Testing pre-emergence herbicide options for brome grass on Mallee sand

2015

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Bill Davoren (CSIRO)
Gurjeet Gill (CSIRO)
Sam Kleemann (UoA)
Rick Llewellyn (UoA)
Therese McBeath (CSIRO)
Christopher Preston (UoA)
Year(s) 2015
Contributor Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc.
Trial location(s) Karoonda, SA
Testing pre-emergence herbicide options for brome grass on Mallee sand locations
Aims

To test pre-emergence herbicide options for brome grass on Mallee sand.

Key messages
  • The later seeding had very poor crop establishment, resulting in significantly higher brome seed production (115% more panicles) than early seeding, but seeding time did not interact with herbicide treatment effects.
  • Only the treatments including Sakura resulted in significantly (P<0.01) better brome control than trifluralin alone (measured by number of panicles/m2).
  • Sakura alone resulted in 55% less brome panicles than trifluralin alone, and Sakura + Avadex resulted in 72% less brome panicles than trifluralin alone.
  • Sakura’s extended residual soil activity, which can restrict root growth of brome, combined with the dry spring, was probably responsible for the reduced seed set.
  • Substantially better brome control and seedset reduction is possible by using pre-emergence options other than trifluralin. The additional herbicide cost needs to be evaluated against the better level of control, including the longer-term seedbank benefits.
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC MSF00003
Related program Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble
Acknowledgments

This work was funded under the GRDC Stubble Initiative in partnership with MSF. Thanks to site hosts Peter and Hannah Loller, and Willie Shoobridge and Damian Mowat for additional technical support


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Herbicide: Application Method
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Karoonda 2015

Sow rate or Target density April: 49 crop plants/m2 May: 21 crop plants/m2
Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Herbicide

The trial used Kord wheat and compared: 1. Trifluralin (control) at standard local rate (1.5 L/ha); 2. Trifluralin + Metribuzin (1.5 L/ha + 150 g/ha); 3. Trifluralin + Metribuzin + post emergence Avadex Xtra (1.5 L/ha + 150 g/ha + 2.0 L/ha); 4. Trifluralin + Avadex Xtra (1.5 L/ha + 2.0 L/ha); 5. Sakura (118 g/ha); 6. Sakura + Avadex Xtra (118 g/ha + 3.2 L/ha); 7. Sakura + Metribuzin (118 g/ha + 150 g/ha). The herbicides were tested under marginal soil moisture conditions at seeding that resulted in poor crop emergence (30 April seeding: 49 crop plants/m2; 20 May seeding: 21 crop plants/m2) that led to patchy competition from the crop.

Other trial notes

Brome grass is the most costly weed to grain production in the Mallee region despite herbicide resistance being relatively low. For growers looking to reduce reliance on Group B herbicides, pre-emergence herbicides can be an important part of brome management strategies but trifluralin has limited efficacy. Previous pre-emergence herbicide trials at the MSF Karoonda site have shown the potential for greater than 75% brome control, but also the potential for variability under different early-season conditions.

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Karoonda, SA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Karoonda, SA Calcarosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Karoonda SA
2015 261.2mm
2014 252.1mm
2013 237.4mm
2012 295.6mm
2011 357.6mm
2010 309.7mm
2009 240.5mm
2008 226.5mm
2007 265.4mm
2006 275.1mm
2005 288.1mm
2004 252.3mm
2003 265.0mm
2002 222.9mm
2001 240.8mm
2000 304.2mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Karoonda SA

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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2015 trial report



Trial last modified: 25-06-2019 10:59am AEST