Investment

This project recognises the importance of advancing new management levers (other than sowing date and N) for growers to manage complex stresses. Timing of water stress influences yield, whilst frost and heat stress can further compromise yield and profit, and increase yield gaps. To manage these environmental factors, agronomy projects (MESW, Barley Agronomy, and Optimising Canola Profitability) have demonstrated that sowing date and N matched with the correct variety phenology (genetics) are the largest management levers. Frost, heat stress and water availability will always remain a major constraint, improved yield and yield stability relies on better management practices that incorporates synergies between crop type and agronomy. We will explore new and novel management levers for wheat outlined below in targeted proof of concept studies, this will be conducted in conjunction with long term modelling approaches and grower engagement to capture the frequency and risk of the opportunity to utilise new management tools.The concept project has three main focus points: 1. Identifying novel management levers that manipulate crop phenology 2. Identifying novel agronomy management levers that limit the yield decline from later planting dates. 3. Grower/advisor engagement - test existing rules of thumbs to inform development of climatic and financial risk tools for each region