ATTENDEES at the 2021 Tasmania Crop Technology Centre Field Day in November enjoyed lively discussions centred on sustainability, nutrition management, genetics and productivity.
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Held by FAR Australia and in association with Southern Farming Systems, the field day explored the practical farm steps that will enable growers to achieve higher productivity and close the yield gap.
FAR Australia managing director Nick Poole welcomed visitors and outlined the Grains Research and Development Corporation's (GRDC) Hyper Yielding Crops (HYC) project which the centre currently hosts.
"The GRDC's Hyper Yielding Crops project is a national initiative led by FAR Australia in collaboration with a number of project partners; here in Tasmania we are working closely with regional partner Southern Farming Systems," Mr Poole said.
Guest speakers included South Australian farmer and Nuffield Scholar Lachie Seears, Southern Farming Systems senior technical officer Brett Davey and senior research and extension officer Naomi Hender, along with TechCrop Service's Jon Midwood.
Mr Poole said the HYC project builds on the success of the GRDC's four-year Hyper Yielding Cereals Project in Tasmania which has attracted 'a great deal of interest' from mainland high rainfall zone regions.
The project demonstrates how increases in productivity can be achieved through sowing the right cultivars, at the right time and with effective implementation of appropriately tailored management strategies.
With input from national and international cereal breeders, growers, advisers and the wider industry, this project is working towards setting record yield targets as aspirational goals for growers of wheat, barley and canola.
In addition to the research centres, the project also includes a series of focus farms and innovative grower networks, which are geared to road-test the findings of experimental plot trials in paddock-scale trials.
Mr Poole said HYC project officers in each state are working with innovative grower networks to set up paddock strip trials on growers' properties with assistance from the national extension lead Jon Midwood.
For more information about upcoming field days and trial results, visit: FAR Australia