Council of Grain Grower Organisations funds $428,000 into safflower, paraquat, nitrogen and weevil research

WA grain farmers are set to bankroll four projects worth a collective $428,000 next year, in the hope the new and exciting research will directly benefit their operations. The Council of Grain Grower Organisations unveiled the four projects recently, with plans for all to start in January next year. Launched in 2000, the COGGO Research Fund was set up to invest in innovative research and development projects across the entire grains supply chain with a direct benefit to WA grain growers. It is funded WA grain growers who contribute a voluntary 0.5 per cent levy on the net farm gate value of grain they sell, with the organisation administered by the Grain Industry Association of WA. Yuna Farm Improvement Group received the biggest boost, with $150,000 for two years to fund a project based on managing soil nitrogen, moisture and plant production interactions for increased grain production potential under climatically variable conditions. The project will be managed by well-known Greenough agronomist Nick Eyers, who hopes to establish a stronger understanding for soil Nitrogen supply over a legume/wheat/wheat rotation, across the same site in 2023 and 2024 and how this supply is affected by given seasonal conditions. SLR Agriculture agronomist Michael Lamond was awarded $122,000 across two years to delve into super-high oleic safflower — often referred to as SHO safflower — as a break crop by measuring wheat grain yield in the year afterwards. The vibrant yellow crop has been trialled in WA during the past few years and touted as having a bright future as the world’s richest source of oleic acid, with demand outstripping supply. Mr Lamond’s project will look into the impact of SHO safflower on the profitability of farmers’ rotations, across both single and double break scenarios in the low rainfall regions in WA. Oils with high levels of oleic acid are used in industrial oils such as lubricants and biodiesel, for human consumption, and in personal-care products. A third project led by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development entomologist Svetlana Micic will span two years and investigate systems for control of desiantha weevil in relation to resistance and biology in WA. The insect is a sporadic pest that targets cereal seedlings in South Coast areas, with the potential to destroy hundreds of hectares. The aim of the study is to determine if Desiantha weevil were resistant to current insecticides and to investigate their biology to identify improved management options. Paraquat will be the focus of the fourth project co-ordinated by the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, with the $67, 750, one-year investigation led by AHRI research fellow Roberto Busi. The project has been called Paraquat Ain’t Paraquat: Improving the use of paraquat for cost-effective glyphosate and paraquat resistance management on-farm — a hot topic amongst WA grain growers. It aims to conduct novel research to guide WA grain growers to control weeds by choosing the most cost-effective use pattern of knock-down herbicides. COGGO chair Rhys Turton said the projects were aimed at enhancing the sustainability and profitability of the WA industry. “Providing catalytic funding for new research and development ideas is a part of our long history and we have seen many past recipients make significant impact on returns for WA grain growers,” he said. “COGGO funding for new grains research projects is enabled by our members voluntarily contributing contribute 0.5 per cent of their own net farm-gate returns for which we are very grateful.”