The Irrigation Channel

Hosted by Irrigation Farmers Network

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Apr 2025

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About the show

The Irrigation Farmers Network is proud to present The Irrigation Channel - a podcast that brings news and information from the world of irrigation research and practices. IFN is a farmer driven, not for profit, independent research organisation, committed to providing the latest research in irrigated grain production and connecting growers with local, state and national research and extension. Collaborating with key research/extension organisations and funding bodies ensures growers across the region have access to the latest information in irrigated grain production systems to enable them to make informed decisions about best practice and drive profitable, sustainable farm systems.

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20 recent

April 4, 2025Episode 2014 min

Flexible Farming Systems: Canola management strategies

The demonstration compared different management strategies that could assist in preparing for and responding to drought, including: - Maximise production when irrigation water is available to enable building of cash reserves - Flexible farming, where we "pull the pin” to use less irrigation water and harvest crops as fodder to enable the building of on farm fodder reserves or its cash sale. This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practices Grants Program

April 12, 2025Episode 1915 min

Flexible Farming Systems: Barley

This project aims to demonstrate flexible farming systems management including agronomic techniques that allow us to react to seasonal forecasting and variability. The goal is to create a flexible irrigated farming system that can react to an un-forecasted poor season by adjusting inputs or targets to deliver the greatest profitability; plan for a forecasted poor season by adopting practices to reduce the risk of failed crops; and when seasons are good, maximise production to allow for the building of cash and fodder reserves. Barley was one of the four crops to be sown as part of this project. 2023 topdressing rates and timings were based on gut feel and the trial was revisited in 2024 but included a topdressing rate calculated on soil nitrogen assessed by soil test results from cores taken to 60cm in mid-June, once the crop was established. This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practises Grants Program

April 12, 2025Episode 1812 min

Flexible Farming Systems: Wheat

This project aims to demonstrate flexible farming systems management including agronomic techniques that allow us to react to seasonal forecasting and variability. The goal is to create a flexible irrigated farming system that can react to an un-forecasted poor season by adjusting inputs or targets to deliver the greatest profitability; plan for a forecasted poor season by adopting practices to reduce the risk of failed crops; and when seasons are good, maximise production to allow for the building of cash and fodder reserves. Wheat was one of the four crops to be sown as part of this project. Topdressing rates and timings were based on gut feel and calculations based on soil nitrogen assessed by taking soil cores to 60cm were taken in mid-June, once the crop was established. This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practises Grants Program

April 12, 2025Episode 1712 min

Flexible Farming Systems: Faba Beans

This project aims to demonstrate flexible farming systems management including agronomic techniques that allow us to react to seasonal forecasting and variability. The goal is to create a flexible irrigated farming system that can react to an un-forecasted poor season by adjusting inputs or targets to deliver the greatest profitability; plan for a forecasted poor season by adopting practices to reduce the risk of failed crops; and when seasons are good, maximise production to allow for the building of cash and fodder reserves. Faba beans was one of the four crops to be sown as part of this project. The trial was sown as if it were for grain and samples taken for dry matter and quality assessments from late October onwards when the beans had begun to firm up. This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. This project is a result of a successful application to the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund's - Extensions and Adoption of Drought Resilient Practices Grants Program

April 2, 2025Episode 1612 min

Key management practices for the success of dry and early sown crops

The De-Risking the Seeding project aims to increase adoption of key management practices for the success of dry and early sown crops, by investigating key aspects of sowing such as Variety SelectionOpportunities for long coleoptile wheatsSeed placement / optimising sowing depthSeeding ratesFertiliser placementPre-emergent herbicide selection and timingOptimal soil moisture and nutrient levelsThe benefits of early groundcover In this podcast we are speaking with Research Manager from Irrigation Farmers network Damian Jones to learn more about this project in irrigated farm systems and the key messages that growers can use to de-risk the seeding. The De-Risking the Seeding project is supported by Ag Excellence Alliance Inc, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. More details and results from this project can be found on the IFN website

May 31, 2024Episode 1512 min

Top Agronomy Tips for Canola - Damian Jones, Research Manager IFN

The optimising irrigated grains research was a 3 year investment by GRDC. Irrigation Farmers Network in collaboration with FAR Australia developed a research program to evaluate crop specific agronomic management practices in irrigated environments in order to determine their effects on system productivity and profitability. The research focused on maximising system profitability through: Understanding the yield potential of irrigated cropsUnderstanding how to consistently optimise yield for the crops.Optimising the return on nitrogen through improved nitrogen use efficiency Today we are speaking with Research Manager from Irrigation Farmers network Damian Jones to learn more about the key messages from this work that growers can use to optimise their Canola crops.

May 26, 2024Episode 1412 min

Top Agronomy Tips for High Yielding Faba Beans - Damian Jones, Research Manager Irrigation Farmers Network

The optimising irrigated grains research was a 3 year investment by GRDC. Irrigation Farmers Network in collaboration with FAR Australia developed a research program to evaluate crop specific agronomic management practices in irrigated environments in order to determine their effects on system productivity and profitability. The research focused on maximising system profitability through: Understanding the yield potential of irrigated crops Understanding how to consistently optimise yield for the crops.Optimising the return on nitrogen through improved nitrogen use efficiency Today we are speaking with Research Manager from Irrigation Farmers network Damian Jones to learn more about the key messages from this work that growers can use to optimise their Faba Bean crops.

February 22, 2024Episode 1315 min

Luke Mancini, Origin Grain - Maize Marketing Options for 2024

We spoke to Luke about marketing options for grain maize in 2024 as part of the Optimising Irrigated Grains Project, funded by GRDC

April 27, 2023Episode 1212 min

Setting up for fodder crops

This episode is part of the Fodder For The Future project and has been funded by the Federal Government under the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program. With good water allocation this year many dairy farmers are getting ready to put summer fodder crops in. Over the past 2 years the ICC have been running summer fodder crop trials with Murray Dairy comparing the performance of maize and sorghum under different irrigation strategies, from fully irrigated through to low input, long-interval irrigations designed to stress the plants. Website: www.irrigatedcroppingcouncil.com.au

November 4, 2022Episode 1113 min

High moisture grain storage

With a wet harvest a real possibility this year, we talked to grain storage specialist Chris Warrick. Chris shared his tips for managing high moisture grain and how to prepare your storage effectively.