Agronomy

SARDI's agronomy research program develops innovative strategies to optimise crop and soil management.

Our focus on dryland broadacre farming systems covers the state’s low, medium and high rainfall zones.

We increase farm productivity by:

  • evaluating synergies in crop management and variety
  • conducting field research for crop adaptation to heat, drought and frost
  • integrating new crop variety and breeder lines into best-practice agronomic guidelines
  • considering plant phenology, environment, sowing time, rainfall and nutrient inputs to overcome yield constraints
  • developing risk modelling scenarios to inform crop and soil management under a changing climate
  • helping producers adopt new technologies for on-farm and post-farm crop improvement
  • extending management practises for acid soils, calcareous soils, sandy soils, and soil carbon.

Research areas

Our applied agronomic research includes:

  • cereals – bread and durum wheat, barley, oat
  • pulses – lentil, field pea, faba bean, lupin, chickpea
  • oilseeds – canola, safflower
  • farming systems – rotations, on-farm inputs, gross margins
  • soils – soil carbon, nutrition, amelioration of constraints
  • weeds – broadleaf and grass control, herbicide use, alternative management options
  • fodder – oat hay, dual purpose crops, mixed pasture species
  • climate – risk decision making, modelling, drought resilience.

Locations

We operate across regional offices, laboratories, workshop facilities, and mobile field equipment. Our research is based at:

  • Clare
  • Minnipa
  • Nuriootpa
  • Port Lincoln
  • Struan
  • Waite.

Our network of field trial sites extends to private farms and research centres across SA grain districts.

This coverage generates relevant information for local crop and soil farming. Through our accessible locations, we facilitate rapid practice changes for the industry.

Collaborations

We work closely with the following groups.

Local farming system groups, industry, and plant breeders

  • Agricultural Innovation and Research Eyre Peninsula (AIR EP)
  • Ag Excellence Alliance
  • Agricultural Bureau of South Australia
  • Australian Grain Technologies (AGT)
  • Buckleboo Farm Improvement Group (BFIG)
  • CSIRO
  • GIA
  • Grain Producers SA
  • Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
  • Hart Field Site Group (Mid North)
  • Intergrain
  • Landscape South Australia Boards
  • LongReach Plant Breeders
  • Livestock SA
  • MacKillop Farm Management Group
  • Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF)
  • Murray Plains Farmers Group
  • Mid North High Rainfall Zone Group (MNHRZ)
  • Northern Sustainable Soils Inc.
  • Pulse Breeding Australia
  • South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
  • The Southern Australia Durum Growers Association (SADGA)
  • The South Australian Grain Industry Trust (SAGIT)
  • Thomas Elder Institute (TEI)
  • Upper North Farming Systems (UNFS).

Contact

Dr Rhiannon Schilling – Program Leader
Agronomy, SARDI
Phone: 08 8429 2926
Email: rhiannon.schilling@sa.gov.au

Page last reviewed: 20 Dec 2022

 


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