Presented by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Discuss the latest farm-ready information to improve profit, with researchers, agronomists and leading growers at the Emerald GRDC Grains Research Update.

Topics:

• Farming systems research in the Northern Grains Region and implications for key decisions driving risk and profit in Central Queensland. Yield, economics and seasonal risk. Lindsay Bell (CSIRO) & Darren Aisthorpe (DAF Qld)
• Water – making the most of our greatest and most often yield limiting asset. Lindsay Bell (CSIRO) & Darren Aisthorpe (DAF Qld)
  – Fallow efficiency and the impact of cover in different rainfall situations
  – Water use efficiency in different crops and farming systems and impacts on yield
• Nitrogen cycling and management decision making in Central Queensland farming systems. David Lester (DAF Qld) & Doug Sands (DAF Qld)
  – N availability and recovery across the farming system
  – N impacts on productivity
  – Implications for management in CQ
• The role of legumes in CQ farming systems. Doug Sands (DAF Qld) & Darren Aisthorpe (DAF Qld)
  – How much N do they use and leave for subsequent crops?
  – Soil disease impacts and soil health issues in the crop sequence
  – Water use and ground cover impacts for fallow efficiency
• Panel discussion: Key farming system decision points for profit in CQ farming systems. Darren Aisthorpe (DAF Qld), David Lester (DAF Qld), Doug Sands (DAF Qld), Lindsay Bell (CSIRO), Belinda Chase (Iker Ag) & Josh Bell (JB Ag Services)
  – Managing cropping opportunities and responding to seasonal variability
  – Factors driving cropping opportunities for 2024
  – Nitrogen strategies – getting N on in a timely manner; spreading vs incorporation; use of manure
  – Factors driving N decision making for summer 2023/24.