Wagga played host to the two-day Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) update at Charles Sturt University. 

It was a chance for leading scientists and farmers to come together and learn about the outcomes of more than $180 million in research projects. 

Barmedman producer John Minogue is the GRDC northern regional chairman and he said 220 people attended the event. 

Mr Minogue said GRDC was involved in some 1200 projects. 

He said there was a broad focus at the Wagga update on becoming more sustainable and embracing new technology to do that.

Mr Minogue said techniques in handling resistance issues were outlined and there was plenty of interest in newly released long-season wheat varieties.

With the focus on both livestock and cropping throughout southern NSW and the Riverina he said the long-season varieties were particularly interesting to the region due to the grazing properties. 

John Kirkegaard of the CSIRO addressed the group on Tuesday morning and spoke about challenges and opportunities for the grains and cropping industry int he future.

“He spoke about rotations and legume content and nitrogen fixing and the use of organic matter in our production systems,” Mr Minogue said. 

Meanwhile, Frank Peairs of Colorado State University was on hand to provide the latest information about Russian Wheat Aphids.

Russian Wheat Aphids have been detected in Australia and this has heightened the vigilance needed by growers.

Professor Peairs specialises in pest management and spoke about his experience in the management of Russian Wheat Aphids based on work completed overseas. 

Some of the other topics on the agenda included impacts of crop nitrogen during a wet season, barley agronomy and some new varieties and their benefits to the region. Mark Richards of the NSW Department of Primary Industries spoke about pulse performance and pulse breeding.