Closed ATM View - PROC-9177043
NGN: Improving the management of grass weeds in grain oat crops in the Western Region
Perth
Oat production in Australia has remained steady, maintaining an average of 800,000 hectares annually over the last decade, with the highest oat production and grain yield observed in WA. There is a predicted uptick in oat production, driven by grain value and growing interest amongst farmers in integrating oats into their farming systems. Oats exhibit greater tolerance to frost and waterlogging compared to other cereals, canola, and pulses. They are considered a beneficial break in cereal-dominated farming systems, displaying increased resistance to certain cereal soilborne diseases. Additionally, oats offer versatility as farmers can decide whether to cut for hay or harvest for grain based on profitability. Despite these advantages, the management of weeds, especially grass weeds, poses a significant challenge and is increasingly becoming an issue for oat grain production. This is due to the following reasons:
• Oats face challenges in herbicide use due to increased susceptibility to damage and limited pre-emergent options, reducing the use of available weed control products.
• The smaller market for oats, in comparison to wheat and barley, constrains herbicide product development and registration.
• While oats are considered competitive with weeds, studies quantifying their impact on weed populations are limited, challenging assumptions about weed competition efficacy.
There is a lack of local validation and information on chemical, non-chemical and cultural grass weed management strategies specific for oats in Australian conditions. The incorporation of IWM strategies will be essential for a crop that has limited herbicide options and there are opportunities to validate options to suppress and control problematic weeds (wild oats, ARG, and brome grass).
GRDC’s strategic partnership, Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI), can offer the following analytics as a GRDC in-kind contribution: advice on trial designs and field trial statistical analyses. To access this support, applicants must negotiate with AAGI directly and describe the agreed support scope and arrangements in an Analytical Collaboration Plan (template available from AAGI) attached to their tender. Please make enquiries to Curtin University, attention Prof. Mark Gibberd, at cbada@curtin.edu.au. Please note, applicants may decline AAGI support but must provide a technical and value for money rationale for not using in-kind AAGI support.
The following are mandatory conditions with which a Tenderer must comply to participate in this procurement process:
1 The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not be named on the Consolidated List, being the list of persons and entities who are subject to targeted financial sanctions or travel bans under Australian sanction laws, as maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
2 The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not have a judicial decision against it (not including decisions under appeal) relating to employee entitlements and who have not paid the claim.
3 The Tenderer must be a single legal entity or recognised firm of partners.
4 The Tenderer and any proposed subcontractor must be compliant with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 and any other applicable labour laws and standards in the jurisdiction in which they operate.
GRDC will contract under the terms of the GRDC Standard Two-Party Research Contract.
It is anticipated that any resultant contract in relation to this procurement will commence with a proposed term of 18 months.
Submit your Tender through the Grains Investment Portal by 5pm Canberra local time on 5 April 2024.