Grain legume production in South Australia

The incorporation of grain legumes into cropping systems is essential for sustainability.

Key objectives

Incorporate grain legumes into cropping systems

Provide growers with optimized agronomic practices through GRDC-backed research

Achieve a target where 45% of growers are adopting or planning to adopt these new techniques

About the project

A new project with investment from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is working towards closing the yield gap in these crops by providing growers with the best agronomic practices. By adopting these practices, growers have the potential to increase their profitability and ultimately expand the area of land used for growing grain legumes.

The project hopes to see 45% of growers adopting or planning to adopt these new techniques, which will be developed from innovative research across South Australia.

Incorporate grain legumes into cropping systems to promote sustainable agricultural practices and improve soil health.
Provide growers with optimized agronomic practices through GRDC-backed research, aiming to close the yield gap in grain legumes and boost profitability.
Achieve a target where 45% of growers are adopting or planning to adopt these new techniques, thereby increasing the cultivation area dedicated to grain legumes across South Australia.

Adopting the ‘Hub and Spoke’ research model

Hub-and-Spoke Trials

To effectively deliver validation and demonstration trials across the state, a hub and spoke model has been adopted.

Three major validation sites (hubs) and ten on-farm demonstration (spoke) sites have now been established.

The hub sites will focus on a combination of sub-regional grower-driven development and extension priorities, and the extension of new research learnings from aligned projects. This will be achieved through a series of fully replicated trial designs.

On the other hand, the spoke sites will focus on-farm with one to two simple trials at each site. These may include full-scale strip trials and/or small demonstration plot trials. The priorities for these trials will be driven by local growers and will be consistent with the trial areas’ scopes.

Knowledge

Why the Hub and Spoke Model Matters

The hub and spoke model is designed to improve the effectiveness of validation and demonstration trials across South Australia. With the establishment of three major validation sites and ten demonstration sites, the focus is on meeting the unique needs of growers in different regions.

This means that instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, validation trials can be tailored to meet the unique needs of specific regions. The spoke sites, in particular, allow growers to test out new ideas and technologies and share their experiences with others in the community.