Dual-purpose canola has been a game-changer for Australian farmers, offering a multitude of benefits that go beyond just increasing profits. This innovative approach to farming, pioneered by CSIRO and the GRDC, has transformed the way mixed farmers manage risk, disease, and weeds while also boosting overall farm profitability. Over the past 19 years, dual-purpose canola has generated over $1.6 billion in additional returns for farmers, with the potential to increase by $200 million annually. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the power of scientific research and collaboration in agriculture.
The journey to widespread adoption of dual-purpose canola was not without its challenges. In the late 1990s, dual-purpose wheat was already profitable in high-rainfall areas, but its heavy reliance led to increased disease and herbicide-resistant weeds. This prompted Dr. John Kirkegaard to explore an alternative: dual-purpose canola as a forage and break crop. His hypothesis was that early-sown canola could be grazed in winter with minimal loss of grain yield, providing both winter forage and a profitable break crop.
Dr. Kirkegaard's determination led to the establishment of proof-of-concept trials near Canberra, where experiments between 2004 and 2007 demonstrated the potential of April-sown canola planted into uncultivated seedbeds. These trials produced 2.5 to 4.0 t/ha of forage for winter grazing, with Merino lambs gaining 210 g/day. This breakthrough opened up new possibilities for farmers, allowing them to increase stocking rates, rest annual pastures, and build a pasture wedge for spring grazing.
One of the key challenges in dual-purpose canola was managing blackleg, a disease caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans. Researchers initially feared that grazing damage during winter spore release would exacerbate the disease. However, Dr. Susie Sprague's work, supported by the GRDC, revealed that while grazing increased blackleg severity, it could be minimized by selecting highly resistant cultivars, grazing during the vegetative stage before stem elongation, and avoiding heavy grazing.
The success of these initial trials led to on-farm trials at Bobbara Station, near Galong, NSW, using European winter canola varieties. These trials provided valuable insights into best management practices, including the timing of grazing and stocking rates. By 2010, research had shifted to whole-farm analysis, mapping early sowing opportunities and grain yields across Australia's high-rainfall areas. Subsequent experiments further demonstrated the benefits of dual-purpose canola and wheat, including increased greasy fleece weight, weaner lamb sale weight, and meat production per hectare.
The impact of dual-purpose canola has been widely recognized. In 2021, the team received the prestigious CSIRO Sir Ian McLennan Impact from Science and Engineering Medal, acknowledging their contributions to productivity, sustainability, and mixed-farming resilience. Today, research continues through co-investments by the GRDC, CSIRO, and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, refining the role of dual-purpose canola to ensure its high water and nitrogen use do not compromise whole-farm profitability.
In conclusion, dual-purpose canola is a remarkable example of how scientific research and collaboration can drive innovation in agriculture. By addressing challenges and providing solutions, this technology has not only increased profits but has also improved risk management, disease control, and overall farm sustainability. As research continues, dual-purpose canola is poised to play an even more significant role in the future of Australian agriculture.
