Through the Agrifutures Water Quality Testing Project, the Grower Group Alliance is actively engaging Open Innovation. GGA is leveraging collaboration with grower groups, Beanstalk AgTech, and the University of Western Australia to consider on-farm monitoring of water quality in relation to herbicide efficacy and to explore options to help farmers make best practice choices regarding water use for spraying.
Taking the key principles of Open Innovation, this project demonstrates an alternative model to traditional siloed agricultural research. It takes a producer-led challenge as identified by the by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub priority setting process for climate responsive projects and seeks to develop tailored solutions to WA farmers.
Poor water quality can severely impact herbicide efficacy leading to higher production costs, a reduction in options for managing weeds, and environmental degradation through over-use of chemicals and water waste. The causes of poor water quality include sedimentation, nutrient and chemical runoff, algal blooms, salinity, and pollution. The key water quality parameters that impact herbicide efficacy include pH, cations (water hardness), bicarbonates (hardness), turbidity, electrical conductivity, and temperature.
Project Plan
The strategic framework unfolds through defined stages, commencing with the identification and definition of challenges, involving consultations with industry experts, water quality surveys, and engagement with producers. This strategic framework underscores the importance of collaboration, problem-solving, and innovative technology integration to address challenges in the agricultural sector effectively.
Project Collaborators
Enquiries
To enquire about this project, please contact GGA’s Innovation Manager, Joanne Wisdom.