The Grains Convo podcast shares independent insights from DPIRD’s research - and a look at the work shaping the future of farming in WA - to help you think through your options and plan ahead with confidence.
Publisher
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
In this episode of Grains Convo, DPIRD senior research scientist Dr Benjamin Congdon shares findings from the 2026 aphid and virus surveillance program, including regional differences in green peach aphid activity and the spread of turnip yellows virus across WA.
Discover why the timing of infection matters, how to identify potential virus problems and what the latest research means for management decisions.
With the 2027 growing season in mind, learn how green bridge control, early crop monitoring, virus testing and well-timed insecticide applications can help reduce your risk and protect crop productivity.
Episode links:
DPIRD’s PestFacts WA service (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/online-tools/pestfacts-wa/)
GRDC’s Manage turnip yellows virus in canola (https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/factsheets/2026/manage-turnip-yellows-virus-in-canola) factsheet
DPIRD’s Insecticide spray guides (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/businesses/pests-weeds-and-diseases/control-methods/chemicals/insecticides/)
29 Sept 2026
Late season pests: what to watch through harvest
Harvest is underway in parts of the WA grainbelt, but there’s still plenty happening on the insect front.
DPIRD research scientists Dusty Severtson and Svetlana Micic join Cindy Webster and Janette Pratt to discuss the pests growers are seeing now, including armyworm, diamondback moth, native budworm, aphids and redlegged earth mite.
They unpack what to look for through harvest, the importance of correct identification and thresholds before making control decisions, withholding periods, grain contamination risks and what growers can do now to prepare for next season.
Episode links:
DPIRD’s PestFacts WA Reporter app (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/online-tools/pestfacts-wa/pestfacts-wa-reporter/)
DPIRD’s PestFacts WA newsletters (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/about-us/newsletters/PestFacts-WA-newsletter/)
DPIRD’s Native budworm trapping webpage (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/businesses/pests-weeds-and-diseases/animal-pests-diseases/pest-insects/native-budworm/native-budworm-trapping/)
Updated TIMERITE® tool (https://www.wool.com/timerite). Hosted on Australian Wool Innovation’s (AWI) website. Updates done by Cesar Australia in collaboration with CSIRO, AWI, GRDC and Meat & Livestock Australia.
DPIRD’s 2026 Winter Spring Insecticide Guide (https://cesaraustralia.com/resources/beneficials-toxicity-table/)
Cesar Australia’s Beneficials chemical toxicity table (https://cesaraustralia.com/resources/beneficials-toxicity-table/)
25 Sept 2026
Harvest underway: insights from across the grainbelt
Harvest is already underway in parts of WA, but the 2026 grain season remains a mixed bag across the grainbelt.
In the latest Grains Convo, Tim Scanlon speaks with Development Officer Alison Lacey, who draws on DPIRD’s regional intelligence network to unpack what’s happening across WA’s grain growing regions: where crops are performing strongly, where low rainfall and subsoil moisture are limiting yield potential, and the risks to watch as the season finishes.
They also look at how intelligence from across the regions helps DPIRD respond as conditions change, with the Season 2026 webpage bringing together timely information and tools to support grower decisions.
Episode links:
Visit the Season 2026 webpage (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/environment-and-sustainability/climate/season-agricultural-region/)
Seasonal Climate Outlook (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/about-us/newsletters/seasonal-climate-outlook/)
DPIRD Weather Stations (https://weather.agric.wa.gov.au/)
PestFacts (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/online-tools/pestfacts-wa/)
PestFacts Reporter App (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/online-tools/pestfacts-wa/pestfacts-wa-reporter/)
GIWA Crop Report (https://www.giwa.org.au/wa-crop-reports/2026-giwa-crop-reports/)
Harvesting Short Crops (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/siteassets/documents/agriculture/grains/harvesting-short-patchy-crops-2026-.pdf)
Managing stubble (https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/environment-and-sustainability/soils/managing-soils/wind-erosion/managing-stubble-for-wind/)
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