Delivering impact

GRDC leads investment in grains research, development and extension (RD&E) in Australia.

Our primary objective is to drive the discovery, development and delivery of world-class innovation to enhance the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Australian grain growers to benefit the industry and the wider community.

We strive to deliver tangible, on-the-ground impact for Australian grain growers through strategic and tactical investments in RD&E. We engage and consult with growers, farm advisers, industry stakeholders and government to understand constraints and opportunities so our investments are well informed and align with industry needs and our RD&E Plan.

Measuring impact is critical to understand where we are driving positive change and delivering on our purpose and strategic objectives.

Impact assessment underpins decisions on when to invest, how, where and with which partners. These analyses ensure we’re investing in RD&E that delivers the greatest impact for growers and maximum return on investment. Find out more.

Case studies

We measure the value of investment outcomes following the adoption of new technologies or practices by growers. Investments are targeted to deliver outcomes that maximise price and yield, whilst minimising input costs.

GRDC uses a both internal and external impact evaluations which comply with the Council of Rural Research and Development Corporation guidelines on impact evaluation. The impact cases were selected to represent the portfolio of research over a five-year period.

Dryland pasture systems innovation for mixed farms

GroundCover

A suite of projects that identified a new generation of legume pasture species that are better adapted to dryland mixed farming systems has returned substantial benefits on investment

Assessment of climate forecast reliability

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An assessment of the utility of seasonal climate forecasts to grain growers identified the need for improvement in overall forecast performance

Minimising the yield impacts of soil constraints

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Yield gains were achieved in soil amelioration trails that tested newly develop 3D soil mapping technology that is underscored by machine learning algorithms that understand yield responses to soil constraints

Pulse productivity gains

GroundCover

New analytical methods and infrastructure have been developed in Victoria to identify traits and agronomic combinations that can improve pulse crop productivity and profitability

Expanded market options for better sorghum

GroundCover

A sorghum breeding program to improve grain quality alongside a project to explore end-uses for sorghum in food and beverage supply chains has resulted in a net benefit for growers

The case for high value pulses in WA

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Best bet agronomic packages that support the inclusion of high value pulse crops in WA cropping rotations have delivered net benefits to growers

Closing yield gaps on sodic soils

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Soil amelioration strategies prove beneficial following an investment push to improve productivity on Australia’s large swathe of sodic soils

Supporting sustainable weed control innovations

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There are clear economic benefits from adopting innovative weed control strategies that were specifically designed for southern farming systems with high-frequency use of break crops

New winter wheats add agility in low-rainfall regions

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Long-season winter wheats have been trialled to give growers and agronomists in central and southern NSW new data on the opportunities they offer for managing increasingly unpredictable seasons. The research and trials from 2018–20 confirmed the risk-management value, and potential production gains, from varieties able to be sown early and with vernalisation traits that delay flowering until after the frost risk period.

Want to supercharge your profit? Dual-purpose canola may be just the ticket

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CSIRO researchers estimate that adding dual-purpose canola into Australian mixed farming systems has generated more than $1 billion over the past 15 years.

Global breeding collaboration pays off in the paddock

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A review of the CAIGE program that gives Australian wheat and barley breeders access to international germplasm that is vital to crop improvement has reported a benefit:cost return of 20:1. This assessment reflects the value of international collaborations that are critical to lifting crop yields in the face of climate and other evolving production challenges.

Disease resistance breakthrough for barley

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With no chemical methods available to control crown rot disease in barley, a project that identified novel sources of genetic resistance stands to deliver yield and income gains.

Supporting long-term control of cereal rusts

Wheat and barley rusts are prevalent in Australia. They are highly infective diseases that can spread widely and quickly within and between regions and have the potential to cause significant crop damage.

Mitigating the impact of blackleg in canola

The Australian canola industry has grown rapidly over the past few decades, from a few thousand tonnes in the early 1990’s to more than six million tonnes in the 2021/22 season. Now an intrinsic part of Australian cropping landscapes, canola provides both genetic and financial diversity in Australian grains farming systems that are otherwise heavily reliant on cereals.

Adding value to Australia's canola industry

Australian grain growers have increasingly embraced canola as a profitable winter crop option with annual plantings tripling over the past 20 years to almost three million hectares. Growers now produce more than six million tonnes of canola per season, contributing well over $3 billion to the national economy each year.

Investing in water use efficiency yields results

One of the greatest barriers to improving farm productivity in Australia is water. Not simply a lack of it or variations in the timing and intensity of rainfall events, but efficiently capturing, storing and converting every millimetre into plant biomass and grain yield.

Ensuring yield benefits through informed fertiliser decisions

Deep placed phosphorus (P) has become an important consideration for growers when planning a fertiliser strategy, with the growing recognition that it can offer long-term yield benefits in many environments and growing conditions. Declining native soil fertility poses a significant challenge to the future sustainability and profitability of Australian farming systems.

GRDC investment in lupin breeding underpins productivity

Narrow-leafed lupins have become an integral part of Western Australian farming systems over the past 30 years. Lupin crops deliver valuable productivity benefits by reducing the need for nitrogenous fertiliser, providing disease breaks and boosting cereal yields.

Boosting the efficiency of on farm storage

On-farm storage capacity has doubled over the past ten years with growers now able to store 41 per cent of their production capacity on average. This expansion is likely to continue as Australian grain growers strive to maximise the quality, marketability and value of their grain.

Improving seasonal forecasting

Improved seasonal forecasts are an essential part of helping Australian producers manage climate risk and successfully mitigate the impact on farm production and income. Australian farmers and agribusiness operate in one of the most variable climates in the world, with extreme events and climate variability the largest drivers of fluctuations in annual agricultural income and production.

GRDC focus delivers gains in herbicide resistance management

With the transition to minimum and zero tillage farming systems over the past 30 years, Australian grain growers have become increasingly reliant on herbicides to control weeds. But herbicide resistance poses one of the greatest challenges to the future viability of the grains industry, costing growers around $200 million annually.

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