Visitors to the FGC

Basmati rice breeder, Dr Gopala Krishnan - from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Division of Genetics in New Delhi visited the Functional Grains Centre recently. He has released several basmati rice varieties and made significant contributions to rice breeding in India.

His visit to the rice growing areas of Australia during winter, a time when it looks most unlike a rice growing area in India was a new experience. Although there was not much rice to see, Gopala learnt much from meeting with rice breeder Dr Peter Snell and SunRice research Manager Russell Ford.

The FGC was also pleased to show our research to improve the sustainability and productivity of the grains industry to the participants of the GrainGrowers Innovation Tour in September.

The tour brought 25 policy professionals from the federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and the National Farmers’ Federation to Wagga Wagga for the event.

FarmLink open day

Functional Grains Centre Director Professor Chris Blanchard and Deputy Director Associate Professor Dan Waters attended the recent FarmLink open day, taking the opportunity to check out new research and engage with grain industry stakeholders.

“FarmLink is a dynamic organisation engaged in a wide array of projects and this was reflected in the number of activities which were taking place on the day,” Professor Waters said.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with farmers, advisors and other stakeholders and learn more about the FarmLink research being conducted.

“I was particularly interested in a trial being undertaken in collaboration with Allied Pinnacle and Aryzta Bakeries.

“The Riverina is the source of the majority of Allied Pinnacle’s wheat which is then converted to flour that Aryzta Bakeries use in their bread.

“Both are very conscious of the importance of wheat quality in determining the quality of their products and this led to the trial that is assessing the impact of nitrogen fertiliser amount, type and timing on bread quality,” Professor Waters said.