• Growers should utilise the tools, knowledge and rule of thumb guidelines for growing irrigated canola, accessible on the GRDC website.
•  The correct variety should be sown at the correct time for maximum yield potential.
• Be prepared to sow early in a suitable paddock, knowing that seasonal conditions can dictate the success of dual purpose crops.
•  Recovery and winter growth of canola is slower than cereals.
•  Don’t graze too early (wait until the 6–8 leaf stage) and lock up before bud elongation is >10 cm.

• Growers should utilise the tools, knowledge and rule of thumb guidleines accessible on GRDc website. 
• The correct variety should be sown at the correct time for maximum yield potential.
• Be prepared to sow early in a suitable paddock, knowing that seasonal conditions can dictate the success of dual purpose crops.
• Don't graze too early and remove stock before stem elongation. 

• Results indicate that herbicide management practices may need to be slightly modified in many instances for new ascochyta blight resistant chickpeas to maximise the yield benefits of these new cultivars.
• For field peas and lentils, each of the new cultivars tested performed similar to or better than current cultivars in terms of their herbicide tolerance and/or yield.

Trials were sown at Birchip to assess the relative tolerance of new field pea and chickpea cultivars to a range of commonly used herbicide treatments. Results indicate that the new varieties of field pea and chickpea perform similarly to commonly grown cultivars.

• Results indicate that management practices will need to be slightly modified in many instances to maximise the yield benefits of these new cultivars.
• For example, the new pea variety Kaspa should generally be sown slightly earlier and at higher density than the traditional cultivars Parafield and Dundale.

Birchip: The site was located in a paddock with moderate subsoil limitations (40 to 70cm layer had chloride reading of 1800ppm, and an EC of 0.6dS/m). The site had a previous legume history and was high in soil available N (prior to sowing the soil contained 230 kg available N/ha to 1m depth).

Kooloonong: The site was located on a Mallee land system, on a flat to sloping rise with a sandy loam soil to a depth of 40cm and at greater depth a sandy clay loam to at least 130cm. The soil has no subsoil limitations but because it is light and sandy, leaching of nutrients can be a problem. 2010 had a growing season rainfall of 329mm (decile 10).

The application of Real didn't appear to have a big effect on the occurrence of leaf rust on flag leaves.

• Yield of all varieties were largely unaffected across the range of plant density (12 to 80
  plants/sqm) during the highly favourable season of 2010.
• As densities increased, seed size increased.
• Varieties differed significantly in grain yield and seed size. Sturt was the highest yielder,
  followed by OZP0901 and OZP0703.

The trial showed that the various grain qualities did not vary greatly in relation to each seeding rate, although these variations small but they can be significant when applied to oat receival standards, with the grain quality differences having the potential to change the grade from Oat1 to Oat2, an average difference of $40/tonne.

Due to the oat crop severely lodging, harvest results were unable to give any determined yield for each seeding rate.

• Further analysis using yield monitor data will allow for a comparison of fertiliser rates on the different productivity zones in the paddock which should enable us to determine the benefit from applying lower fertiliser rates to the poorer productivity areas.
• Overall the lower, more conservative, upfront fertiliser applications were the best strategy and there is still an opportunity to add more nitrogen later, depending on the season.

• Vegetable beetle and slater activity is correlated to high relative humidity, mild temperatures and time of day, and that these conditions overlap with other crop emergence pests such as conical snails.
• Vegetable beetles and slater movement was not correlated with soil moisture content, unlike conical snails.
• There may be a wider window of opportunity to apply chemical controls to target these pests pre-sowing especially in dry sowing situations. Whereas when baiting for snails, efficacy is improved when baits are applied immediately following rain when the soil surface is moist and there is high relative humidity overnight.

• All treatments were safe to Mace wheat in this trial with minor crop flecking recorded from all Group F treatments with symptoms diminishing within a fortnight.
• None of the yields in this trial were significantly different from the untreated however all treatments applied at Spray B recorded significantly (P≥5%) lower contamination from wild radish pods in the sample than the untreated. Pod separation was not conducted on treatments that had either Velocity or Jaguar at spray A All treatments with a Spray A were assumed to be AUH2 for ROI analysis due to the high levels of weed control.
• Velocity 800 mL/ha (4.16 t/ha) applied at application A only recorded a higher yield than Velocity 1 L/ha when applied at application B only (4.11 t/ha), demonstrating the advantages of early weed control in competing with the crop for nutrition.
• For further details please see attached trial report.

 

• Velocity and Precept selective herbicides are based on a new active pyrasulfotole.
• This is a new mode of action on broadleaf weeds in cereals in Australia (Group H).
• Velocity and Precept showed excellent crop safety.
• Broad spectrum and reliable broadleaf weed control.

See attached report for results and discussion.

• At Warmur and Kalkee, Bannister was the highest yielding milling oat and Brusher the highest yielding hay oat variety in 2016 – an excellent season.
• Application of fungicides to oats did not create hay or yield benefits in the Wimmera in 2016.
• Choice of oat variety and management should be made according to the intended end-use traits – versatility if conditions change, disease resistance, ability to control problem weeds and likelihood of making premium markets.

• At Warmur and Kalkee, Bannister was the highest yielding milling oat and Brusher the highest yielding hay oat variety in 2016 – an excellent season.
• Application of fungicides to oats did not create hay or yield benefits in the Wimmera in 2016.
• Choice of oat variety and management should be made according to the intended end-use traits – versatility if conditions change, disease resistance, ability to control problem weeds and likelihood of making premium markets.

• Early sowing is the key to maximising canola yield in the northern region;
• Delaying sowing by 15 days after March 31 led to 195kg/ha less yield – a loss of 13kg/ha/day.
• When sowing in March at Wongan Hills the mid and mid/late maturity varieties performed best.
• When sowing in mid-April early and early/mid maturity varieties performed best.

• Annual disc fallow provided no benefit this season and chemical fallow would be less profitable than whea ton wheat with 600mm row spacing.
• Wilder rows produced a less 'bulky' crop with less biomass/grain weight.

• Faba beans produced more dry matter than vetch (7.64 v 6.32 t/ha), however nutrition treatment did not influence peak biomass levels.
• Highest grain yield for faba beans (PBA NasmaA) was just over 3.5 t/ha compared with 1.2 t/ha for vetch (Popany).
• Faba bean yield increased by 0.85 t/ha when inoculated with rhizobia compared to no inoculation, where no extra nutrition was supplied.
• The addition of nitrogen reduced nodulation but did not affect yield.
• The addition of experimental FAR PGR21-1 to vetch increased crop height, while PGR21-2 had a shortening effect on faba beans.
• Inoculation was more important than crop nutrition, suggesting inoculated crops were capable of supplying sufficient nitrogen for growth at this site.

• Vetch grain and dry matter yields were very good at Minnipa in 2015, the grain trial mean was 1.4 t/ha with the top lines achieving 2.1 t/ha, mean dry matter yields were 4.1 t/ha with the top line achieving 4.3 t/ha.
• The Piednippie SAGIT trial was poor, suffering from moisture stress post emergence which stunted growth and limited the potential once the crop received rain in mid-June, the site mean was only 1.1 t/ha of dry matter.
• Early sowing (mid-April) can achieve good results but is heavily reliant on either good subsoil moisture or follow-up rain.
• The new varieties, Volga and Timok continue to out yield all existing varieties in both grain and hay production on the EP.
• Herbicide choices for vetch are very dependent on local conditions so talk to your local agronomist about the best options for your conditions.

• Vetch is a versatile crop that can be used for grain, pasture, hay/silage or green manure.
• Common vetches can be successfully grown in lower to mid rainfall areas of southern Australia where no other legume crops perform consistently well.
• It offers disease and weed breaks in rotation and also returns significant amounts of nitrogen to the soil.
• New vetch species are showing potential in very low rainfall areas, with trials to be conducted on Eyre Peninsula in 2012.

Vetch has provided many farmers in our district with the opportunity to incorporate and instant grain legume or pasture crop in their cropping rotation.

Vetch can decrease cereal diseases and pests for subsequent cereal crops.

When vetch is establised in March and is terminated 'early' (three to four months later, in June, July), soil water will be conserved for the subsequent wheat crop; the risk of haying off due to high nitrogen will be lower than if the vetch were terminated 'later' (August, September),

Vetch biomass production of approximately 2t/ha is unlikely to cause a subsequent wheat crop to hay off given dry seasonal conditions. 

Residual nitrogen from vetch brown manure can carry over for two years and influence cereal crop growth, but the conservation of soil water is more critical in seasons of Decile 2 or lower. 

When vetch is establised in March and is terminated 'early' (three to four months later, in June, July), soil water will be conserved for the subsequent wheat crop; the risk of haying off due to high nitrogen will be lower than if the vetch were terminated 'later' (August, September),

Vetch biomass production of approximately 2t/ha is unlikely to cause a subsequent wheat crop to hay off given dry seasonal conditions. 

Residual nitrogen from vetch brown manure can carry over for two years and influence cereal crop growth, but the conservation of soil water is more critical in seasons of Decile 2 or lower. 

When vetch is establised in March and is terminated 'early' (three to four months later, in June, July), soil water will be conserved for the subsequent wheat crop; the risk of haying off due to high nitrogen will be lower than if the vetch were terminated 'later' (August, September),

Vetch biomass production of approximately 2t/ha is unlikely to cause a subsequent wheat crop to hay off given dry seasonal conditions. 

Residual nitrogen from vetch brown manure can carry over for two years and influence cereal crop growth, but the conservation of soil water is more critical in seasons of Decile 2 or lower. 

Nitrogen (N) fixation by vetch was closely related to dry matter (DM) production (26kg N fixed per tonne DM accumulated). The later the termination, the higher the calculated inputs of fixed N. Both soil water reserves and mineral N were highest at the end of the 2012 growing season following the earliest (June and July) termination timings. To establish the best time to terminate a vetch crop, weigh up the benefits being delivered by vetch (biomass accumulation and N fixation), the need to conserve moisture and time required for N to mineralise for the next crop.

Early termination of vetch resulted in higher soil N and soil water at sowing the following year compared with later termination timings of vetch. Wheat yield in the year following vetch was highest for the earlier termination timings of the vetch. Brown manure vetch had higher soil N and soil water compared to vetch taken through to harvest.

Both dry matter production and grain yield results from this site were within expectations.

All sites in this trial suffered from severe moisture stress and the effects of rust.

Blanchefluer was the best yeilding commercially released variety.

Environmental conditions were not conducive for disease development. Good biomass yields were achieved due to favorable rainfall and likely to provide good profits. Varieties did not differ in biomass production but sowing earlier resulted in greater biomass. Timok produced more grains when sown early but Morava preferred late sowing. Although differences in grain yield due to fungicide were observed these are unlikely due to disease.

Environmental conditions were not conducive for disease development. The variety Timok produced more biomass and grain yield than Popany and thus appeared to be better suited to the Pyramid Hill climate during the 2019 season. Biomass yields were good and likely to provide higher profits than grain yields given the seasonal conditions. There was a good start and a drier finish to the season, which resulted in decreased grain yields than the projected outlook.

All varieties produced greater biomass and grain yields when sown early. Disease control strategies did not have significant effects on growth and yield because the site had low disease prevalence. PBA Butler produced greatest biomass at flowering (4.36 t/ha) and grain yield (2.16 t/ha) across both times of sowing. Vetch varieties were similar in biomass yield but Timok performed well when sowing was delayed, indicating a higher tolerance to delayed sowing.

Inoculant and MAP fertiliser improved biomass yield and plant height of vetch during early vegetative stage at Kimba, Coomandook and Mundulla. This highlights the importance of adequate fertiliser and inoculant for early plant growth.

A negative grain yield and harvest index response to inoculant and MAP fertiliser was observed at Kimba under drought conditions.

There were no production responses in vetch to sulphur application.261 Very few positive responses or more often negative responses were observed in response to gibberellic acid. Further work needs to be done in this area to determine the best use for gibberellic acid in pulse production.

Narrow disc seeding system resulted 72% and 87% more biomass than wide row knifepoint and paired row systems across all varieties. Timok yielded 1.5 t/ha of biomass when averaged across all harvesting dates, which was 13% and 25% higher than Studenica and Morava.

Establishment and plant growth: The different seeding systems had a large effect on plant establishment with greater number of plants emerging in the disc sown treatments. As the trial was dry sown, the discs were not able to penetrate as deep as the tine-based systems (Root Boot and PSS) and therefore it is possible that the shallower sowing has resulted in an establishment advantage. However, the seed bed was noticeably more cloddy following seeding with the tine-based systems, which may also have had a negative effect on the establishment, as seed-soil contact was likely to be poorer.

Biomass: The disc seeding system resulted in 99 – 166% more biomass than the tine systems at each harvest date. By the final September harvest data, the narrow row disc system with the highest SBU resulted in over 1 t/ha (117 – 166%) more biomass than the other seeding systems.

Field pea and vetch hay was most economical due to strong hay prices this year. Field peas were the best performing grain crop (Table 1). Early sowing maximised biomass (hay) and grain yield.

Field pea and vetch hay was most economical due to strong hay prices this year. Field peas were the best performing grain crop (Table 1). Early sowing maximised biomass (hay) and grain yield. Table 1. Potential gross margins from the highest yielding varieties and treatments selected from these trials.

• Returns from the production of ascochyta blight susceptible desi chickpeas in Victoria become more attractive when fungicides are applied less often. But risk of crop failure greatly increases with this practice.
• Howzat is less susceptible to ascochyta blight than current varieties and may allow good returns from a desi crop when disease pressure is low or when a limited number of fungicide applications are used.
• In the southern Wimmera ascochyta blight susceptible kabulis are still profitable, even with intensive fungicide regimes.
• Varieties with effective resistance to this disease will reduce the risk of crop loss and the costs of fungicides will be available within five years.

Outback (AGA99-04) is an early-mid variety bred by Ag-Seed Research. It is new in 2001 and will be marketed by Dovuro. It is being tested in Victoria for the first time this year. There is limited information available on this line. Hyola 60 (PACN168) is a new mid maturity hybrid line to be released by Pacific Seeds in 2001. It is being tested in Victoria for the first time. It has good early vigour, but there is limited information available. Try new varieties in conjunction with proven varieties on smaller areas. Check yield, quality results and economics of new varieties before deciding on which variety to grow. A new National Blackleg scoring system will be available soon.

• Post emergent N applied to wheat did not give an economic return in this trial.
• Consider trialling premium wheat seed treatments.
• Seed treatment Veteran Plus (180 g/L imidacloprid + 6.25 g/L flutriafol) gave the best net return on investment ($32/ha) compared to the untreated control.
• Baytan T ($27/ha) and Dividend + Emerge ($24/ha) seed treatments also gave respectable net returns.

• Most drainage treatments did not cause a yield penalty in 2007 when waterlogging was not a constraint to cropping.
• The gravel slot treatment had the lowest yield in 2007, drained the most water, and was the most expensive to install.
• We now have a site established to evaluate a range of drainage treatments for their effect on crop yield and the amount and quality of water draining from the paddock.

• In a year where waterlogging caused yield penalties all treatments resulted in a yield increase compared to the control.
• The raised beds increased yield by almost 200% followed by gravel moles, gravel slots and conventional moles.
• On flat waterlogged land, raised beds provided the best yield result but they did have some management issues.
• Gravel slots and gravel moles also worked extremely well but the slots were too expensive to install to consider for broadacre use. No commercial scale gravel mole is available at present.
• Conventional moles are prone to collapse with Kangaroo Island’s sodic clays.

• In a year where waterlogging caused severe yield penalties, all treatments resulted in a yield increase compared to the control.
• On flat waterlogged land, raised beds provided the best yield result but they do have some
• management issues .
• The delved treatment drained a considerable amount of water, yielded equal to the other treatments (but less than the raised beds) and was more cost effective to install with fewer management issues.
• Gravel slots and gravel moles also worked extremely well but the slots were too expensive to install to consider for broadacre use. No commercial scale gravel mole is available at present.
• Conventional moles are prone to collapse with Kangaroo Island’s sodic clays.

The objective of this GRDC / SPAA funded project is to increase the level of adoption of PA 'beyond guidance' by broadacre farmers. The project specifically aims to increase the level of adoption of variable rate (VR) by growers in the project to 30% by 2013.This goal will be achieved by demonstrating how to use PA tools to growers at a regional level and by increasing the skills of growers and industry in PA to a level where they can then use PA tools in their farming systems to achieve economic, environmental and social benefits.

• The performance of WALAN2141 for croptopping could not be properly evaulated due to its poor establishment.
• There was no difference in the response to croptopping between any varieties.

• Several varieties including Mitre, Yitpi, and Annuello yielded well at this site.
• Of the highest yielding varieties Yitpi received the best price per tonne and return per hectare, under AWB’s Golden Rewards, due to higher protein than the other high yielding varieties.
• H45 was one of the lowest yielding varieties at this site and was also the most affected by stripe rust. However screenings were below 5% in all varieties indicating that stripe rust had a greater impact on yield than grain size.
• Wyalkatchem and AGHW 001 also yielded lower than the other varieties despite much lower stripe rust infection – in fact AGHW 001 remained free of disease all season indicating that moisture may have been a greater yield limiting factor at this site.

Sowing early gave best crop competition with brome grass. Select a variety with high early vigour to suppress brome grass seed set. Select a variety with a short growing season when crop-topping brome.

• Sowing at 5 km/hr gave significantly higher seedling establishment densities than sowing at 10 km/hr and 15 km/h.
• It was most noticeable that the 15 km/h plots had the most soil disturbance.

The ‘water saving’ water crystals product did not significantly increase wheat yields and had no effect on grain quality.

Water quality can vary greatly between water sources. Poor quality water can affect pesticide performance. Understand the quality of water you are using and manage accordingly to maximise your pesticide performance.

The water use efficiency concept as developed by Reg Smith and and Jeff Schultz in SA provides us with a technique for assessing the performance of a crop in terms of the quality of the grain produced per millimitre of rainfall which falls over the growing season.

• A mixture of Moddus and Cycocel at GS 24 will reduce wheat plant height more reliably compared to the other treatments applied on their own.
• Plants sown into situations of higher fertility will produce taller plants that may respond better to the use of PGRs to control plant height and biomass which may improve WUE.
• For season long plant growth regulation a follow up PGR may well be required later in the season to stop plant 'bounce back'.

• The farming systems containing a perennial pasture phase contained 140-180 mm less soil water in the top 300 cm than the continuous cropping system.
• Soil under the two lucerne-wheat cropping rotations and the perennial pasture system were considerably drier below 90 cm, presumably due to water extraction by lucerne in previous years.
• At sowing, June 2004 and June 2005, the continuous cropping system contained 60 and 30 mm respectively more plant available water in the top 1 m than the lucerne-wheat cropping rotations. This resulted in 50% and 35% higher yields in 2004 and 2005 repectively.
• Rooting depth in 2004-5 appeared limited to the top 70-90 cm for wheat, 50-70 cm for peas and 210 cm for perennial pasture.
• Modelling indicates potential drainage of 19 mm annually under annual crops, thus a 2-3 year lucerne phase is capable of providing 7-9 years of buffering at average rainfall

• No significant yield difference between treatments in WL trial in first year.
• Redox potential affects availability of nutrients and was dependent on soil moisture.
• Redox potential higher for the lime treatment which should mean better conditions for plant growth.
• Commercial varieties used showed little variation in waterlogging tolerance.

• Site received only ‘mild’ waterlogging.
• Slow release N not given a fair trial.
• Higher N rates increase grain protein.
• No statistically significant effect of N on yield in 2012.

• Site received only ‘mild’ waterlogging.
• No statistically significant effect of Zn, Mn and Cu oxides on yield in 2012.
• Plants were not deficient at this site.

• Due to extreme waterlogging at the trial site, comparison between crop growth on drained and waterlogged conditions was unable to occur.
• The trial does indicate that some varieties out-yielded the district standard Wyalkatchem.
• Some varieties warrant further investigation in a replicated trial in 2012 season.

Engineering solutions:

• On flat waterlogged land, raised beds provided the best yield result but they do have some management issues.
• Gravel slots and moles also worked well but the slots are expensive for broad acre use.
• Conventional moles are prone to collapse with Kangaroo Island’s sodic clays.
• The nature of many of our clays (sodic and poor draining) results in poor water movement from the soil into a slotted agricultural pipe.

Agronomic solutions:

• The adverse effects of waterlogging are primarily due to anoxic conditions in the soil, rather than element toxicities or deficiencies, except perhaps for aluminium.
• Liming acidic soils will reduce al toxicity.
• In waterlogged soils the application of poultry manure doesn’t appear to improve yields. But the application of lime may increase yield.
• Waterlogging may cause nitrogen (N) deficiency but high rates of N will not turn a waterlogged crop into a good crop.
• There may be some potential for varietal difference to waterlogging in wheat.
• Broad beans: improve nodulation through a combination of liming and application of molybdenum. Liming will also reduce inherent nutritional problems of low soil pH. Early tissue testing and nutrient correction with foliar applications help overcome some soil ph deficiencies

With the aid of a 'web browser' such as Netscape, a number of weather charts and diagrams can be viewed. Of use to you will be daily rain and river height bulletins, climate data for most provincial towns in Australia, weekly rainfall analysis, the seasonal outlook and drought statement.

The efficacy of Select and Aramo in controlling ryegrass when sprayed under different weather conditions was investigated. It appears that neither bright sunshine nor overcast conditions affected the efficacy of these two products.

Wedgetail provided good grazing for yearling steers. The grazing effect on grain yield was not detmined, however the grazed crop recovered to yield 4t/ha.

DBA Aurora and Mace showed similar ability to compete with weeds in 2014. Using higher seeding rates improved weed control. Increased crop seeding rate resulted in reduced crop screenings in 2014

DBA Aurora and Mace showed similar ability to compete with weeds in 2014. Using higher seeding rates improved weed control. Increased crop seeding rate resulted in reduced crop screenings in 2014

• Site background weed levels increased total weed competition levels to very high numbers
  masking differences between genotypes for grain yield. However genotype differences still
  occurred for competition score and final ryegrass tiller numbers in the low ryegrass
  treatment.
• Limited findings suggests there is variation in the current chickpea genotype for competition
  with ryegrass, particularly in reducing tiller numbers. Tall types (CICA512) and types with
  wide branching angles (Sonali) were generally more competitive than short and narrow
  branching angle types.
• The concept trial had limited success in 2007 due to trial methodology and site selection
  issues. Further refinements to trial methodology are required for 2008. These are:
  o Lower rye grass numbers (40 and 100 plants per sq.m) are required than those used
  in 2007 (adapted from work undertaken in wheat).
  o A site with very low background weed numbers is essential due to limited herbicide
  options available.
  o The ability of the chickpea variety to reduce ryegrass tiller numbers is likely to be a
  greater assessment of the competitive rating of the variety than its grain yield.
• A number of lines with a greater variation in vigour, plant height and plant shape (degree of
  angle of branches) than those evaluated in 2007 have been selected from advanced breeding trials in 2007 for assessment in 2008.

• Although chickpea yields were higher than previous years, the rapid finish to the season
  favoured earlier flowering and maturing varieties such as GenesisTM079 and Sonali.
• Ryegrass competition at 31 and 86 plants/m2 reduced chickpea grain yield by 31% and 56%, respectively. Similarly, at Turretfield ryegrass at 41 plants/m2 corresponded to 33% yield loss, and 62% at 123 plants/m2.
• Similarities between moisture stresses caused by lack of finishing rainfall in 2009 and from
  competition with ryegrass meant that the same varieties yielded well with or without  ryegrass competition eg GenesisTM079.
• Breeder’s line “Chickpea 4” recorded the lowest yield loss from ryegrass competition at both
  sites (9% at the low ryegrass density at Hart), and also displayed 35% better tiller suppression than other varieties at Hart.
• Early vigour appeared an important trait in chickpea for improved competivness with ryegrass, plant height was a disadvantage, but further work is required on a larger set of
  phenotypes and in a more favourable growing season.
• Some ambiguous results in 2009 (eg PBA Slasher and Chickpea 2) may be due to the
  unfavourable seasonal conditions for chickpea production which prevailed in SA last year.
  However they do indicate the need for more work in a more favourable growing season, and
  potentially on a larger set of phenotypes.

• Ryegrass and broadleaf weeds such as toadrush and capeweed are the main weeds to control in oat crops on the rising hill country in hte southern Wimmera.
• In this trial, the most cost effective option to control these weeds was Diuron and Glean applied at the 3-leaf stage of the oats.

• Triflur and Roundup CT applied pre-sowing produced the best yield and gross margin result, some other treatments were statistically similar.
• All 4 rates of Diuron produced the same yield and gross margin.
• The best timing for weed control to maximize yield and gross margin is prior to sowing.

• Concentrating the header trash into rows prevents spreading of weed seeds across the paddock. Additionally, it allows for site specific weed management and weed seed destruction through strategic burning.
• A low cutting height (10cm) can allow greater than 95% weed seed capture and placement
  into rows. However this harvest height can impact harvest cost, speed and efficiency.

Herbicide use is becoming increasingly complicated with restrictions on the use of more and more products and a tight water supply. The following articles outline how to cope with these limitations and provide some good information for spraying this season.

The main messages from the trial work undertaken in 2005 for weed management in 2006 are presented in this report.

 

This study has shown that substantial savings can be made with the use of this technology. It essntially allows the farmer to have a zero tolerance on summer weeds, without having to apply economical thresholds. The study also identified that the savings will not always result. If there is consistently, 60-70% ground cover, the economical returns may not be as great. This is due to the way the technology is designed. Often in relatively high densities, two sensors would come on to spray one weed, hence twice the amount of water. This is most likely the cause of more water being used in the areas with the High density. Overall, the Weed Seeker technology has the potential to reduce chemical costs and increase the efficiency of spray applications.

• Optical Spray Technology (OST) systems are used for broad spectrum weed control for summer weed and fallow weed control. This type of sprayer is widely accepted in broad-acre cropping situations.
• In-Crop weed detection is the sensing and identification of non-crop plants within the growing crop.
• This technology is not as advanced, nor as widely used as the optical sprayer technology.

• Significant reductions in water and chemical use can be achieved when weed sensing technology (WeedSeeker) is used, compared with blanket applications.
• Erect plants compared with prostrate plants require less spray.

• In the past four (dry) years on this demonstration farm the fallow/wheat/oats/lucerne (Phase farming) and wheat/fallow rotations have proved the most financially rewarding, probably due to the moisture storing benefits of fallow.
• Urea seems both less risky and more reliable than the pulse or ley in increasing wheat yield.
• The extreme dryness has caused problems with weed control (chemicals not effective) and with growth of pulse crops and subclover leys.

• Growing wheat in an area with a growing season of 140-175 days and only 220 mm of incrop rainfall, benefits from at least one deep cultivation (15-20cm) prior to sowing.
• The timing of cultivation of a chemically fallowed pasture is probably unimportant. If an erosion risk is present then cultivation should be delayed as late as practical.
• Reduced tillage systems are becoming more widely adopted by central western wheat farmers. It is suggested that most farmers could increase their average yield by 10% if they modify their chisel plough to a one pass plough. For design modification contact Alan Palmer at Trangie Agricultural Research Centre.

• Yield was higher on 220 mm row spacings compared to 440 mm and 660 mm.
• Reducing sowing rates to 40 kg/ha from 60 kg/ha produced the same yields.

Sowing cereals in early April on a soil profile full of water is possible if:

• long season varieties are planted to ensure that the crop does not flower before the high-risk frost period has passed,
• the topsoil is moist at seeding to ensure that the crop germinates and allows for early root growth down into the stored water in the subsoil, and
• weeds can be controlled.

The sites were much lower yielding and produced poorer quality grain compared to the four sites evaluated in 2003. Yields over the three 2004 sites ranged from 1.4- 2.3t/ha compared to a mean yield across the 2003 sites of 4.4t/ha. Quality was also much poorer with only one of the three sites, Lubeck, producing malt grade barley. This site received more rainfall throughout the growing season than the other two sites and all varieties performed the best here, producing higher yields and better quality.

In terms of AH quality varieties Yitpi, Mitre and Annuello are the best bets for the Wimmera. Be mindful of Yitpi’s weakness for stem rust resistance and the marginal stripe rust resistance of Mitre and Annuello.

• Soil acidity cost $170/ha to $228/ha alone in yield penalties in 2015
• Keeping pH at good levels by liming prevents yield penalties
• Increasing soil aluminium levels caused by pH falling below 4.8, provides a good guide to the likely yield penalties incurred 

Of the paddocks investigated in the Southern Mallee, water was severely limiting in 1994, and the amount of water that could be supplied to crop from the soil was very small.

• On average sown species provided the majority of feed available (>62%) within a paddock but there was very large variation from paddock to paddock.
• Most species used in the pasture mixes can be productive but mixes need not contain more than three different species.
• Pasture species need to have greater than 50% frequency to be a productive component of the pasture.
• Each species in the mix needs to be included for a purpose and managed accordingly rather than a “shotgun” approach hoping that one species will work.
• Grazing management of lucerne needs to consider periods of rest to ensure productivity and persistence.

• Sowing date combined with appropriate variety selection and adequate nitrogen supply was key to increasing grain yields.
• Nitrogen fertiliser decision needs to consider the maximum attainable yield and be adjusted for the seasonal conditions and initial available soil nitrogen.

• Early to mid season wheat varieties (Axe, Gladius and Wyalkatchem) sown in March yielded less than May and June sown crops.
• A mid to late season wheat variety (Yitpi) and two barley varieties (Barque and Maritime) produced similar yields from a March and April sowing.
• The earlier the sowing the later maturing variety and vica versa.

There are still many answers required before we can be confident on how to manage this important and expensive input to our farming systems.

• There are still many answers required before we can be confident on how to manage this important and expensive input to our farming systems.
• There is little chance that we can work out a profitable N management system if we do not know what happens to applied nitrogen in our cropping soils.

• Wheat yields were relatively good at all three sites considering the season.
• There were yield responses from the N topdressed fertiliser at the N response sites, Birchip and Charlton.

• The 1999 season was fairly average with a dry spring reducing potential yields.
• Nitrogen responses were marginal due to already high levels of nitrogen in the soil.
• Topdressing nitrogen on wheat increased yields at all sites to some extent.

• If you are a productive farmer, you will be acidifying your soils.
• Use the tools – they are easy to use and provide valuable information on what is driving acidity and what it is costing you and your property.
• Liming will save you money – it’s cheaper to lime than wear the cost of lost production . 
   

May 4th sown Mackellar wheat produced yields in the range of 4.74 – 5.99 t/ha following canola stubble. With high soil nitrogen reserves (176 kg/ha N, 0‐90cm) recorded 2 days pre sowing, there was a small but significant response to applied nitrogen (0.43 t/ha at 50kg/ha N & 0.58 t/ha at 100kg/ha N). There was a significant advantage to nitrogen timed during stem elongation (GS30‐39) over nitrogen applied in the seedbed. This advantage was evident in both single and split applications between which there was
no difference.