Improving water productivity in the Australian Grains industry—a nationally coordinated approach

摘要: Improving the water-limited yield of dryland crops and farming systems has been an underpinning objective research within Australian grains industry since concept was defined in 1970s. Recent slowing productivity growth stimulated a search for new sources improvement, but few previous investments have targeted on national scale. In 2008, established 5-year, AU$17.6 million, Water Use Efficiency (WUE) Initiative, which challenged growers researchers to lift WUE grain-based production by 10%. Sixteen regional grower teams distributed across southern Australia (300–700 mm annual rainfall) proposed range agronomic management strategies improve productivity. A coordinating project involving team agronomists, plant physiologists, soil scientists system modellers funded provide consistent understanding benchmarking yield, experimental advice assistance, integrating science modelling, play integration communication role. The 16 diverse activities were organised into four themes related type innovation pursued (integrating break-crops, managing summer fallows, in-season water-use, variable constraining soils), important interactions between these at farm-scale explored emphasised. At meetings, compared impacts various different regions, from combinations. Simulation studies provided predictions both priori outcomes that tested experimentally extrapolation results sites, seasons up whole-farm We demonstrated potential exists water paddock scale levels well above 10% target better weed control (37–140%), inclusion break (16–83%), earlier sowing appropriate varieties (21–33%) matching N supply (91% deep sands). Capturing synergies combinations pre- in-crop could increase wheat farm 11–47%, significant on-farm validation adoption some innovations occurred during Initiative. An ex post economic analysis Initiative estimated benefit : cost ratio 3.7 : 1, internal return investment 18.5%. briefly review structure operation initiative summarise key emerged farm-scale.