four women facing the camera standing in a cotton crop with sunflowers

Sunflowers help researchers advise on managing cotton pests

We’ve planted sunflowers between rows of cotton to act as windbreaks and so that helpful insects to thrive and help deal with insect pests. In turn, this helps cotton farmers limit their use of harsh insecticides. It’s part of what’s called integrated pest management.

rain falling in the distance over paddocks

Three online tools for smarter farming

We’ve got three new online tools for Australian agribusiness, including carbon farming, fertiliser runoff and weather analytics.

two farmers in a field

The future of food production: more from less

Pressure on Australian farmers has never been greater. They're being asked to generate more from less. It's clear a significant step change is needed.

tractor harvesting a field

Breeding resilience in a changing climate

Crop breeding techniques have come a long way in developing plants suited to Australian climates. But how far can we go?

three people standing in a field of cowpeas

Nigeria has given a new GM cowpea variety the go ahead. Why it matters

Nigeria recently approved the world's first GM cowpea, which provides full protection against the pod-borer Maruca, a major problem for this important crop.

Man standing in front of sheep grazing

Dual-purpose crops bring drought resilience to farming

Growing crops both grazed by livestock and grown to harvest is helping this farmer weather the drought.

Have yourself a sustainable little Christmas

Give our planet a gift. Make your festive season more environmentally-friendly this year. We've got some tips to help you have a sustainable Christmas.

close up of a man's hands pouring seeds from one hand into the palm of the other. in the background is dry, dead crops

Planting early helps farmer weather the drought

Queensland farmer Daniel Wegener is using a technique we developed called early sowing to make the best of the current drought.

Prawn salad and some Christmas baubles

Prawn stars: Five facts about Aussie prawns

New technology is allowing our farmers to grow even more prawns, and reduce the need to import prawns to meet consumer demand.

Salmon embryos

Key to salmon success is in the genes

Our scientists selected key genetic traits in Tasmanian salmon to help industry grow the best fish. Aussie-grown salmon grows faster without the downsides.

A male holding a thin plastic tube between is left index finger and his right forefingers The word BEXTOR is printed on it.

What a load of bull: auctioning cattle semen for charity

Don't adjust your screen - this isn't the Betoota Advocate. We're auctioning off 5000 ‘straws’ of bull semen, all in the name of charity.

Food growing in a greenhouse

To feed the world in 2050 we need to build the plants that evolution didn’t

Synthetic biology lets us explore places where evolution has never gone, to help meet humanity's food needs in a future shaped by climate change.