The challenge
Sustainable barley
Australia produces over 9 million tonnes of high-quality two-row barley annually, with extensive cultivation across 4 million hectares.
As Australia's second-largest grain crop, barley is a major export commodity for Australia.
Approximately 30 to 40 per cent of barley production is graded as malting barley, making Australia the world’s largest exporter in this category.
While widely used in in the beer brewing industry , barley is also widely used for animal feed and other food production.
Our response
Advancing barley research and farming
We specialise in farming systems research to support barley's crucial role in Australian agriculture.
We work extensively on industry-funded projects which aim to enhance barley resilience, productivity and sustainability in a changing climate.
We take an integrated approach to barley, from genomics research to improve productivity and pest resistance, to understanding soils and managing risk through data informed decision making.
Farming systems research: Our research provides new insights into profitable cropping systems, including crop rotation's role of where barley fits in the system.
Sandy soils: We are working to enhance productivity in sandy soils, removing soil constraints and increasing water use efficiency.
RiskWi$e: In collaborations with our partner, RiskWi$e was developed to understand and improve the risk-reward outcomes for Australian grain growers by supporting grower on-farm decision-making.
Frost and Heat Risk Management (FAHMA): We are developing next-generation decision-support tools to help farmers manage frost and heat risks, understanding how barley and other crops respond at different developmental stages.
Yield forecast tools: Graincast™ and FarmPrint are another set of digital tools which forecast grain yields and assess the carbon footprint. They have been developed to support Australian farmers make data-based decisions in response to Australia's diverse conditions.