• To evaluate the responsiveness of Bannister and Williams oats to increasing plant density.
• To quantify the effect that plant density has on oat grain quality if a crop is sown early versus late.
• To determine if Bannister and Williams oats are suitable for lower rainfall regions.

Growers in medium to low rainfall regions are keen to grow oats as a break crop, either for hay or as a profitable grain crop; however, there is a need to identify management inputs and varieties that consistently meet quality specifications. Currently there is considerable interest in the high yielding milling oat varieties Bannister and Williams but they have not been adequately evaluated in lower rainfall environments in WA. Oat agronomy trials conducted in 2014 suggested that the grain quality of Banister and Williams was more sensitive to nitrogen inputs than established varieties like Carrolup in lower rainfall regions (Troup et al. 2015) but these trials were only sown in late May at the end of the ‘modern oat grower’ sowing window for milling oats.
The aims of this study are to:

• 1. quantify the impact of delayed seeding and N inputs on the yield and quality of hay and grain production,
• 2. evaluate the responsiveness of Bannister and Williams oat varieties to applied nitrogen,
• 3. determine if Bannister and Williams are suitable milling oat varieties for lower rainfall regions.

This trial is the second year of the trial series comparing the performance and response of two breeding lines (03198-18, named Kowari , and 06204-16, named Bilby ) and two benchmark varieties (Carrolup and Williams ) to changes in nitrogen and plant density in medium rainfall environments.

This trial is the second year of the trial series comparing the performance and response of two breeding lines (03198-18, named Kowari, and 06204-16, named Bilby) and two benchmark varieties (Carrolup and Williams) to changes in nitrogen and plant density in medium rainfall environments.

This trial is the second year of the trial series comparing the performance and response of two breeding lines (03198-18, named Kowari , and 06204-16, named Bilby ) and two benchmark varieties (Carrolup and Williams ) to changes in nitrogen and plant density in medium rainfall environments. This research builds on the trials conducted at Holt Rock in 2014-2016.

To assess triticale and oat varieties for grain yield and quality possible.

To evaluate yields of new and existing oat varieties in Wongan Hills.

To evaluate the suitability of different grain oat varieties for the high rainfall zone.

To conduct an oat variety trial

To conduct an oat varity trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To conduct an oat variety trial.

To compare the early grazing value, hay production or grain yield of oat varieties.

To explore oat varieties in the south east.

To investigate the effect of seeding rate and nitrogen rate on oats for hay production.

To investigate herbicide options for the control of ryegrass in three oaten hay varieties.

To show the production potential of new oaten hay varieties in the southern Mallee/northern Wimmera.

• To balance between maximising production, through the application of nitrogen, and quality, where one of the marketing factors is the level of soluble sugars, which are reduced through the application of nitrogen.
• To provide herbicide alternatives to Lontrel, that has been prohibited from use in export oaten hay crops due to residual presence of the herbicide in the stems and leaves.
• To provide best bet variety options.

These trials aim to determine a yield and quality difference between oat varieties grown in the higher rainfall zone of Victoria.

To provide growers with the tools needed to adopt site-specific weed management (SSWM) strategies as a result of a commercially viable weed ID and mapping system being demonstrated.

To evaluate a number of varieties that are either commercially available or close to commercial release that may be suitable for growing conditions in the south east of Victoria.

To evaluate a number of commercially available oat varieties for yield and grain quality. These reflect the most widely grown varieties in the area and include others that may be considered in the future.

To evaluate oats in the system.

To present a case study on oestrogenic clover from Robert Ham's Kangaroo Island farm.

To investigate the herbicide tolerance of three new canola quality mustard lines.

To compare the performance of older TT canola varieties (Tanami, Cobbler, Crusher and Snapper) under normal growing conditions in the Ballidu region.

To assess water repellent soil amelioration options and to determine whether a one-way plough can be used to ameliorate non-wetting sand for much lower cost than mouldboard ploughing or rotary spading.

To enhance the adaptive capacity of agricultural systems in order to deal with further changes expected as a result of human-induced climate change.

To identify the options that farmers would, and in some instances are, using to manage climate variability and adapt to climate change.

To test on-row or inter-row seeding with and without a pre-emergent herbicide package of trifluralin + metribuzin

To compare and assess the effectiveness of one-off tillage treatments on soil water repellence, water infiltration, crop establishment and productivity on a water repellent gravel.

Assessing practical soil management options for overcoming severe water repellence on sandy gravels in the West Midlands.

To assess amelioration options for water repellent soil and to determine whether a one-way plough can be used to ameliorate non-wetting sand for much lower cost than mouldboard ploughing or rotary spading.

Onion weed (Asphodelus fistulosusis) is a significant pest of crops and pastures on many soil types on upper EP. Onion weed that germinates in the pasture phase often results in thick stands of large plants that require repeated herbicide application and/or cultivation to control prior to a crop phase. Cultivation prior to sowing is a widespread practice to control the weed and reduce the residues to manageable levels. However, cultivation can expose the soil to erosion.

Onion weed in pastures regularly sets seed prior to the end of the growing season, ensuring the seed bank is replenished and the weed persists in every phase of the rotation. A key strategy to reduce the impact of onion weed, and the need for cultivation, is to reduce growth and seed set in the pasture phase of the rotation. Non-selective herbicides can control actively growing onion weed plants, but pasture growth is also affected.

Previous trials by the UNFS group, MDB NRM, and PIRSA have shown the following herbicides can provide adequate control of onion weed in non-selective situations:

                    Paraquat and double knocks of paraquat

                    Glyphosate plus metsulfuron methyl mixtures (+/- paraquat second knock)

                    Glyphosate plus LVE ester 2,4- D plus metsulfuron methyl,( +/- paraquat second knock)

                    Chlorsulfuron

                    Spray Seed

                    Alliance

This trial was established to investigate herbicide control of autumn/winter germinating onion weed in the pasture phase, while maintaining the productivity of the medic pasture. This trial evaluated the herbicide control of young actively growing onion weed in a vigorous medic pasture. The herbicides, with the exception of paraquat, were chosen to minimise the impact on the medic biomass production.

To investigate the optimum fertiliser placement when sowing wheat.

To investigate how different summer crops influence soil moisture throughout their growing seasons and in the subsequent wheat crop

To compare an opportunistic break crop against fallow and wheat to better define the pros and cons of fallowing.

To compare an opportunistic break crop against fallow and wheat to better define the pros and cons of fallowing.

To highlight the main challenges faced in continuous cropping systems, and provide some recent research outcomes on best-bet management to sustain profitable continuous cropping with current and foreseeable technologies.

To screen alternatives for optical spray management of Fleabane.

To screen alternatives for optical spray management of Fleabane.