GRDC Crop Doctor column

Speaking at conferences is one of the things I get to do in my role as managing director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and this week I will do so at the Fifth Australian Sorghum Conference at the Gold Coast.

I'll enjoy that, because the Australian sorghum industry provides an excellent example of researchers from state agencies, universities, CSIRO and the private sector collaborating to help Australian graingrowers stay competitive on world markets.

The public sector - led by Queensland's Departments of Primary Industries and Fisheries (QDPI&F) - carries out pre-breeding and development of disease resistant, adapted hybrids which private seed companies use to develop commercial lines for growers' paddocks

Providing Australian graingrowers with technologies that keep them globally competitive is what the GRDC is all about, and we have four strategies to support this objective.

They are coordinating a national portfolio approach to grains R&D, delivering against Australian government priorities, growing and leveraging grains R&D and ensuring R&D is market driven. The national sorghum research program meets all four criteria.

The GRDC began investing in sorghum research and development in 1993. Currently we invest $1.3 million a year in research directly related to sorghum and a fair bit more in generic areas that indirectly benefit sorghum growers, like weed and pest management.

Looking back, we have to say 1993 - when the GRDC began supporting the QDPI&F sorghum team under Dr Bob Henzel - was a key turning point for the Australian sorghum industry.

The coordinated approach to sorghum research has seen the development of multi-disciplinary research projects including breeding, entomology, pathology, plant physiology and agronomy, crop modelling, biotechnology and feed grain quality.

And, because industry plays an integral role in the sorghum program, the group can react quickly to emerging issues and respond to changing end user requirements.

Such a coordinated and collaborative multi disciplinary and multi organisational approach reduces fragmentation and duplication of effort and resources.

Most importantly, the program is successful in leveraging off substantial overseas investment. Strong international partnerships are imperative if we are to ensure Australian grain growers remain competitive in the global grains market place.

The national sorghum research program could be a model for other grains industries.

The Crop Doctor, Peter Reading, is managing director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)