Welcome to 2023 and Farmanco Facts. Where we continue the conversation and provide information about such topics as Chat GPT, Up-Front Fungicides in Cereals, and the 22/23 Harvest Review, from a Western Australian and NSW/Vic perspective.
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A taster for this month:
The Future of Agriculture and How Technology Might Help
Keith Symondson (CEO)
Chatbots have advanced way beyond simple, pre-programmed scripts.
OpenAI has developed the latest iteration of their GPT tool (ChatGPT) that draws on the resources of the internet and can have a real-time chat conversation with you.
Keith chatted with ChatGPT to ask its thoughts about some of the challenges to agriculture over the next 10 years and how technology and AI systems might help.
We’ve had a few articles in Farmanco Facts over the years about how artificial intelligence and machine learning tools might help agriculture. Keith thought he’d take it a step further and actually use a machine learning system to help write an article for Farmanco Facts.
WA Harvest Review 22/23
Mae Connelly (Grain Marketing Consultant)
WA had another record crop.
Wheat protein was very low.
The new ASW9 grade created a pricing buffer above ASW1.
Malt percentage was low, but enough tonnes were delivered to meet demand.
Malt spread was assisted by rumours that China would again open up to our malt exports.
This article discusses the size and quality of the 2022/23 WA harvest, along with some pricing and seasonal issues and comparisons to historical deliveries.
Harvest 2022 — NSW and Victoria Update
Adrian Clancy (Grain Marketing Consultant)
The east coast of Australia faced many challenges in 2022 due to high rainfall.
Total deliveries were down, with NSW being the worst affected.
The grain delivered is of higher quality than expected.
Harvest for the east coast of Australia is now pretty much complete across the board, after what has been a challenging harvest for many. Heavy and widespread rain limited seeding in some areas, with some operations indicating that up to 40% of the program was not planted due to the inability to get onto paddocks.
Up-Front Fungicides in Cereals
David Cameron (Agronomy Consultant)
Seed dressings are essential for smut or bunt control and useful for some root and foliar diseases.
In-furrow application separates the fungicides from the seed, enabling different products and higher rates to be used.
Fungicide selection should consider varietal resistance to the disease and the fungicide resistance status of the disease.
Victrato® is a new SDHI fungicide coming in 2024 with activity on crown rot and root lesion nematodes.
Fungicides applied either to the seed, fertiliser or banded in the liquid stream can control a wide range of diseases. Seed diseases (smuts and bunts) germinate at the same time as the seed itself, so need to be on the seed to work.
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