Grains research receives $2.9m boost from SAGIT

A strong year of grain production has resulted in an increase in the amount of funding available through SAGIT, meaning it can support 28 new projects.

SAGIT is funded by a voluntary grower levy of 30 cents a harvested tonne.

Among the research will be projects looking into disease strategies, including powdery mildew control in wheat, and genetic and fungicidal control of septoria tritici blotch and stripe rust in wheat projects by AgXtra.

University of Adelaide and SARDI will collaborate to investigate how to improve industry response to white grain disorder and fusarium head blight outbreaks while protecting export markets.

Several projects will focus on maintaining market access.

They include minimising market access risks in herbicide tolerant pulses and preparing for a pulse protein market by University of Adelaide and SARDI, and the appointment of a research officer to look at vetch production, agronomy, breeding and market development.

A further four projects are expected to receive co-investment funds from GRDC and another four projects will receive co-investment funds from the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.

SAGIT chair Max Young said the collaborative approach enabled researchers to further expand their projects and provide greater outcomes for SA's grain growers.

"With additional investment support from GRDC and the SA Drought Hub, we can broaden our research efforts and enhance the new knowledge we deliver on-farm," he said.

"This co-investment model also supports the research community through the injection of additional funds and reduces the risk of research duplication between our organisations."

SA Drought Hub Director Dr Stephen Lee said partnering with SAGIT feeds directly into the hub's work to strengthen the drought resilience and preparedness of farms and regional communities.

"Bringing together a wide range of people to develop mutually beneficial solutions is a key focus for the hub," he said.

"Teaming up with SAGIT helps us broaden and strengthen our network even further, with the internship program offering a prime example of this.

"We have also seen strong interest in ways to optimise crop establishment in dry soils and the new SAGIT projects will deliver valuable outcomes for growers in this area."

Funding for the Frost Learning Centre in the state's mid-north will continue, as will the internship programs run through the Hart Field-Site Group and AIR EP.

"We have seen the enormous value of these grains internship programs, and we are committed to supporting the next generation of advisers and researchers," Mr Young said.

"Investing in the people who will take the industry forward is just as important to the resilience of grain growing as investing in more resilient practices.

"There is clearly a wealth of passion and enthusiasm for agricultural research in SA, and these new projects will help translate that commitment into long-term agronomic, technological and educational benefits for growers."