annum, with WA accounting for
one third of Australia’s 2004/05 barley crop.
Mr Russell will use the launch of the new varieties to evaluate
his project by measuring the dissemination of information from
DAFWA breeders to growers.
His GRDC supported research provides growers and agribusiness
with information to support selection of appropriate malting and
feed barley varieties.
It will also package research outcomes, market information and
deliver industry strategies through efficient extension networks
to growers and agribusiness. |
|
 |
|
The Crop Doctor is
GRDC Managing Director,
Peter Reading |
|
