Due to the dry season, there were no visible differences in crop growth and yield resulting from different seed treatments.

The ribbon sowing provided about 137kg/ha more yield, 0.6% less screenings and an average improvement to income of $35/ha; this will be a useful benefit when the system is used for shield spraying for grass.

• Three seasons of research have provided confidence that V071 is a superior rice variety to Reiziq in all agronomic attributes.
• The V071 grain yield was higher than Reiziq in all experiments by an average of 1.43 t/ha.
• V071 development does not slow during periods of low temperatures like Reiziq, which is very beneficial in cool seasons.
• V071 has strong emergence and establishment vigour like Reiziq, and a higher tolerance to grain shattering than Reiziq.
• Provided V071 meets market quality requirements, it is showing potential to be a welcome replacement for Reiziq, the current industry standard bold medium-grain rice variety for the past 18 years.

2018 Season

• Deep ripping to alleviate compaction and allow better water absorption has improved crop yields at 4 of the 5 EPZ Ripper Gauge demonstration sites in 2018.
• Not all ripping responsive soils required ripping to the same depth.
• While early season dry conditions were challenging and total growing season rainfall was low at the Dunn Rock demonstration site, the deep tillage treatments applied to the site’s sandy gravel over clay soil were a profitable means of increasing barley yield.
• Early season conditions were dry at the Cascade demonstration site. The results collected suggest deep tillage to 300mm or 600mm in the heavy sodic soils present at this site did not improve wheat yield. The rip to 600mm strip achieved an operating gross margin of less than half of both the control strips and the rip to 300mm treatment.
• While the mixing effect of the TopDown achieved a gain of 0.28t/ha when compared to the control, gains in yield were not as large as the effects of deep ripping, spading or a combination on the gravelly sand over clay soil type present at the Coomalbidgup site. The latter tillage treatments improved wheat crop yield by 0.51t/ha to 0.78t/ha when compared to the control strip average of 3.75t/ha, equating to a gross margin increase of between $54/ha and $174/ha.
• The loamy clay to circle valley sand over clay soils present at the Salmon Gums site showed an increase in crop yield of almost 0.91t/ha from ripping to 450-540mm depth. While both the control and shallow deep ripping (ie to 300mm depth) treatments yielded 2.5t/ha of wheat, the deepest tillage treatment yielded approximately 3.4t, equating to a gross margin increase of $316/ha.
• Tillage of the Neridup site’s sandy gravel over clay soils to 300mm increased canola yield compared to the control by 0.41t/ha which equated to a gross margin increase of $179/ha. Tillage to 600mm reduced canola crop yield by 0.35t/ha when just ripped and by 0.9t/ha when exposed to ripping to 600mm combined with a Topdown.

2019 Season

• Tillage treatments applied in 2018 to alleviate compaction and allow better water absorption (ranging in ripping depth from 100mm to 600mm) did not significantly affect crop yield when compared to site controls, regardless of the predominant soil type present at the site or the ripping equipment used. This is likely due to the much dryer than average rainfall conditions that prevailed at all sites in 2019 and the impact of severe frost at two of the demonstration sites (Salmon Gums and Cascade).
• Although the ripping treatments did not significantly improve or reduce crop yield at any of the Ripper Gauge demonstration sites in 2019, gross margin analysis did indicate tillage to 600mm depth plus use of a Topdown slightly improved operating profit at the Neridup site, when compared to the site control. Ripping to 540mm depth also improved financial performance at the Salmon Gums site when compared to the control.
• Ripping to 300mm and 600m depth reduced financial performance at the Coomalbidgup and Cascade Demonstration Sites, compared to the site controls. Two of the tillage treatments also reduced operating profit at the Neridup site compared to the site control.

Soil amelioration is a vital part of farming systems in Albany Port Zone to overcome soil constraints, which limit crop yields. 

The ripping treatments resulted in minimal yield beinifits in the Tenterden and Darakan sites, due to the high gravel content in the soil, which limited compaction.

Ripping treatemtns at the Bromehill site resulted in significantly higher yields in 2018 and 2019 comapared to the untreated control (UTC), however the treatments failed too yielded significantly better then the UTC, in 2020. 

The Kojaneerup sandplain trial site was highly responsive to deep ripping to 50cm in 2020 after clay spreading. 

 

• The nil treatment produced the highest grain yield at all sites.
• Deep ripping treatments reduced early crop vigour and grain yield at all sites, however at the Clare sites the effect on crop vigour was less.
• Subsoil manuring produced higher grain yields than surface manuring at 4 of 5 harvested sites.

There has been a major response to ripping but little response to nitrogen above and beyond the farmer dressings.  The ripping treatment markedly improved crop emergence numbers and timing.  The very dry nature of the season after seeding has meant no leaching of nitrogen and therefore no improvement in nitrogen uptake efficiency due to faster root penetration on the ripped plots. Plant counts, estimated biomass levels and yield components are shown in the table of results, above.

There was a marked establishment and growth response to ripping and variability was much more marked on the non-ripped plots than on those which were ripped.  Measures of surface soil wettability showed no difference between ripping so the better establishment was probably due to better and more uniform wetting on the rougher, more disturbed, ripped soil. 

Ripping gave better early growth but also better finishing conditions as reflected in higher harvest indices and lower screenings.  The ripped strip samplings emphasized this point so it seems that the ripping allowed better access to stored sub-soil moisture over the harsh finish to the season. Plant samples from on and off the ripped strips showed no difference in K status.

We sampled on and off visually obvious windrows north of trial (2) on 10 July and south of trial (3) on heavier country on 18th August.  Both sites showed unambiguous K deficiency which again was reflected in better grain size and lower screening measures on the K adequate windrow.  The sandy site had more severe K deficiency and bigger responses than the loamy site which had a higher soil K status.  Both areas would respond to K fertilizer applications.

The results in this years risk management trial emphasised the importance of knowing:

• the nutrient status of your soils prior to sowing, and
• potential of the soils. The starting soil nitrogen at Birchip was particularly low (55kg/ha N) resulting in a significantly lower yield for the Low Input scenario compared to the High Input and Best Bet treatments.

The Low Input scenario also resulted in significantly lower protein and significantly higher screenings. These results suggest that there was not enough nitrogen to sustain a crop even in a dry finish, eventually affecting the final gross margin of the Low Input system.

• Contrasting canola yields were observed at two sites in 2015 highlighting both the potential and the risks of growing canola in the southern Australian low rainfall zone.
• Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crop’s development produced the highest grain yields. Purchasing hybrid canola instead of using farmer retained open pollinated canola provided no advantage in 2015.

• Contrasting canola yields were observed at two sites in 2015 highlighting both the potential and the risks of growing canola in the southern Australian low rainfall zone.
• Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crop’s development produced the highest grain yields.
• Purchasing hybrid canola instead of using farmer retained open pollinated canola provided no advantage in 2015.

• Contrasting canola yields were observed at two sites in 2015 highlighting both the potential and the risks of growing canola in the southern Australian low rainfall zone.
• Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crop’s development produced the highest grain yields.
• Purchasing hybrid canola instead of using farmer retained open pollinated canola provided no advantage in 2015. 

As the climate is changing to warmer conditions and the atmosphere contains more CO2 (also called CO2 fertilisation), crops grow more quickly and mature earlier. It is important to be aware of these effects on crops so that the risk of frost or heat shock reducing crop yield can be better managed. Even though the climate is warming, it is not clear whether the occurrences of frosts are reducing. In fact, there is anecdotal evidence that frost severity and frequency are not changing, which could be because there is reduced moisture in the atmosphere. If this is the case, it will have implications for sowing time and variety choice. Through the use of PA and VR, growers are able to sow different varieties on more frost prone areas. Without this technology, growers would either need to sow different zones separately, reducing efficiencies, or treat the paddock as a whole, which may see reduce yields and risk in various zones. To demonstrate the advantages of this strategy, over the past two seasons, BCG and SPAA have undertaken paddock scale trials. Two demonstrations were undertaken to compare two varieties of different maturity at two different sowing times.

• BCG risk management work between 2005 and 2008 has shown a low to moderate input approach to be the most profitable • Adopting a low input approach to managing variable inputs was the most economic at Curyo in 2008.
• No economic yield or grain quality response was achieved by adopting a high input strategy.
• Tools such as soil sampling and Yield Prophet® can support fertiliser and in-crop input decisions.

BCG research from 2005 to 2008 has shown that adopting a low to moderate approach to inputs has been the most profitable • Adopting a low input approach to managing variable inputs was the most economic at Manangatang in 2008 • Soil sampling at the start of the season is very valuable in determining soil nutrient status.

During 2010, trials were carried out on a number of paddocks near Dookie, Vic and Yarrawonga, VIC to explore the relationship between in-season crop reflectance, crop biomass and crop nitorgen content. In-season crop reflectance was measured using CropCircle snesors, which use NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index). The ultimate goal is to assess the suitability of the data to assist in making decisions on crop nitrogen requirements as the season unfolds. In this reprt one of the paddocks at Dookie is used as an example.

• There was no significant different between treatments for yield.
• For further conclusions please see the attached trial report.

• High Density Legumes (HDLs) offer a profitable 1 year (potentially 2 year) break crop option for cropping rotations, as an alternative to the traditional pulse break crop.
• HDLs offer greater flexibility in that they can be grazed, cut for hay/silage or green manured. They also have the potential to produce significant quantities of regrowth after cutting or grazing, extending the period of high quality green feed on offer after other pastures have dried off.
• HDLs offer substantial benefits to the following crop(s) in the rotation, including high nitrogen input, disease break and weed control (if managed correctly). Their superior economic returns, compared with pulses, depend on the grower's ability to rotationally graze HDLs throughout winter and spring (and early summer if the season permits), and/or the capacity to use or sell large quantities of hay or silag

Insufficient frost events occurred at Wickepin during the susceptible windows in 2014 to cause significant frost damage. Temperature results demonstrated that low in the landscape retained stubble increased the severity of the frost in one of the 10 frost events, but also increased the duration of frost events. Results from 2014 were not conclusive at Wickepin to demonstrate whether retaining stubble increases the incidence or severity of frost.

Although the Wickepin site did not experience damaging frost events in 2013, results show that the severity (minimum temperature) and duration (hrs <0°C) of frost increased at positions lower in the landscape and was less severe under cultivation. Standing stubble treatments also showed colder temperatures than removed stubble treatments. These results also supported the two other trials conducted in Western Australia during 2013 that showed stubble can have an influence on crop canopy temperature.

The drought and subsequently paddocks with failed crops present an interesting dilemma for many growers. Should the rotation continue as planned or can the same crop type be resown on those paddocks that failed? In the case of cereal crops root disease will present the greatest threat.

• Medics appear susceptible and very intolerant to P. neglectus.
• Of the medics tested, Harbinger is the most tolerant.
• Although moderately intolerant to P. neglectus, Herald is a high yielding medic.
• Rotations including medic and wheat result in higher nematode numbers.

 

• The resistance rating of cereal cultivars to RLN species affects RLN multiplication. Yenda wheat is more resistant than Calingiri wheat and these cultivars affected P. quasitereoides population size for two seasons following.
• In 2019, applying urea increased P. quasitereoides numbers more than applying none, with higher rates upfront at seeding associated with the highest RLN numbers at harvest. Applying urea also significantly increased yield.
• P. quasitereoides population size reduced over the 2019/20 summer by about half and reduced further over the 2020 growing season when Scepter wheat was grown.

Krichauff, Excalibur and triticales are consistently both more tolerant and more resistant to P. neglectus that other cereals in field trials.

• Both rotary spading and mouldboard ploughing sucessfully overcame water repellance and both resulted in large grain yield increases mostly in the order of 500-1200kg/ha.
• Spading and ploughing of water repellant sandplain soils that have reasonable subsiol water holding capacity is more beneficial than for the pale deep sands whose low water holding capacity limits the opportunity to realise the improved yield potential, particularly is seasons with a dry finish.

This project is providing a focus on pasture species, inoculation, weed control and overall management together with the crop nitrogen benefits and crop responses. This project is a large-plot Development and Extension project, part of a much broader effort of many industry participants in developing new pasture systems in crop rotations.

This project is providing a focus on pasture species, inoculation, weed control and overall management together with the crop nitrogen benefits and crop responses. This project is a large-plot Development and Extension project, part of a much broader effort of many industry participants in developing new pasture systems in crop rotations.

This project is providing a focus on pasture species, inoculation, weed control and overall management together with the crop nitrogen benefits and crop responses. This project is a large-plot Development and Extension project, part of a much broader effort of many industry participants in developing new pasture systems in crop rotations.

This project is providing a focus on pasture species, inoculation, weed control and overall management together with the crop nitrogen benefits and crop responses. This project is a large-plot Development and Extension project, part of a much broader effort of many industry participants in developing new pasture systems in crop rotations.

This project is providing a focus on pasture species, inoculation, weed control and overall management together with the crop nitrogen benefits and crop responses. This project is a large-plot Development and Extension project, part of a much broader effort of many industry participants in developing new pasture systems in crop rotations.

Yields were low due to low rainfall.

• In a dry season, there was a small grain yield benefit (90kg/ha) for wheat that followed terminated vetch and field peas (1.5-2.4t/ha of biomass), compared with fallow and terminated medic.
• Soil water benefits from fallow and legume termination don’t occur with dry spring finishes.
• Using soil tests to measure nitrogen mineralisation helps you to properly evaluate the benefit of a legume crop or pasture in a rotation.

A drift demonstration was set up at the BCG Main Field Day site. Different nozzles which delivered different droplet sizes, two travel speeds, a boom height above the recommended level and wind speed at 15km/h did not result in significant drift. This is probably due to a relatively high Delta T of 5, a set of conditions that occur when small droplets evaporate before they can cause much damage. The windy conditions also caused turbulence resulting in a lower likelihood that droplets would be deposited on a susceptible plant.

• Nitric and perchloric or nitric, perchloric and sulphuric acid digestion of plant material was compared for routine analysis of plant copper, manganese, zinc and iron.
• International plant standard samples from an international comparison were used.
• Tri acid (nitric, perchloric and sulphuric) digestions are simple, fast and safe and should be used in preference to di-acid digestion.

• E-W sowing direction yielded 0.24 t/ha higher than N-S on 18 cm row spacing in the 2009 season, despite consistent trends in the opposite direction over the last 4 years.
• Burning stubble (2005-08) yielded 0.2 t/ha higher than retained stubble at 3 t/ha, and had higher protein levels, also an opposite trend to previous years.
• Rhizoctonia was similar in all stubble treatments.

• In low rainfall seasons, (2005-08), north-south sowing increased grain yield by an average of 8.4% compared to east-west.
• Narrow row spacing with retained stubble also showed increased grain yield.
• In 2009 (decile 9+ season) there was a 0.24 t/ha yield advantage in wheat with sowing east-west.
• In 2010 (decile 8-9 season) with Kaspa peas, row direction at sowing had no effect on grain yield.
• Ultimately direction of sowing will depend mostly on paddock shape and direction of sand hills.

• Mean grain yield has been 8.4% higher with north-south over east-west sowing over the last four seasons.
• Grain yield has been higher with narrower row spacings when stubble has been retained.

• An east-west (E-W) sowing direction increased yield over north-south (N-S) sowing direction in an average season.
• The results showed a decline in yield due to weed competition, but no effect on weed competition due to row direction. Sowing in an E-W direction may give a yield benefit with no difference in weed seed set.
• The wider row spacing of 30 cm resulted in a yield reduction and greater weed biomass at harvest.
• There were no differences in yield with ribbon seeding with either 18 or 30 cm row spacings, but ribbon seeding reduced ‘weed’ biomass.

• There was no detectable direct effect of sowing direction this season at Minnipa with a mild spring.
• Using a narrow row spacing of 18 cm instead of 30 cm resulted in wheat yield increasing from 3 t/ha to 3.6 t/ha (19% increase).
• Light interception was very sensitive to sowing direction, and not having ‘weeds’ resulted in higher light within the canopy in the north-south direction compared to east-west.
• Knife point and ribbon seeding systems achieved similar crop establishment and crop performance.

• An east-west (E-W) sowing direction increased yield over northsouth (N-S) sowing direction in an average season.
• The results showed a decline in yield due to weed competition, but no effect on weed competition due to row direction. So sowing in an E-W direction may give a yield benefit with no difference in weed seed set.
• The wider row spacing of 30 cm resulted in a yield reduction and greater weed biomass at harvest.
• There were no differences in yield with ribbon seeding with either 18 or 30 cm row spacings, but ribbon seeding reduced ‘weed’ biomass.

• Row spacing and sowing rate had no impact on grain yield in 2015.

Results from this demonstration suggested that in the dry season of 2006, there were yield benefits from wider row cropping. Whilst the results showed no significant differences between the nil nitrogen by row spacing treatments for yield (see Table 1. shaded plots), correct placement of nitrogen during the season for wider row spacings showed a yield advantage.

Whilst the year was dry, there appeared to be a significant yield difference between varieties, no matter what the row spacing or nitrogen treatment. When analysis was undertaken to compare row spacing, nitrogen and variety responses, there still appeared to be significant differences within one variety, suggesting the importance of row width and nitrogen placement.

• Yield loss from disease in PBA Rana was significantly less than other varieties
  compared in this trial.

• Similar to other pulse crops growing conditions in 2011 were excellent for faba beans, due to
  extreme rainfall events during the summer of 2010/11 which resulted in soil profiles at or near field capacity at sowing.

• Under higher disease pressure it is still economically beneficial to actively manage ascochyta blight through regular fungicide application even in moderately resistant varieties.

• Grain yields - The effects of variety, row spacing and edge row effects as single factors were
  found not to be significant (P<0.005). There was also no significant interaction of any of the
  combination of treatments detected. No differences were detected across row spacing’s and
  varieties.

• Decreasing row spacing from 750mm (approx. 30 inch) to 500mm (approx. 20inch) significantly increased grain yield with a 3.21 t/ha yield increase (trials hand harvested).
• There were no significant effects of plant population in the trial when 90,000, 105,000 and 120,000 plants/ha were compared.
• Variable wind damage resulted in hand harvest quadrats being used as the basis of yield this invariably increases overall yields compared to machine harvest.
• There was no interaction between plant population and row spacing evident within the trial.
• At 500mm row spacings there was a significant increase in dry matter production and nitrogen uptake in the canopy compared to the 750mm row spacing when recorded at harvest.
• A Strong linear relationship between dry matter production and nitrogen content was present throughout the growing season observed at V6 (R2=0.867) and at harvest (R2 = 0.824).

• The new line 01A012R-67 had grain yields equivalent or higher than all other varieties compared.

• Yields at the widest row spacing (50cm) were significantly less
• Seed size in desi varieties showed reasonable stability across row spacing
• Seed size in Genesis 090 (kabuli) increased with row spacing

• Grain yield of beans at Curyo in a dry season were up to 1.20 t/ha results in estimated net returns of between $300/ha. New drought tolerant varieties are likely to have substantial yield advantage (20%) over current varieties.

• The wet season finish in 2010 favoured chickpea production, and yields were significantly
  higher than in previous years, averaging 2.7 t/ha in this trial.
• All varieties showed reduced yield at wider row spacings.
• The two potential new releases CICA0603 and CICA0604 showed the largest reduction in
  yield at the wide row spacing, while PBA Slasher showed the least.
• Row spacing had no significant effect on ascochyta blight infection or lodging in this trial in
  2010.

• Cereals and lentils are best suited to sowing with narrow rows (23cm or less).
• Faba beans performed best on wide row spacings (36cm).
• Row spacing appeared to make little difference to other broadleaf crops such as canola and other pulses.

• VB 0021, Gairdner, Quasar and Baudin yielded the highest at this site however quality analysis shows that, of these high yielding varieties, only Gairdner achieved malt quality - VB 0021 and Baudin had a low protein content (<9.0%), while Quasar had low retention (<70%).
• This result for Gairdner is surprising given the number of crops in the district that did not make malt quality due to low retention or low protein.
• Of the three lowest yielding varieties: Sloop Vic, Galaxy and Schooner, only Schooner had quality parameters acceptable for Malt 1 quality.
• There was no yield advantage at this site from the boron tolerance present in Sloop Vic. To gain the greatest potential from Sloop Vic it should be sown in areas with medium rainfall where boron is suspected to be affecting yield.

• Varieties in this trial yielded similarly to other barley crops in the district although there were no significant differences between the varieties.
• Retention across the site was low, with WI 3586 retention exceptionally low especially given that this variety was selected as a replacement for Gairdner with improved grain size.
• Low retention or high protein meant no variety was graded above Malt 2.
• Screenings were highest in Gairdner & WI 3586.
• Test weights for all varieties were acceptable.

• Varieties at this site were low yielding due to low rainfall and hot weather in November, which cut the chickpea growing season short. However there was very little difference in the yield of varieties tested (range 0.2t/ha across the site).
• Quality parameters for chickpea receival were met for all varieties. The high defective seeds result for Kaniva was due to small grain, resulting from the rapid finish to the season.
• Flip 94-508C has improved ascochyta resistance on current desi chickpea lines but prefers higher rainfall than that received at this site. Commercial release is proceeding for this variety but ICCV 96836 has only moderate resistance to ascochyta and will not be released.

• Research to date in Australia suggests optimum rolling time between 3-5 node and crop damage has been recorded from rolling after the 7 node stage. However this trial showed no yield penalty from any time of rolling.
• Lentil rolling is a management practice utilised to create better harvesting conditions and to lower sample contamination. The results from this trial suggests there is flexibility in rolling time and that rolling can be delayed up to the 9 node stage if other management issues are more pressing immediately after sowing. However, this is dependent on the soil and crop health conditions at the time of rolling.
• To avoid crop damage rolling should not occur within 2 weeks of a herbicide application.
• Soils at risk of hard setting or wind erosion should not be rolled PSPE.

• Stripe rust infected all varieties with Yitpi having the least and AGHW 003 the most.
• The application of Folicur markedly reduced the level of stripe rust in all varieties, however there were no differences in yield or screenings between treated and untreated sections of each plot. This indicates that factors other than stripe rust influenced yield.
• Mitre was the highest yielding variety at this site. Despite a lower price per tonne as a result of low protein, Mitre returned the highest price per hectare at the site, under Golden Rewards Pool ESR.

• The La Trobe University team are winners of the Rural Finance barley challenge at the Inverleigh site for the second year is successions with the highest margin of $734/ha.
• Grain marketing played a significant part in the outcome of the competition. The La Trobe tream would have come 4th had they not forward sold some of their crop.
• For further take home messages please see the attached trial report.

• The Wickliffe Hillbillies team are winners of the Rural Finance barley challenge at the Dunkeld site for the second year in succession with the highest margin of $554/ha.
• Grain quality caused all the teams to have deductions off their grain price, with only the Wickliffe Hillbillies making a malt grade. This was the difference between them coming 1st rather than 2nd.
• For further take home messages please see the attached trial report.

• Landmark are the winners of the Rural Finance Crop Challenge for 2013 at the Inverleigh site with the highest gross margin of $1853/ha.
• The A Team and Southern Stars were last placed with negative gross margins due to total crop loss.
   

• The Wickliffe Hillbillies team were the winners of the Rural Finance wheat challenge for teh Mininera site with the highest margin per ha of $948/ha. This was $133/ha more than their closest rival.
• For further results and take home messages please see the attached trial report.

• Contrary to expectations Russian Wheat Aphid pressure in Southern Australian cereal production seems low over the last years (2017, 2018). Dry and hot summer conditions seem to reduce green bridge survival of Russian Wheat Aphids.
• Barley grass and Brome grasses are major hosts (van Helden 2018) supporting RWA survival over summer. Their development will strongly depend on summer rainfall.
• Development of regional economic thresholds are in progress at trial sites throughout South Australia,Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales. Use of international thresholds are still advised until Australian thresholds are developed.
• Observations suggest that crop infestations occur in autumn on early growth stages, then persist over winter and can build up in spring, especially when plants are drought stressed.

• In the 2019 Minnipa field trials, natural infestation of RWA was extremely low. As such, prophylactic seed treatments were not warranted against this aphid for the 2019 season.
• After artificial inoculation, RWA numbers increased to levels above the United States (US) intervention threshold. In this trial up to 15% of tillers with aphids and >30% of tillers with symptoms were measured, but no significant effect on yield was observed. 
• RWA should be managed using currently recommended intervention thresholds. The US threshold of 20% of plants with RWA before tillering, and 10% of tillers with aphids after GS35-40 seems sufficiently conservative to avoid any yield loss. Find further details in the GRDC RWA Tips and Tactics Guide, which can be downloaded online.

Higher rates of Triflur Xcel can only be used in a no‐till system where a knife point and press wheel system operated at a suitable sowing speed ensures that soil throw from seeding rows does not fall into adjacent seeding rows thereby avoiding crop damage.
The high levels of ryegrass control achieved in this trial demonstrate how a concentrated band of trifluralin in the top few cm of soil is highly effective when weed seeds are also in this band. The tank mix partners used in the trial, Bouncer and Avadex Xtra, can provide cost effective control over a range of additional weeds, as well as ensuring control of any possible group D resistant ryegrass plants.

• Sakura performed well against other herbicides.

• Sakura alone or in combination with Avadex Xtra or Dual Gold provided the best pre-emergence ryegrass control (72 to 94%) in 2010.
• New pre-emergent herbicides like Boxer Gold or Sakura provide good control of trifluralin resistant annual ryegrass.
• Post-sowing pre-emergent herbicide applications provide significantly improved ryegrass control in the crop row, and also give longer residual control.
• Sakura significantly reduced the number of ryegrass heads produced.

Picking out the ryegrass from the cereal crops in spring did not prove to be effective.The ryegrass tiller count data was converted into a contoured map and divided into three zones for each paddock. Once again we compared the manually drawn zones and found a relatively good correlation but not good enough to mplement patch ryegrass management with confidence. A dual boom A more detailed analysis of previous yield maps when farmers determine their ryegrass patches would certainly improve the accuracy of their zone drawings. Any farmer wanting to implement patch ryegrass management should also consider btaining imagery at a time of the year when ryegrass is more visible such as prior to sowing or around crop establishment as these maps would more accurately define the weed patches with less crop effect.

• Managing herbicide resistance in ryegrass continues to be crucial in maintaining sustainable crop production on Lower Eyre Peninsula.
• Management strategies other than herbicides need to be deployed to ensure sustainable ryegrass control into the future.
• Windrow burning proved to be an effective method in reducing ryegrass seed numbers in 2015.
• Managing ryegrass on differing soil types will prove a challenge into the future.
• Information generated by this project will provide data to simulate how different management strategies can be used to manage ryegrass in a sustainable, cost effective way.

• BOXER GOLD® (Prosulfocarb + S-metalochlor) is a new chemistry released in 2008 that can be rotated with trifluralin (Group D) .
• Rotation of herbicide groupsis a mustto ensure herbicide resistant weed populations do not emerge.

• SAGIT funded trials over the last 3 years have shown the potential of vetch on Eyre Peninsula, leading to the selection of an early flowering (90-95 days) line with increased winter vigour (SA 34876) as a new variety for low rainfall mixed farming systems.
• The last three seasons have been particularly good at Minnipa for both grain and hay production of vetch.
• Piednippie trials have not been as successful as Minnipa, but have still shown with the right management vetch could produce good hay, fodder or grazing on the grey calcareous soils.
• On Eyre Peninsula early sowing (mid- April) can achieve good yield and hay production but is heavily reliant on either good subsoil moisture or late follow-up rain.
• Herbicide choices for vetch are very dependent on local conditions so talk to your local agronomist about the best options available.

• Grower noted that Sakura mixed well in the tank and was easy to spray.
• Sakura reduced the numbers of barley grass across the site compared to the grower’s treatment. This was also evident down by the Summit trial where Sakura applied pre-emergent adjacent to the trial was giving better control of barley grass than Trifluralin 2 L ha with a post-emergent application of Monza® 25 g/ha.
• Sakura was safe to Calingiri wheat in this commercial trial.
• The yields presented were taken from close to the northern contour bank where there was higher numbers of barley grass in the crop to represent a good efficacy comparison.
• Based on this the Sakura treatment recorded a 110 kg/ha yield increase over the grower’s Trifluralin at 2 L/ha.
• This equals a $20.58 ROI above the grower’s program once herbicide and application costs were removed.

Using an effective knockdown with broad spectrum pre-emergent grass herbicide like Sakura can deliver excellent weed control, yields and return on investment not just in the year of application but in following seasons due to a reduction in the seed bank when combined with a complete integrated weed management program across the farm.

This site received only a single knockdown on the 1st June 2010. There was a thick covering of green material present across the trial site when the treatments were applied especially on the header rows which would have compromised coverage and therefore final weed control.  The trial treatments were applied to moist soil on the 1st June. The trial was sown by the grower the following day after treatments were applied with knife point and press wheels on 9 inch row spacing. After sowing there were some clumps of trash caught up in the points particularly in the header rows across the site.

A site inspection on the 29/6/10 confirmed the effectiveness of the glyphosate application with no large weeds observed across the site.

The relatively new herbicide Sakura is currently registered for use in wheat only; in barley this product caused a yield penalty. Effects may not be seen in early stages of plant growth, as Sakura affects the root system. Deep sowing did not have an interaction with Sakura application.

No damage to lentils was observed, but it should be noted that conditions were not conducive to herbicide damage.  Following label rates will ensure that the risk of damage is minimized.  Using a range of pre-plant and post-plant-pre-emergent herbicides will assist in reducing pressure on in-crop herbicides for grass weed control such as Clethodim (group A).  Rotating herbicide groups and sound manual methods such as wind row burning, chaff carts and fence line spraying will ensure that weed numbers are kept in check and “blow-outs” of weed numbers is minimised.

• The absence of sodium and chloride significantly contributed to salt tolerance and grain yield production in barley varieties examined in this trial.

• Past work has indicated that Old Man Saltbush could have a useful place in mixed farming systems in the NSW wheat belt.
• This is a long term trial designed to have excellent applicability to commercial farms.
• Initial results show a trend towards less liveweight and fat loss during summer in the plus-saltbush sheep.
• Results so far are not statistically analysed. More years of data are required before this can happen.

• The sources of variation which contribute to errors associated with the assessment of soil zinc and copper were established.
• Variation between soil cores greatly exceeded variation between chemical determinations.
• Hence for a given investment of resources, errors can be more effectively reduced by increasing the number of cores per bulk sample than by increasing the analytical replication.

• Deep ripping in most cases improved plant vigour and increased yield although responses were variable between the deep ripping treatments.
• Although potassium had visual responses at most sites it only translated into increased yields at one site.
• Nutrismart appeared to have no impact on barley production.

• SARDI funded and managed a barley nitrogen trial at Conmurra to value add to the MFMG field day.
• A nitrogen response was observed at Conmurra in 2016.
• Bass out-yielded Compass at the two lower N rates.
• Applying 100 kg N/ha to Bass resulted in a similar yield to applying 200 kg N/ha, whilst maintaining maximum grade, MALT 1.
• Compass was highest yielding at 7.0 t/ha and 200 kg N/ha.
• All Compass treatments achieved F1.

• SARDI funded and managed a wheat nitrogen trial at Conmurra to value add to the MFMG field day.
• A nitrogen response was observed at Conmurra in 2016.
• Split applications of 200 kg N/ha and 250 kg N/ha resulted in higher grain yields and grain reaching maximum grade.

• SARDI funded and managed wheat nutrition trials to evaluate different N and P treatments.
• A nitrogen response was observed at Keith.
• No grain yield differences were observed at Frances with different N or P treatments.
• Grain at both sites achieved a higher grade with the highest N application.
• Protein was the limiting factor for grain achieving maximum grade.

• In 2015 treatments with increased rates of N did not result in an increased yield in Trojan wheat or Compass and Bass barley.
• Increased N treatments tended to have increased wheat and barley protein levels.
• Seasonal conditions impacted on trial results; they should be interpreted with caution and used in conjunction with additional soil nutrition information.
• Soil testing and responding to the results is an important component in maximizing yield and profitability of farming enterprises.

• In 2015 Trojan wheat yields were greater with the highest P rate treatment.
• Bass and Compass barley achieved their highest yields with 30 units of P (kg/ha) applied at sowing.
• Seasonal conditions impacted on trial results; they should be interpreted with caution and used in conjunction with additional soil nutrition information.
• Soil testing and responding to the results is an important component in maximizing yield and profitability of farming enterprises.

Research and development for satellite products in the broadacre cropping industry has been underway for the past 18 months, with Agrecon already having invested over $150,000 in this endeavour. The main focus has been on broadacre winter grains and oilseeds and more recently on sorghum in summer. One of the steps in the planned R&D program was that of collaboration with region specific grower groups. The purpose of this collaboration is to advance Agrecon’s R&D by gaining access to collateral ground data, field observations, crop input and other agronomic information that only individual growers can provide. The Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) with its reputation for openness to innovation and willingness to trial new technology is an ideal collaborator with whom to form a working relationship.

• The application of Pastures from Space technologies allowed wethers to be carried at a stocking rate 50% above the district average.
• There were no significant differences in animal health or parasite burden between the two groups.
• The per head wool production was reduced by approximately 5% in the PFS mob; however, the per hectare performance was 42% above the Control mob for CFW and 44% above the Control mob for wool income per hectare. This outstanding result demonstrates the ability of merino sheep to grow wool at close to maximum rates on 800 – 1000 kgs DM per hectare of good quality feed
• Forward feed budgeting using the Feed Budget program was able to predict when it would be necessary to initiate supplementary feeding in the PFS wethers and when it would be necessary to remove sheep from the paddock altogether. This allowed forward planning to maintain adequate ground cover and hence preserve topsoil in the more heavily grazed paddock
• The net benefit in the PFS wether group was $73.83 per hectare after allowing for the higher direct costs per hectare associated with the higher stocking rate and the extra supplementary feed required in the PFS wethers. Due to the extraordinarily high prices for supplementary feed in early 2008, the extra supplementary feed cost
• $63.11 per hectare. This obviously had a large influence on the magnitude of the net benefit, with a benefit of $97.00 per hectare being achieved using long-term average supplementary feed prices

• Nitrogen applied to crops that have hayed off can contribute to crop biomass and yield in the subsequent season.
• When haying off is severe, a nitrogen (N) balance based on paddock history may be inaccurate.
• Conservative N management delivered the best economic returns over the two years of the trial.

• Monitor all varieties regularly for scald, regardless of disease ratings.
• A new virulent strain infected Hindmarsh crops in 2010.
• Later sown crops are less likely to be infected.

• The critical pHCa threshold is in the range of 5.2 to 5.4, below which faba bean growth is reduced.

• Variability for tolerance to low pH is present within the species with cultivar (cv) PBA ZahraA more tolerant at low pH than cultivars (cvv) PBA SamiraA, FarahA or PBA NasmaA.

• The sensitivity of uninoculated faba bean plants to low pH suggests it may not be sufficient to overcome the poor performance of faba bean on acid soils simply by developing more acid-tolerant rhizobium. Further research is warranted to address this question.

• Genotypic variability observed in response to wheat grain yield in alkaline sodic subsoil.
• MaceA, CorackA, ScepterA and Emu RockA were the top performing cultivars over three consecutive years.
• Higher grain yield was attributed to greater subsoil water extraction and capacity to maintain higher harvest index under drought conditions.

• During 2014 stubble treatments imposed late in fallow generally had no impact on N response. • During 2014 generally farmers in the absence of frost or unusual rainfall events during the season were able to reliably predict final yield before sowing. Where a site was N responsive, an N fertilizer rate of 20kg actual nitrogen/ha/per tonne of expected yield produced the most profitable result. • During 2014 split N applications only improved yield and protein at Nyngan which experienced a well above average growing season rainfall. • During 2014 split N applications would have possibly reduced risk at two sites, Lake Cargelligo and Ungarie where a decision not to apply the final 1/3 topdressing may have been made due to soil moisture and rainfall outlook. • The benchmark of 20kg/ha of actual N per tonne of expected grain yield assumes unrealistic N recover rates from soil and fertilizer but never the less it continues to be a widely used “number” during the commercial decision making process to topdress crops.

• During 2014 stubble treatments imposed late in fallow generally had no impact on N response. • During 2014 generally farmers in the absence of frost or unusual rainfall events during the season were able to reliably predict final yield before sowing. Where a site was N responsive, an N fertilizer rate of 20kg actual nitrogen/ha/per tonne of expected yield produced the most profitable result. • During 2014 split N applications only improved yield and protein at Nyngan which experienced a well above average growing season rainfall. • During 2014 split N applications would have possibly reduced risk at two sites, Lake Cargelligo and Ungarie where a decision not to apply the final 1/3 topdressing may have been made due to soil moisture and rainfall outlook. • The benchmark of 20kg/ha of actual N per tonne of expected grain yield assumes unrealistic N recover rates from soil and fertilizer but never the less it continues to be a widely used “number” during the commercial decision making process to topdress crops.

• The seasonal conditions experienced during these trials had a profound impact on the trial results.
• During 2015 stubble treatments imposed late in fallow had no impact on N response.
• Similar to 2014, during 2015 generally farmers were unable to predict final yield before sowing when the season experienced extreme weather conditions.
• During 2015 split N applications did not improve yields and had only a very minor impact on grain quality.
• During 2015 split N applications was not a way to reduce financial risk as opposed to all N fertiliser upfront since crop outlook at Z30 was positive.

Stubble treatments involving late burning or cultivation resulted in significantly different yields in wheat and barley in 4 to 6 trials conducted at Nyngan, Ungaire, Tullamore, Gunning Gap, Alectown and Lake Cargelligo during 2014. The yield effects were not consistent and these trials could not be used to predict response pre sowing. The effects of stubble treatments observed during 2014 were similar to the effects observed during similar trials in 2013. Variety rankings were not significantly affected by stubble treatments. The best option in terms of yield was to simply grow the variety with the highest potential for the sowing window.

Stubble treatments involving late burning or cultivation resulted in significantly different yields in wheat and barley in 4 to 6 trials conducted at Nyngan, Ungaire, Tullamore, Gunning Gap, Alectown and Lake Cargelligo during 2014. The yield effects were not consistent and these trials could not be used to predict response pre sowing. The effects of stubble treatments observed during 2014 were similar to the effects observed during similar trials in 2013. Variety rankings were not significantly affected by stubble treatments. The best option in terms of yield was to simply grow the variety with the highest potential for the sowing window.