Join us for the first session in the Building Resilient Landscapes lunchtime webinar series for an in-depth look at SMART SPRAYS: Maximising the Benefits from Rainfall, one of six projects supported through the SW WA Hub’s Transformational Program.

Project leads Professor Dan Murphy and Cheryl Rimmer from Murdoch University will introduce the SMART SPRAYS project and the problem it set out to solve: how to capture more rainfall where it matters and improve plant water-use efficiency in a drying climate. The team will share how the project moved from concept to field demonstrations, the challenges encountered, and the key learnings emerging from testing biodegradable polymer sprays designed to enhance water retention in cropping systems.

Hear how collaboration across researchers, growers and industry unlocked new insights, what further work is needed, and how SW WA Hub funding has accelerated innovation to strengthen drought and climate resilience for WA broadacre farming.

This project is supported by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, Murdoch University and the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration.

Presenters:

• Lucy Tomassini – Project manager, South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
• Professor Dan Murphy – Centre Director and Biochemist, Bioplastics Innovation Hub, Murdoch University
• Cheryl Rimmer – Research Officer, Bioplastics Innovation Hub, Murdoch University

Why SMART SPRAYS?

Smart sprays have the potential to reduce evaporation and redirect water for increased crop yield and profit.

Smart sprays components:

• Biodegrade in marine, soil, and compost environments into CO₂, water, and biomass.
• Do not degrade into microplastics in the environment.
• Reduce reliance on fossil fuels and have a decreased carbon footprint as no fossil fuel feedstock is used.
• Do not need to be retrieved from the field – they will biodegrade in situ.

The main component of SMART SPRAYS can be produced by microorganisms through the use of a wide variety of renewable feedstocks, like organic wastes, waste canola oil, brewers waste and glycerol, creating a circular economy.

Learn more.

About the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub)

The SW WA Hub provides regionally focused information and support to help farmers and regional communities adopt drought resilient practices. It is led by the Grower Group Alliance and receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. Find out more at hub.gga.org.au.