National Grower Network forums throughout South Australia have identified that herbicide residues are a concern for growers. From work conducted by Rose et al., (2022), it is estimated that between 20-30% of paddocks across Australia contain soil-bourne herbicide residues that constrain crop selection, and 10% of paddocks have residues that could result in crop damage and economic losses to growers. Whilst the mechanisms and drivers of herbicide breakdown are relatively well known, there is a lack of decision support to predict the level of herbicide remaining in the soil and the risk to crops, especially on challenging and uncommon soil types.

To address this, GRDC is investing in a program of work that will support grower and adviser understanding of how herbicides interact with their soil types to assist their pre-sowing decisions on the crop types or varieties to be planted. This information can also assist growers to make informed decisions about in crop and pre-emergent chemistry applications to avoid plant back issues.

This investment will help supplement a larger existing national investment (DPI2306-013RTX) examining the spatial variability of soil types and how this impacts herbicide breakdown and residues. It will strengthen the existing work through the inclusion of unique and less common soil types in SA, including the regions around Wirrulla, Wangary, Jamestown, Balaklava, Warooka and Bowhill, through developing dose response curves and conducting paddock surveys.

Support available from Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI)

GRDC's strategic AAGI partnership can offer the following analytics support as a GRDC in-kind contribution: advice on design of validation and dose-response trials, and statistical support for development of dose-response curves. To access this support, applicants must enquire with AAGI directly and describe the proposed support scope in their tender. The tender should include an estimate of workload and in-kind valuation provided by AAGI. Please make enquiries to Adelaide University at biometryhub@adelaide.edu.au (attention Dr Julian Taylor). Successful applicants will be required to complete an Analytical Collaboration Plan to specify the data to be provided to AAGI and the analytics support AAGI will provide. A sample Plan template is available from AAGI. Please note, applicants that decline AAGI support must provide a technical and value-for-money rationale for not using in-kind AAGI support.

Outcome:

By May 2027, 30% of growers and advisers with calcareous and alkaline soil types in SA have improved understanding of herbicide behaviour in their soils and confidence to make informed variety and cop type selections considering herbicide residues.

Outputs:

Output 1.

Title: Delivery and analysis of herbicide residue dose response curves.

Description:

By May 2027, deliver a report detailing herbicide residue curves for six soil types within the southern region where there is low grower confidence in plant back times and where the issue has been raised at NGN fora.

Dose response curves will be determined for different soil types through glasshouse studies and supported through paddock surveys in the regions with challenging residue levels. This will include:

· Dose response curves for up to two herbicides per soil type, with two crop types of concern per herbicide.

· Choice of herbicide and crop types for dose response curves will be developed with support from local agronomists, growers and farming systems groups to ensure local relevancy.

· Results and protocols will leverage DPI2306-013RTX to ensure these data are compatible with the national investment on spatial variability.

· GRDC’s strategic partnership, Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI), can support paddock data analysis and profitability benchmarking analytics as a GRDC in-kind contribution. To access this support, applicants must negotiate with AAGI directly and describe the agreed support scope and arrangements in their tender.

Output 2.

Title: Extension and communication activities.

Description:

By May 2027, deliver extension and communication activities targeted at growers and advisers to increase understanding of herbicide residues, primarily on calcareous soil types within the southern region.

· A communication and extension (C&E) plan will be developed as part of the Annual Operating Plan for each year of the trials and will include consideration of GRDC avenues for promotion and extension of the work, including, but are not limited to, GRDC electronic mail to the CRM (event promotion), GroundCover, GRDC Grains research Updates, GRDC webinars, GRDC podcasts and video channels, social media.

· Key results and conclusions will be published through local grower groups, and other GRDC media channels.

· Extension activities may include but are not limited to demonstrations, trial strips and local discussion groups. Consider other extension activities including development of case studies for each of the regions. It is expected there will be at least six extension activities, one in each of the regions of focus.

· Final reporting should include implications of results and recommendations for further investment and extension activities. An assessment of project impact on grower attitudes toward herbicide residues and crop choice selection should also be included.  

Other Instructions:

Minimum Form and Content Requirements

The following are the mandatory content and format requirements that the Tenderer must complete and provide to participate in this procurement process:

1 Submit Tenders using the Grains Investment Portal.

2 Write Tenders in English and express any measurements in Australian legal units of measurement.

3 Budget details must be submitted on the ‘GRDC Budget Template’ provided in the Grains Investment Portal.

Evaluation Criteria

In the table below are the Evaluation Criteria that the Tender Evaluation Team will use to assess the value for money of all Tenders.

Conditions for Participation:

The following are mandatory conditions with which a Tenderer must comply to participate in this procurement process:

1 The Tenderer must be a single legal entity or recognised firm of partners

2 The Tenderer and any proposed subcontractor must be compliant with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 and any other applicable labour laws and standards in the jurisdiction in which they operate.

3 The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not have a judicial decision against it (not including decisions under appeal) relating to employee entitlements and who have not paid the claim.

4 The Tenderer and any subcontractor must not be named on the Consolidated List, being the list of persons and entities who are subject to targeted financial sanctions or travel bans under Australian sanction laws, as maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Timeframe for Delivery: It is expected this investment will run over 2 years and 5 months

Address for Lodgement: Submit your Tender through the Grains Investment Portal