Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driv ....Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driven seasonal forecast system using high density climate data from the 17,000 Grain Growers Association members and climate drivers such as sea surface temperature from the Bureau of Meteorology. After validation against observed data, the forecasts will be delivered via a web-based portal to users.Read moreRead less
The Betaproteobacteria: could they play a key role in nitrogen fixation on infertile soils with legumes adapted to climate change? Microbial biosecurity is often overlooked when introducing agricultural species to Australia. As we research new legume species to make our $44 billion agricultural industries robust in the face of a changing climate, we need to be aware of the implications of the associated introduction of (beneficial) microbes. By exploring the globe for plants from regions that al ....The Betaproteobacteria: could they play a key role in nitrogen fixation on infertile soils with legumes adapted to climate change? Microbial biosecurity is often overlooked when introducing agricultural species to Australia. As we research new legume species to make our $44 billion agricultural industries robust in the face of a changing climate, we need to be aware of the implications of the associated introduction of (beneficial) microbes. By exploring the globe for plants from regions that already have the climate we are transitioning towards, we have discovered new perennial forage legumes from which we can build a robust agriculture in the arid regions of southern Australia. This will have enormous national benefit in rural regions. This project will research the essential microbial inoculants associated with these new plants.Read moreRead less