The Beatsheet

GRDC Online Update - Strategic use of zinc phosphide for successful mouse control
2025-03-12 12:00 - 13:00 (Australia/Brisbane)
Steve Henry, CSIRO and Ben White, Research Engineer Explore strategies for successful mouse control and factors that restrict efficacy of zinc phosphide.
Steve and Ben will highlight recent research on best placement of zinc phosphide and the impact of leftover grain in paddock post-harvest.
12 March 2025 starting@1:00 pm (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

Managing foliar diseases and fungicide resistance workshop - Toowoomba
2025-03-25 - 2025-03-26
Agronomists and grain growers are invited to discuss the cutting edge of disease and fungicide resistance management in a 2-day GRDC-supported workshop, brought to you by the Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN).
25-26 March 2025.
For more information, visit the GRDC website.

Managing foliar diseases and fungicide resistance workshop - Moree
2025-03-27 - 2025-03-28
Agronomists and grain growers are invited to discuss the cutting edge of disease and fungicide resistance management in a 2-day GRDC-supported workshop, brought to you by the Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN).
27-28 March 2025.
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

Insect identification and management workshop _ Goondiwindi
2025-04-02 09:00 - 15:00
Our next insect identification and management workshop is on Wednesday 2 April 2025 in Goondiwindi.
Past workshops have been well attended, with excellent feedback about the extensive ‘hands-on’ component of pests, beneficials and crop damage.
To register, or suggest a venue for a future workshop, visit our Insect workshop – Goondiwindi 2025 page.

Australian Grain Storage & Protection Conference 2025
2025-06-04 - 2025-06-05
This conference brings together the grains industry to explore key topics, including:

market requirements Insect infestation and entomology
pesticide residue requirements
grain protectants and fumigants
application technology
physical control methods.

For more information, visit the GRDC website.

Australian Summer Grains Conference 2025
2025-07-07 - 2025-07-09
The conference focuses on a range of topics (including pest and disease management) for sorghum, maize, sunflower, soybean and mungbean under the 2025 banner of “Transforming Challenges into Sustainable Farm Profitability”.
Find out more.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Wellington
2025-07-31 09:00 - 14:30
Topics covered at this update include a talk on ‘Disease management – regional issues with fungicide resistance, managing septoria, stripe rust blotches and powdery mildew in cereals’ by Brad Baxter (NSW DPIRD)
31 July 2025 9:00-2:30
For more information, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Dalby
2025-08-05 09:00 - 15:00
Topics covered at this Update include:

Products under APVMA regulatory review – what, when and why and implications for industry stewardship. Gordon Cumming (GRDC)
Fall armyworm update – what’s new and strategies for summer 2025/26. Joe Eyre (UQ)

05 August 2025 9:00-3:10
For more information, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Spring Ridge
2025-08-08 09:00 - 15:00
Topics covered in this Update include

Products under APVMA regulatory review – what, when and why and implications for industry stewardship. Gordon Cumming (GRDC)

08 August 2025 9:00-2:40
For more information, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Spray Safe & Save Spray Day – Chinchilla
2025-08-12 08:30 - 15:00
Best practice spray application information for growers, spray operators, contractors and advisors, delivered by Craig Day, Spray Safe & Save.
Various specialists will address issues such as spray quality; fence line spraying – getting it right; and new sprayer technology. New videos created for this project, for example, Hormesis – the effects of sub-lethal dosing, will also be shown. Plus demonstrations of various nozzles at different pressures, with and without surfactants; pH testing; and weather technology including an inversion pole.
12 August 2025 8:45 am to 3:00 pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
For more information, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Spray Safe & Save Spray Day – Millmerran
2025-08-18 08:30 - 15:00
Best practice spray application information for growers, spray operators, contractors and advisors, delivered by Craig Day, Spray Safe & Save.
Various specialists will address issues such as spray quality; fence line spraying – getting it right; and new sprayer technology. New videos created for this project, for example, Hormesis – the effects of sub-lethal dosing, will also be shown. Plus demonstrations of various nozzles at different pressures, with and without surfactants; pH testing; and weather technology including an inversion pole.
18 August 2025 8:45 am to 3:00 pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
For more information, visit the GRDC website.

Soilborne Diseases Initiative Field Walk – Toowoomba
2025-10-02 09:00 - 14:00
This free field day at Wellcamp Research Facility will cover:

Crown rot resistance and tolerance trials
Using crop sequences to manage root-lesion nematodes
Inspect National Variety Trials: crown rot, root-lesion nematodes and leaf rust
New sources of resistance: cereals for crown rot; wheat and chickpea for root-lesion nematodes
An update on mungbean root-lesion nematode yield loss trials
New ways to assess crop tolerance to root-lesion nematodes
Rust diseases of wheat and barley with a focus on leaf rust.

For more information, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Clermont
2025-11-25 08:30 - 15:00
25 November 2025 8:30 am to 3:00 pm at Clermont Civic Centre
Topics include talks on fall armyworm and grain storage.
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Rolleston
2025-11-26 08:30 - 15:00
26 November 2025 8:30 am to 3:00 pm at Rolleston Memorial Hall
Topics include talks on fall armyworm and grain storage.
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Wagga Wagga
2026-02-18 - 2026-02-19
This GRDC update on 18-19 February 2026 includes a disease session:
Disease management

Cereal disease update and management considerations for 2026. Brad Baxter (NSW DPIRD)
Management impacts in SNSW from fungicide resistance to blackleg and sclerotinia. Angela van de Wouw (Uni of Melb)
With new decision support tools, can we make better disease management decisions in wheat? Tom Price (FAR Australia)
Disease legacies from crop choice and in-paddock management including key diagnostic tools. Steven Simpfendorfer (NSW DPIRD)

For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – West Wyalong
2026-02-25
Disease presentations at this update include:

Diverse farms! Challenging and improving farming systems at the whole farm scale – impacts of crop sequences on weed management, N legacy and root diseases such as crown-rot. Greg Condon (Grassroots Agronomy)
Soil pathogens in central west NSW – what’s out there that we need to be working on? Predicta®B test results. Maurie Street (GOA)
What’s stripe rust really costing us? Yield gap trials with different varieties and fungicide treatments – are we better to sow a MR rated variety and not spray, or sow a more susceptible cultivar and spray more? Maurie Street (GOA)

Find out more and register at the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Dubbo
2026-02-26 - 2026-02-27
The Dubbo update has a presentation by Steven Simpfendorfer (NSW DPIRD) on Regional fungicide resistance and disease management update on day 2.
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Goondiwindi
2026-03-03 - 2026-03-04
The Goondiwindi update has a presentation by Steven Simpfendorfer (NSW DPIRD) on’ Regional fungicide resistance and disease management update’ on Day 1.
For more information or to register, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update – Narrabri
2026-03-05
The Narrabri update includes a session on Ascochyta in chickpeas – exciting new genetics that’s close and a look over the horizon by Kristy Hobson (NSW DPIRD).
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

Vertebrate pesticide induction training – Warialda
2026-05-13 09:30 - 12:30
Free vertebrate pesticide induction training (VPIT) for landholders (approx. 3 hours). The course covers:

legislation and legal obligations
baiting techniques
toxicity
storage
transport
how to reduce non-target exposure.

On successful completion you will be certified to use 1080, Pindone, PAPP and RHDV baits for 5 years on their land.
There is also optional canid pest ejector (CPE) training (approx. 1.5-2 hours) available. For more information, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Grains Research Update, online – Beneficial insects and resistance: making smarter spray decisions
2026-05-20 13:00 - 13:45
Lilia Jenkins, Cesar Australia will unpack the role beneficial insects play in Australian grain systems and how smart insecticide decisions can help protect them while maintaining effective pest control. Lilia will share practical strategies for integrating beneficials into pest management programs, reducing unnecessary sprays, and using insecticides more strategically to slow resistance and support long‑term control outcomes.
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Spray Day – Clermont
2026-06-12
Craig Day (Spray Safe & Save) will host this workshop on best practice spray application, including nozzle selection, spray quality classifications, tank mix influences on spray quality, spray planning, water quality, weather, decontamination, hormesis and local issues of concern.
For more information and to register, visit the GRDC website.

CCA Cropping Solutions Seminar 2026
2026-06-15 18:00 - 2026-06-17 14:00
Crop Consultants Australia’s annual Cropping Solutions Seminar brings together our members with research and industry partners for two days of networking and presentations on topics relevant to broadacre agriculture. Anyone working or studying in areas related to broadacre agronomy is welcome to attend.
The event opens on Monday the 15th June with a welcome function at 6:00pm. Tuesday the 16th of June comprises a full day of presentations and panels with the seminar dinner taking place that evening. Wednesday the 17th of June opens with a networking breakfast and a half day of presentations and panels, finishing with lunch.
For more information and to register, visit the CCA website.
Early Bird (in AUD$) $175
Members (in AUD$) $120
Non-members (in AUD$) $240

GRDC Spray Day – Springsure
2026-06-18

Disease identification and management workshop – Dubbo
2026-06-18 - 2026-06-19
Agronomists and grain growers are invited to participate in a 2-day GRDC supported workshop on identifying and managing soil and foliar diseases of cereal and other field crops. The workshop covers:

Foliar diseases
Identification of wheat, barley, canola and winter pulse foliar diseases
Strategies for managing foliar diseases in wheat, barley, winter pulses and canola – Genetics and disease risk – Key timings – Which fungicide(s)? – Pre-emptive management to mitigate risk
Soil borne diseases & nematodes
Crop impact and inoculum load of soil borne diseases and nematodes in regional cropping systems
Identification of risk and use of Predicta® B tests.

Book early, as places are limited! Cost is $165 (GST inclusive).
For more information, visit the GRDC website.

GRDC Spray Day – Monto
2026-06-19

GRDC Grains Research Update – Bell
2026-07-14 09:00 - 15:00
Join researchers, agronomists, and innovative growers at the Bell GRDC Grains Research Update to explore leading-edge developments in grains research to enhance farm profitability.
Pest management-related presentations in the program:

The impact of MRLs on trade – market access is more than just following label directions. Gerard McMullen (McMullen Consulting)
Storage update. Alex Conway (Control Unlimited/GRDC Grain Storage Extension team)
Regional fungicide resistance and disease management update. Lislé Snyman (DPI Qld)

Registration: 8:30am for a 9:00am start. Finish 2:50pm.
Cost: Free (registration essential for catering). Lunch, morning tea and proceedings provided.
For more information visit the GRDC website.

Disease identification and management workshop – Goondiwindi
2026-07-28 - 2026-07-29

Disease identification and management workshop – Toowoomba
2026-07-30 - 2026-07-31
