Input constraints are a challenge, especially now in 2026, smart allocation can make a real difference to whole of farm performance.

In this episode, cropping farmer Dylan Hirsch from Latham WA and CSIRO research scientist Roger Lawes discuss practical strategies for making the most of limited inputs, with a strong focus on nitrogen management.

They discuss how ranking paddocks by yield potential using historical data and remote sensing can help target limited inputs, while also considering how growers can adjust crop and rotation decisions when conditions or supply constraints change.

Roger then shares insights from the national Grain Automate project, including a new calculator tool to help evaluate precision spraying investments.

The conversation highlights the role of farm data in better decision making and why grain protein levels can act as an early warning sign of nitrogen deficiency.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.

• Grain Automate Economic Model Calculator - Grain Automate - GRDC & CSIRO
• Spray Program Calculator - GRDC & CSIRO
• Grain Automate - GRDC
• Hub news - Drought Hub

Seasonal climate outlooks can inform planning, but they are only one part of farm decision-making.

In this episode, Dr Meredith Guthrie, from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Phil Smyth, northern Wheatbelt agronomist from Nutrien Coorow, talk about the 2026 seasonal outlook.

Meredith explains current climate drivers, how to interpret climate model probabilities and how the potential development of an El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole may result in 2026 looking a bit like the difficult year of 2023.

They then go on to discuss what these forecasts may mean for growers, including dry sowing, crop selection, managing input costs, and making the most of early rainfall opportunities.

The conversation highlights the importance of using forecasts as guidance while focusing on sound management decisions throughout the season and how there is always space for hope.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.

• Long-range weather, climate and water availability - Bureau of Meteorology
• Seasonal Climate Outlook - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
• Long-range forecasts: weeks, months and seasons - Bureau of Meteorology
• Hub news - Drought Hub

Water quality is one of the most overlooked factors in spray performance, yet it can have major impacts on efficacy, compatibility and long-term resistance risk.

In this episode, agronomist Bill Campbell from Campbell Ag and Damon Cusack from the Fitzgerald Biosphere Group (FBG) discuss how water quality varies across Western Australia and what growers can do to better manage it.

They explore common issues including hard water tying up glyphosate, high turbidity reducing the effectiveness of paraquat, and elevated pH shortening the half-life of certain insecticides and fungicides.

The conversation highlights key results from FBG’s Water Quality Snapshot project, which revealed significant variability in water sources, even between dams on the same farm.

Practical strategies include testing all water sources, ranking them by quality, matching water to product where possible, and investing in storage or treatment systems. The episode also points to useful tools and fact sheets available through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

A small investment in understanding your water could make a big difference to spray results and farm resilience.

This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.

• Sprayer workshops – filter to “west” region and “workshops” - GRDC
• Water tests - CSBP
• WaterSmart Dams: Making Dams Work Again — Fitzgerald Biosphere Group
• Water Evaluation Platform - University of Western Australia
• Water quality factsheet - GRDC
• Spray mixing and batch guides - GRDC
• Water Smart Dams project - Grower Group Alliance
• Hub news - Drought Hub