BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: 19 May 2006 Strategic Approaches to Growing More Grain Martin Blumenthal - GRDC James Walcott - BRS Recent reports emphasise the need for Australian agricultural industries to keep investing in productivity gains in order to maintain a competitive edge in international trade. Consequently, investments in rural R&D are under pressure to keep finding methods to improve industry productivity. Martin Blumenthal will outline how the Grains Research and Development Corporation is investing strategically to maximise returns to growers and the environment. Jim Walcott will summarise results of a project to show the changes in grain yield and water use efficiencies over the last 20 years, and where there is still capacity for further gains production within existing cropping regions.
Transcript
BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: 19 May 2006
Strategic Approaches to Growing More GrainMartin Blumenthal - GRDC
James Walcott - BRS
Recent reports emphasise the need for Australian agricultural industries to keep investing in productivity gains in order to maintain a competitive edge in international trade. Consequently, investments in rural R&D are under pressure to keep finding methods to improve industry productivity. Martin Blumenthal will outline how the Grains Research and Development Corporation is investing strategically to maximise returns to growers and the environment. Jim Walcott will summarise results of a project to show the changes in grain yield and water use efficiencies over the last 20 years, and where there is still capacity for further gains production within existing cropping regions.
Strategic Approaches to Growing More GrainDr. Martin Blumenthal, GRDC
Dr James Walcott, BRS
Science for decision makers
Growing more grain: locating the potential gains
James Walcott
Science for decision makers
www.brs.gov.au
Outline
• Introduction• Key findings• Context• WUE – status, trends and potential gains • Constraints to higher WUE• Conclusions
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Continued productivity growth, driven significantly by research and development and innovation, is the most effective way to offset a continuing long term downward trend in farmers’ terms of trade (the ratio of prices received to prices paid).
Creating Our Future, 2006, p 7.
Continued productivity growth fuelled by strong agricultural R&Dinvestment will be an important way for developed country agricultural sectors to remain competitive in the face of this challenge. ( i.e. developing countries investing more in agricultural R&D than developed countries.)
– Crop productivity and WUE.– Likely barriers to yield improvement
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• Strategic Planning for Investment based on agro-ecological zones
• Project team:– AgWA: Greg Beeston, David Stephens, Mike Nunweek– BRS: Kema Ranatunga, James Walcott– Other analyses: Dennis van Gool, Phil Goulding, Greg Laughlin, Neil
McKenzie, David Maschmedt.• GRDC Program Consultant: Phil Price• Project Reference Group: Mark Peoples, Bob Belford, David Freebairn,
Ann Hamblin• Regional reviewers: Wal Anderson, Roger Armstrong, Mike Bell, Giles
Butler, Jim Egan, Ruhi Ferwdowsian, Chris Gazey, Ashley Mead, David Mitchell, Anna Ridley, David Roget, Richard Routley, John Simons, Murray Unkovitch, Bindi Webb, Janet Wilkins
• Report reviewers: Miles Dracup, Glenn McDonald, John Passioura, Garry O’Leary, Mick Poole, David Tennant, David White
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Key findings
• Widespread improvements in yield and WUE• Further possible gains in WUE (2-14 m tonnes)• Soil constraints may reduce WUE
– pH ( 2.3 m t)– Bulk density ( 3.1 m t)– Permeability ( 0.8 m t)
• Other possible constraints not quantified
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Context
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Wheat yields: ave 1983-2002
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Trends in wheat yields by region
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
1983 1988 1993 1998 2003
Year of reporting
Yiel
d (t/
ha)
WesternSouthernNorthern
0.560.290.11
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Wheat yield trends 1983-2002
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Wheat yield variability (cv)
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Relationship between wheat yield and water use
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1
2
3
4
5
0 100 200 300 400 500
Water use (mm)
Gra
in y
ield
(t/h
a)
French & Shultz (1984)
Water Use Efficiency
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0
1
2
3
4
5
0 100 200 300 400 500
Water use (mm)
Gra
in y
ield
(t/h
a)
French & Shultz (1984)
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110 mm
20 kg/ha/mm
French & Shultz (1984)
0
1
2
3
4
5
0 100 200 300 400 500
Water use (mm)
Gra
in y
ield
(t/h
a)
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Wheat water use efficiency: 1983-2002
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Estimates of production gains (,000 t/ann)
3536645- Southern
3768527- Western
139903459Australia – maximum area sown
75521819- minimum area sown
66862287Total - Northern
8103242238- Qld Central
16677082636- NSW NW – Qld SW
353111823140- NSW NE – Qld SE
677733659AEZ - NSW Central
7050Min2002Region
Benchmark Water Use Efficiencies (%)
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Major influences on crop growth
Constraints
Soil surface
Water -store
Nutrients –N, P, K etc
LightWater -evapotranspirationCO2
O2Water -rainfall
Temperature Biological losses
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Y– Soil depth
Y– Salinity N– Toxins (B, Al)Y– Soil strength
YAccess – pH N– Repellency
Y– Soil textureYStorage – Infiltration
CoveredGeneticsAgronomy
Factors affecting soil water use
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Extra yield from overcoming soil constraints
Hamza & Anderson (2002)
0.20.2Bulk density – sub >1.4
Zhang et al 2004
0.9waterlogging 30 days
0.1Infiltration – sub <3 mm/hr
Hamza & Anderson (2002)
0.250.2Infiltration – top <3mm/hr
0.2pH – subsoil <5.5
Liu et al 2004
0.50.25pH – topsoil < 5.5
ReferenceExtra yield possible (t/ha)Analysis Field
Constraint
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Effect of soil constraints on production (,000 t/ann)
79731152312Australia17613421725- Western
1261307407- Southern
495467179Total – Northern
76363- Qld Central
1347813- NSW NW – Qld SW
24920474- NSW NE – Qld SE
3514688AEZ - NSW Central
PermeabilityBulk density
pHRegion
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Assumptions
• Water use is primary constraint to production• ASRIS data is substantially valid• Thresholds are valid• Soil characteristics representative of cropping• Wheat a valid model for grain crops• Constraints are independent.
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Conclusions
• Gains to be made from improving WUE.• Measuring constraint only possible at broad coverage• Constraints will vary between AEZs• Many constraints are site specific• Some constraints will be uneconomic to address• Scope and accuracy of soil properties improving• Trends in properties may be important information
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I’m sure you understand the importance of R&D to productivity and competitiveness. There are some great examples of past research achievements, but the best lies ahead.
Peter Corish, (2006) Foreward. Creating our Future: agriculture and food policy for the next generation.
www.grdc.com.au
Grains Research & Development Corporation
More efficient use of water – for a profitable and sustainable grains industry
Martin BlumenthalManager Agronomy Soil and Environment
Presented at EBB 19 May 2006
www.grdc.com.au
Grains Research & Development CorporationGRDC and the grains
industry• GRDC invests in R&D for the benefit of grain
growers• The GCA represents the interests of grain
growers• AWB markets wheat• 38,000 grain growers producing 35 million
tonnes valued at $8.5 billion• 2.5% of total world grain production but 12% of
world grain trade
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
-
50.0
100.0
150.0
200.0
250.0
1960-61
1962-63
1964-65
1966-67
1968-69
1970-71
1972-73
1974-75
1976-77
1978-79
1980-81
1982-83
1984-85
1986-87
1988-89
1990-91
1992-93
1994-95
1996-97
1998-99
2000-01
2002-03
Declining terms of trade
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
www.grdc.com.au
Grains Research & Development Corporation
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
MANAGING DIRECTOR
CORPORATESERVICES
CORPORATESTRATEGY &
PROGRAMSUPPORT
COMMUNICATION &CUSTOMERSERVICES
EXECUTIVEMANAGER
PRACTICESLOB
NEW PRODUCTSLOB
VARIETIESLOB
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
Practices LOB Structure
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
Strategy• Better practices developed and adopted
faster through– Profitable innovative and integrated practices
and technologies– Sustainable management of natural
resources– Coordinated and targeted extension and
adoption– Active grain grower involvement and
commitment
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
Bucket agronomy• Know the size of the bucket• Make the bucket larger if you can• Keep the water in the bucket• Plant water use efficient plants in the bucket• Grow healthy plants in the bucket• Don’t overfill the bucket with nutrients• Don’t let the bucket leak• Don’t kick the bucket• Communicate benefits of good bucket
management to growers
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Grains Research & Development CorporationKey implications of BRS
Report• Economic layers need to be added when
considering removing constraints• Potential gains are not equal across areas
where grain is grown• Potential gains are greater in the northern
grains region but how do we capture them?
• Climate change will have an impact on potential gains
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
The way forward
• Already well established initiatives in:– Soil biology– Sub soil constraints– Nutrient management– Managing climate variability
• Strong network of grower groups validating and integrating technology
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
Mingenew Irwin
Yorke P
CQFS
Eyre P
Liebe
GG Alliance
WANTFA
Corrigin
SEPWA
Upper North
Hart
Mackillop
Mallee
BirchipSFS
Riverine Plains
FarmLink
WFS
EFS
CWFS
SANTFA
VNTFA
CFI Inc
Grower Groups
CWCFA
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Grains Research & Development Corporation
The challenge is to target our regional investments to maximise benefit to the whole grains industry
