Australia: Helping Australian barley growers understand new variety developments and the latest crop agronomy

Like all grain growers, barley growers need effective communication strategies to ensure they understand new variety developments and the latest crop agronomy for their particular growing conditions, SeedQuest reported in a press release, September 12.

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.

19 September, 2007