Free advice for WA grain growers as DPIRD releases 2025 Crop Sowing Guide

WA grain growers can access the latest advice on planting options for the upcoming season after the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development released its 2025 Crop Sowing Guide. The annual guide, which is free, provides key information to help growers choose the best variety for each of the major crops. It features the latest data from DPIRD’s research work and the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s National Variety Trials. DPIRD crop science and grain production manager Bob French said the guide had been updated with the latest agronomic information and industry developments to help growers optimise crop potential. “This includes disease ratings and market-delivery information for wheat, barley, oats, canola and pulses, including lupin, lentil, field pea, chickpea, faba bean and vetch,” Dr French said. “The 2025 guide features information on 20 new variety releases, including six wheat, four feed barley and five barley varieties currently under malt evaluation, one lentil and nine canola varieties.” Dr French said it was important growers recognised how the variable seasons of 2022 and 2023 could influence a variety or crop’s performance. “It is critical to view variety performance over multiple years to better understand how a variety might perform across variable seasons,” he said. “The guide provides valuable additional context and interpretation of the data generated by the National Variety Trials program on varietal performance and disease and agronomic traits.” Digital copies of the guide are available via the DPIRD website. Hard copies can be ordered from the DPIRD website and are available at DPIRD offices and selected rural suppliers.