Barry Mudge (Barry Mudge Consulting for (Upper North Farming Systems)
Year(s)
2016
Contributor
Hart Field Site Group
Trial location(s)
Appila, SA
Aims
To explore the effectiveness of cultural methods of grass suppression which do not involve the use of herbicides.
To find practices which both maximise crop yield in the presence of background grass populations and also suppress weed seed carry-over.
Key messages
The 2016 trial results looking at cultural control techniques for barley grass largely confirmed the 2015 findings.
Increasing barley seeding rate in the presence of barley grass can provide substantial benefits to both yield and reduced weed seed carry-over. This applies particularly to competitive varieties such as Fathom, but also to less competitive varieties such as Hindmarsh.
In contrast, doubling the seeding rate of wheat had no beneficial effect on yield or weed carry-over.
Doubling the district practice seeding rate in barley substantially reduced the competitive effect of barley grass to the stage where crop yields were similar to those plots where herbicide was applied.
Lead research organisation
Upper North Farming Systems
Host research organisation
N/A
Trial funding source
GRDC CWF00020
Related program
N/A
Acknowledgments
The Ritchie family from Appila for their enthusiasm in providing a suitable site and regular weather updates. Nigel Wilhelm and Peter Telfer (SARDI) for assisting with trial design and trial seeding and harvest. Rochelle Wheaton, Hart Field Site for trial assessments. Amanda Cook (SARDI) for statistical analysis. GRDC for funding the trial under Project No CWF00020 ‘Overdependence on Agrochemicals’.
While all due care has been taken in compiling the information within this manual the Hart Field-Site Group Inc or researchers involved take no liability resulting from the interpretation or use of these results. We do not endorse or recommend the products of any manufacturers referred to. Other products may perform as well or better than those specifically referred to. Any research with un-registered products and rates in the manual does not constitute a recommendation for that particular use by the researchers or the Hart Field-Site Group Inc.
Trial source data and summary not available Check the trial
report PDF for trial results.
Climate
Appila SA 2016
Observed climate information
Rainfall avg ann (mm)
386mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm)
232mm
Rainfall trial total (mm)
605mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm)
375mm
Derived climate information
Appila SA
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.
