Now in its third year, the Grain Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Hyper Yielding Crops (HYC) Awards recognise the efforts and achievements of growers nationally who excel in cultivating high yielding crops, through making effective agronomic decisions according to their location and environment.

Previously the HYC Awards have recognised only high yielding wheat crops, however in 2022, barley was introduced into the awards program across WA, Victoria and South Australia.

Taking out two HYC Awards for highest wheat and barley yields in WA was Perillup grower Kieran Allison. Allison's award-winning DS Bennett wheat crop recorded a 7.98t/ha yield whilst his award-winning RGT Planet barley crop yielded 8.93t/ha.

In Victoria, the winning wheat yield clocked 10.59t/ha which was grown by Ascot producer, Ben Findlay. Findlay chose RGT Cesario which was grown over a 42ha paddock.

The winning barley yield, RGT Planet was entered into the competition by Streatham, Victoria, grower Ed Weatherly which yielded 7.5t/ha. The crop was grown over an area of 61ha following wheat.

The HYC Awards also recognise those growers who reach the highest yield based on the percentage of yield potential for their respective regions.

Winning this category in WA for wheat was Scotts Brook grower Ben Webb who topped a yield of 6.54t/ha crop of Planet (79 per cent of potential). Charles Caldwell, also from Scotts Brook, took out the barley award with his 7.76t/ha crop of RGT Planet (84 per cent of potential).

The winning wheat and barley yields in Victoria were also recorded as being the highest percentage of potential with of 87 and 70 per cent respectively.

Nick Poole, managing director Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia and project lead for the GRDC's national HYC initiative recently presented the 2022 HYC trial results at the WA HYC Results and awards evenings in Kendenup, WA and Skipton, Victoria.

Poole jointly presented the HYC Awards with HYC extension co-ordinator Jon Midwood of TechCrop, Dan Fay of Stirlings to Coast Farmers in WA and Greta Duff of Southern Farming Systems in Victoria.

Poole said the HYC Awards have built community interest in pushing productivity boundaries nationally.

"These dedicated growers have demonstrated exceptional agronomic skills and techniques, resulting in remarkable yields whilst contributing positively to the overall success of the Australian grains industry," Poole said.

"I would like to extend my congratulations to all winners for their outstanding achievements, these emphasise the importance of a community approach whilst pushing the boundaries to increase productivity and profitability."

Participants in the HYC Awards are presented with a report, which assists with identifying the different agronomic decisions made throughout the season's growing conditions and provides each grower with the ability to closely benchmark these key decisions with other growers in their region.

Nominations are now open for the 2023 season and growers wishing to participate are urged to contact their respective project officer for more information if they would like to enter a crop this season.

The national HYC Results and Awards roadshow continues throughout July and August in South Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales.

More information can be found here: https://faraustralia.com.au/hyper-yielding-crops.