In dry years, many canola crops are short and thin. Windrowing is recommended where yield potential exceeds 1 tonne/ha and crops are tall and thick enough to sit on 25-30cm of stubble. With light crops, where windrows may be blown about by strong winds, other options are desiccation and harvest or direct heading, depending on seed moisture levels.

• Herbicide-resistant annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) is increasingly becoming a challenge for growers across southern Australia.
• Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) — the collection and/or destruction of weed seeds at harvest — is a non-chemical control method, which can be used to reduce the seedbank of weeds such as annual ryegrass.
• A major premise of HWSC is that the targeted weed species retain a high proportion of their total seed production at crop maturity.
• Where pre-emergent or in-crop herbicides have not been applied, ryegrass weeds are shedding before wheat is harvested.

• Timeliness of harvest is critical to try and maximise the number of annual ryegrass (ARG) weed seeds captured (prior to the onset of seed shedding).
• Harvest height will aid in the capture of increased numbers of ryegrass.
• The amount of ARG captured will depend on conditions prior to harvest and the level of lodging that occurs prior to harvest.
• When weed levels get too high, several years of alternative crop sequences may be required to get numbers down to an acceptable level.
   

Weed seed data (weeds above and below the harvest height) measurements were taken immediately prior to harvest and assessments of weed populations in the soil will be taken after autumn treatments (windrow burn and large scale burn) are applied to allow for an understanding of the effects of different treatments on the weed seed bank.
Harvest data was also collected through the yield monitor. This data is being analysed so that the additional cost of the iHSD can

Leaving straw in windrow to be burnt Weed seed data (weeds above and below the harvest height) measurements were taken
immediately prior to harvest and assessments of weed populations in the soil will be taken after autumn treatments (windrow burn and large scale burn) are applied to allow for an understanding of the effects of different treatments on the weed seed bank.
Harvest data was also collected through the yield monitor. This data is being analysed so that the additional cost of the iHSD can be established to run various economic simulations on the weed seedbank through the LUSO model and to compare the cost of the treatments. There was no significant difference in the yield across treatments or the efficiency (ha/hr). This was as expected as
the groundspeed rate was kept constant between all treatments so that the other factors.

• Harvest weed seed collection showed barley grass is harder to capture using harvest weed seed collection techniques due to its habit of shedding seed early.
• Burning windrows decreased the number of weed seeds present in the soil seedbank at Minnipa in 2017.
• Harvest weed seed collection allows for the capture of ryegrass weed seed and cereal screenings, potentially increasing feed utilisation for stock when placed in chaff dumps or rows.

• Narrow windrow burning can be an effective tactic against ryegrass provided:
  • 1) weed seeds are captured and concentrated at swathing & harvest
  • 2) the burn heat and duration are enough to kill weed seeds.
• Annual ryegrass control in canola was more variable than last season with 37-86% control of the seed captured and concentration in the windrow. Higher control (86-93%) was achieved for wheat residues concentrated into narrow windrows.

Narrow windrow burning canola can be an effective tactic against ryegrass provided weed seeds can be captured and concentrated at swathing & harvest. Of the ryegrass seed captured between 93-99% was controlled by burning narrow windrow canola

• Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) — the collection and/or destruction of weed seeds at harvest — is a non-chemical control method, which can be used to reduce the seedbank of weeds, such as annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidium).

• Techniques include mechanical weed destruction, or methods involving carting or baling chaff straight after harvest. Chaff can also be concentrated behind the header in a row, which is then left to mulch (chaff lining or decking) or concentrated in a narrow windrow behind the header and burnt (narrow windrow burning).

• A major premise of HWSC is that the targeted weed species retain a high proportion of their total seed production at crop maturity.

• There was no difference between a harvest height of 30cm and 15cm in terms of the number of weed seeds returned to the soil.

• In wheat crops with high annual ryegrass plant populations, a large percentage of the ryegrass seed matures and drops in the month before wheat harvest, limiting the effectiveness of HWSC in the Riverine Plains region. In 2017, approximately 30% of total ryegrass weed seeds were removed by the harvest process.

• HWSC could be used as one tool in a larger integrated weed management strategy.

This is a continuing project.

The above data provides some food for thought regarding marketing options. The same analysis needs to be carried out with a larger data set that can be averaged over a greater number of years, in order to create a better picture of the trends. If over time these trends continue we must really start questioning our marketing decisions. The above figure may indicate that farmers are already questioning the marketing decsions they make.

• Compass (bred as WI4593) is a legitimate contender to replace Hindmarsh, but growers will need to wait until 2015 to acquire seed.
• Those still growing Gairdner are costing themselves at least 15-20% in yield.
• Fathom (feed) has a potential fit on deep sands in the Mallee, and La Trobe is an alternative to Hindmarsh in all regions, but it is yet to be Malt accredited.

The yield advantages of earlier sowing may not be achieved if volunteer plants cannot be controlled. Compass showed good adaptability at each sowing time both at Horsham and Watchupga East. Earlier sown barley plots at both sites were limited by nitrogen in 2013.

Knowing your initial soil nitrogen levels will assist in determining if there is likely to be a benefit of including nitrogen and other nutrients for humification when incorporating stubble. If initial soil nitrogen levels (0-60cms) are adequate i.e. above 70kg N/ha in the high rainfall zone, and above 50 kg N/ha in the medium rainfall zone, then the addition of nitrogen may not provide immediate responses – depending on the stubble nutrient levels.

Time spent setting the front and combine to match the crop conditions will be critical to ensure you reap as much grain as possible.

Soil health is not a static issue. Soil is the foundation of our agricultural systems. Collating existing knowledge and building a framework for visual, tactile and oral learning based on the needs of the ‘customer’, in this case farmers and advisors, is supporting more informed decisions and a greater capacity to manage soils for a healthy future.

• Healthy Soils workshops are delivering knowledge, skills, and tools to better manage soils for improved soil health
• Care must be taken with soil sampling, transport and laboratory procedures for accurate test results
• Management significantly influences soil biology through various practices such as controlling what quality and quantity of organic matter is incorporated into the soil through crop and rotation choice, the utilisation of additives such as pesticides and herbicides, and the intensity and type of tillage employed.

There were no significant differences between the yield of either treatments. However the district practice treatment had a significantly higher thousand grain weight to the biological treatmeant. 

• Heat–moisture treatment can be successfully applied to wheat flour to change its functional properties.

• Treatment time and flour moisture content significantly affected the functional properties of the treated wheat flours.

• Lower flour moisture content and shorter treatment times are more appropriate to produce heat– moisture-treated wheat flour suitable for noodle production.

• Trafficking on wet soil in 2015 resulted in substantially less Rhizoctonia in barley in 2016.
• After two years of cereal production, there is little evidence that heavy vehicle trafficking is severely depressing grain yield on a Minnipa soil.

Common heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum L.) is an opportunistic annual weed that grows in ‘disturbed’ areas (i.e. areas of bare or sparsely vegetated soil) following summer rain in regions with a Mediterranean climate (hot dry summers, cool wet winters). In its natural habitat, which includes most of the rim of the Mediterranean Sea, farming practices result in there being few disturbed areas during summer, hence common heliotrope is not such a problem. However, in the dry-land cropping belt of southern Australia, the wholesale clearing of native vegetation and the endemic broad acre agricultural practices leave vast areas of fallow, hayed-off pasture and sparse stubble over summer; all of which are ecologically speaking ‘disturbed’, and hence fantastic habitat for common heliotrope.

• Cash flow analysis shows the sensitivity of the farm business to varying seasons.
• Mixed Farming Systems are more sustainable in poorer seasons. However, they are not as able to capture the large profits in the better years (Decile>5).
• Leasing provides opportunity for business expansion when a business is in a low equity position.

• Care has to be taken with many residual herbicides to avoid potential damage to the following crop.
• On alkaline soils the residual effects of Glean and Ally used for summer fallowing will be severe on pulses and conventional and TT canola.
• Atrazine used for summer fallowing in dry seasons slows the growth of conventionalcanola and wheat.
• Diuron used as an over summer herbicide in this demonstration had a negative effect on conventionaland TT canola

• Moisture: Ironstone was found across some plots at depth which made any plot response to weed control difficult to measure so that there was more difference due to sub-soil constraints, rather than the individual treatments. Moisture readings were inconsistent and yields were therefore not taken.
• Weed control: Glyphosate is a very important base component when dealing with a mixture of summer weeds. The trial confirmed previous growers who experience and demonstrated summer grasses required high rates of glyphosate, at these high rates glyphosate provides excellent melon control. The Roundup Attack at 1.8 L/ha stand-alone gave the best control of grass and melons. All mixes containing Roundup Attack at 1.2 L/ha gave acceptable control of grasses and excellent control of melons when ester was added. With melons, the Triclopyr standalone was poor, but with Roundup Attack added had an additive effect, improving control significantly. Whilst no oil was used, perhaps the performance of the bottom three mixes may have given a better result with oil. Ally (metsulfuron) had an additive effect with the grasses but was antagonistic with the melons.

For results please see the attached trial report.

• In 2015 the drier start to the season and low soil moisture resulted in lower herbicide efficacy and less chemical damage than expected.
• In different stubble management systems the activity and resulting weed control of specific herbicides will be influenced by the solubility index (movement through the soil profile with rainfall events) of that herbicide. Soil texture and soil chemical properties can affect chemical movement and availability in the soil profile.
• Herbicide performance will vary seasonally due to soil moisture levels, rainfall pattern post application, timing of weed germination, position and number of weed seeds in the profile, etc. Understanding how the various herbicides work can reduce the likelihood of failures.
• Herbicides are only one tool for weed control – always adopt an integrated weed control package that includes non-chemical control, and where possible, consecutive seasons of total weed control.
• Consider the whole farming system when making chemical decisions as the impact may last for several seasons (eg. effects on medic germination and medic seed bank).

• Herbicides which may be influenced by high stubble loads include trifluralin, triallate, pyroxasulfone, prosulfocarb and metalochor products. If grass weeds are an issue in paddocks with high stubble loads (greater than 50% stubble cover), removal of some stubble may maximize the herbicide activity and grass weed control.
• In-crop germination patterns are later for barley grass than for other grass weeds in MAC paddocks, which is limiting early control with pre-emergence herbicides.
• If you expect most of your grass weeds to emerge straight after sowing maybe 2 L/ha trifluralin (plus an added herbicide depending on cost and risk factors such as seasonal conditions, soil type, rotation etc.) is the best value for your system.
• If you have a later germinating population, and aim to reduce the seed bank, you may be better investing in some of the more expensive herbicide mixes even though they may cost more in the first season.

Dry seeding conditions and lack of rainfall at the start of the 2017 season resulted in challenging conditions for both establishing crops and weed control.

Stubble residues reduced plant establishment and weed numbers; standing stubble in dry conditions had higher wheat germination than chained stubble.

April dry sowing had lower wheat numbers than later sowings, which reduced grass weed competition during the season. Grass weed numbers were also higher and set more seed in the April sowing.

No pre-emergent herbicide provided total barley grass weed control and keeping the weed seed bank low through other methods is important.

Under the production regimes of upper EP, stubble management is unlikely to impact negatively on performance of pre-emergence herbicides targeting grass weed control, providing adequate water rates and best practice application techniques are used.

• No significant difference in ryegrass control was found between plots treated with any of the three pre-emergent herbicides tested.
• Though not statistically significant, the trial demonstrated a trend of increased herbicide efficacy with increasing herbicide carrier volume.

• Total seasonal biomass production from all of the annual pasture legumes was relatively poor as a result of the poor start. It begs the question, should Serradella, given its useful tolerance to the Imidazolinone group of herbicides, be sown with a fast growing Imidazolinone tolerant cereal such as Scope CL barley to improve early season feed production? If the season is good, the cereal could be grazed early and then sprayed out with a grass selective herbicide to stop it out-competing the Serradella later on. If the season is poor, the cereal could be left to provide valuable winter and spring feed.
• Residues of Imidazolinone group herbicides can affect the performance of the following year’s crops and pastures, so be aware and plan ahead. 

Rotation of herbicide groups paramount for effective brome grass control, ensure that group B herbicides are not used too often in the rotation

• Velocity®, Precept® and Affinity® are the best options for elongating amsinckia.
• There is a wider range of effective herbicides to control amsinckia when they are small and actively growing than when they are elongating.
• Trifluralin is very effective for controlling amsinckia, but weeds can still persist in the crop row where the trifluralin has not been applied.

• There are few broadleaf herbicides registered in conventional canola.
• Bladex 1L/ha, Dual Gold at 150 and 300ml/ha, Brodal at 100 and 200ml/ha, Dicamba500 at 140ml/ha and Spark at 150ml/ha were all visually acceptable (rather than visually acceptable try caused no phyto-toxic effect) when applied to canola at the 5 leaf stage.
• These products are not currently registered, the work was undertaken to assist any possible registration processes.

More robust herbicides and mixing with multi modes of action increase wild radish control where group B tolerance is experienced.

• Thirty two barley grass populations were collected from grower paddocks from Eyre Peninsula and Upper North regions in 2019 and screened for resistance to major herbicide groups in 2020. This was not a random survey because most of these populations were considered difficult to control with herbicides. 
•  All of these barley grass populations collected in 2019 from Eyre Peninsula and Upper North regions were completely killed by glyphosate and paraquat and were rated as herbicide susceptible.
• Resistance to the FOP herbicide quizalofop was confirmed in 50% (n=16) of these targeted populations tested in 2020. In addition to this, 19% of the populations (n=6) were classified as developing resistance. 
• Ten barley grass populations were confirmed resistant to clethodim at 250mL/ha. At the higher clethodim dose (500mL/ha), only three populations were rated as resistant. This result is consistent with research results for annual ryegrass where higher rates of clethodim can improve weed control. Growers could improve barley grass control by increasing clethodim dose but this is unlikely to be a long-term solution to the problem. 
• Out of 1 O clethodim resistant populations, only 3 showed resistance to butroxydim at 90 g/ha and only 1 was resistant at 180 g/ha. These results are consistent with the findings from the previous year, which showed the susceptibility of many clethodim-resistant populations to butroxydim.
• Resistance to the IMI herbicides still appears to be very low in barley grass. Only one barley grass population from Eyre Peninsula was found to be highly resistant to Intercept® and showed no reduction in plant survival or biomass. 

 

It is important not to rely on a single strategy to keep resistance at bay but integrate them into the crop production program. Some of the key strategies include:

• Rotation of herbicide mode of action groups within and across years.
• Keep accurate records of your herbicide applications on a paddock basis.
• Read the herbicide product label and follow the instructions, always use robust label rates
• Rotate crop and variety.
• Identify and monitor your surviving weed populations and check for resistant weeds on your farm. Keep good records of weed populations.
• If a failure is suspected do not use the same product or product from the same mode of action group.
• Testing – confirm resistance exists. (For further information on resistance
• testing contact www.plantscienceconsulting.com.au)
• Additional cultural weed control techniques to reduce seed banks, e.g. burning, cultivation, delayed sowing,
• competitive crops and varieties, green manuring, grazing and collection of weed seed at harvest.
• Control weed escapes before the weeds set and shed viable seed.
• Do not introduce or spread weeds through contaminated seed, grain or hay.
• Consider crop and pasture topping.
• Seek advice from local advisers such as agronomists.

• Visually, the effects of the metribuzin treatments showed that both the metribuzin and the metribuzin/brodal/simizine treatments adversely affected the variety Tanjil the most.
• Quilinock and Kalya were the highest yielding varieties.

Desi chickpea varieties CBA Captain, Neelam and PBA Striker, and Kabuli chickpea variety Genesis 079 showed good tolerance to a range of chickpea herbicides or herbicide mixtures at the label rates and timings with good crop safety margin.

A new herbicide Ultro® 900 WG at 1.1 kg/ha applied before seeding reduced seed yield of PBA Striker (9%) significantly.

Note: Always follow label recommendations. The Department Primary Industries and Regional Development, does not endorse the use of herbicides above the registered rate or off-label use of herbicides or off-label tank mixes. Crop tolerance and yield responses to herbicides are strongly influenced by seasonal conditions.

Desi chickpea varieties CBA Captain, Neelam and PBA Striker showed good tolerance to a range of chickpea herbicides or herbicide mixtures at registered rates and timings with good crop safety margin.

IBS application of simazine + Balance® appears safer than PSPE application especially on PBA Striker.

A new herbicide Ultro® 900 WG at 1.1 kg/ha IBS was tolerated well by all the varieties.

Note: Always follow label recommendations. The Department Primary Industries and Regional Development, does not endorse the use of herbicides above the registered rate or off-label use of herbicides or off-label tank mixes. Crop tolerance and yield responses to herbicides are strongly influenced by seasonal conditions.

Lentil varieties PBA Bolt, PBA Hallmark XT and PBA Jumbo2 showed good tolerance to a range of lentil herbicides or herbicide mixtures at registered rates and timings with good crop safety margin.

Unregistered use pattern of Brodal® (diflufenican) at 200 mL/ha as PSPE and of Metribuzin 750 at 100 g/ha in mixture with Brodal® 100 mL/ha as post-emergent application reduced seed yield of PBA Bolt and PBA Jumbo2 significantly.

Note: Always follow label recommendations. The Department Primary Industries and Regional Development, does not endorse the use of herbicides above the registered rate or off-label use of herbicides or off-label tank mixes. Crop tolerance and yield responses to herbicides are strongly influenced by seasonal conditions.

Lentil varieties PBA Bolt, PBA Hallmark XT and PBA Jumbo2 showed good tolerance to a range of lentil herbicides or herbicide mixtures applied at the label rates and timings with good crop safety margin.

Unregistered use pattern of Brodal® (diflufenican) at 200 mL/ha as PSPE and of Metribuzin 750 at 100 g/ha in mixture with Brodal® 100 mL/ha as post-emergent application reduced seed yield of PBA Jumbo2 significantly.

Note: Always follow label recommendations. The Department Primary Industries and Regional Development, does not endorse the use of herbicides above the registered rate or off-label use of herbicides or off-label tank mixes. Crop tolerance and yield responses to herbicides are strongly influenced by seasonal conditions.

Pre-emergent simazine and propyzamide (IBS) at maximum label rates recorded low crop safety margin.

Higher uptake of simazine following good soil moisture appeared to have made lupins varieties sensitive to damage by normally safe rates of post-emergent broadleaf herbicides.

A new herbicide Ultro® 900 WG at 2.3 kg/ha applied before seeding was tolerated by all the lupin varieties.

For blue lupin control/suppression, Garlon® 600 (triclopyr) at 30 mL/ha applied at 8-leaf stage and at pod setting on main stem of narrow leafed lupins caused statistically significant yield loss across all the lupin varieties. Triclopyr use on narrow leafed lupins is not registered.

Note: Always follow label recommendations. The Department Primary Industries and Regional Development, does not endorse the use of herbicides above the registered rate or off-label use of herbicides or off-label tank mixes. Crop tolerance and yield responses to herbicides are strongly influenced by seasonal conditions.

All the lupin varieties tolerated the registered pre and post-emergent herbicides at the label rates and timings with good safety margin.

A new herbicide Ultro® 900 WG at 2.3 kg/ha applied before seeding was tolerated by all the lupin varieties.

For blue lupin control/suppression, Garlon® 600 (triclopyr) at 30 mL/ha applied at 8-leaf stage of narrow leafed lupins was tolerated well by all the varieties, whereas its application at pod setting on main stem of narrow leafed lupins caused statistically significant yield loss across all the lupin varieties (18-24%). Triclopyr use on narrow leafed lupins is not registered.

Note: Always follow label recommendations. The Department Primary Industries and Regional Development, does not endorse the use of herbicides above the registered rate or off-label use of herbicides or off-label tank mixes. Crop tolerance and yield responses to herbicides are strongly influenced by seasonal conditions.

As expected melaleucas had a greater survival on the site across all treatments when compared wtih the eucalypts as they are better adapted to saline conditions.

The herbicide tolerance of two new desi chickpea varieties (Howzat and ICCV96836) were compared to Tyson. All three varieties showed similar tolerance to a range of herbicides. Simazine, Balance + Simazine and Spinnaker applied Post Sowing PreEmergent had little effect on yield, whereas Broadstrike applied Early Post Emergent on stressed plants it suppressed yield. For the main weeds in the trial (prickly lettuce, milk thistle) the best weed control option was Balance + Simazine. In paddocks where musk is a problem the best control option will be Spinnaker.

In this trial Simazine, Diuron and Brodal were quite safe when used post sowing preemergent. However, Brodal has been known to cause crop damage when used at this stage. There are no safe early post emergent herbicides available in vetch for the control of broadleaf weeds. It appears that Morava is less tolerant of pre-emergent and in-crop herbicides compared to Blanchefleur or Languedoc.

• None of the Imi treatments resulted in a significant grain yield loss for the tolerant varieties, and few visual symptoms of crop damage were observed.

• PBA HeraldXT and CIPAL1101 have good tolerance to imidazolinone chemicals, but may not be as tolerant to Imi-3 as the lines CIPAL1208 and CIPAL1209.
• Conversely, PBA HeraldXT and CIPAL1101 have improved tolerance to the Sulfonylurea herbicides relative to the control and CIPAL 1208 and CIPAL 1209, indicating potential benefits where residues may be an issue in cropping systems.

• PBA HurricaneXT has improved tolerance to the sulfonylurea herbicides relative indicating significant benefits where residues may be an issue in cropping systems.

• PBA HurricaneXT has improved tolerance to the sulfonylurea herbicides relative indicating significant benefits where residues may be an issue in cropping systems.

• None of the Imi treatments resulted in a significant grain yield loss for the tolerant varieties, and few visual symptoms of crop damage were observed.

• PBA HeraldXT and CIPAL1101 have s good tolerance to imidazolinone chemicals, but may not be as tolerant to Imi-3 as the lines CIPAL1208 and CIPAL1209.
• Conversely, PBA HeraldXT and CIPAL1101 have improved tolerance to the Sulfonylurea herbicides relative to the control and CIPAL 1208 and CIPAL 1209, indicating potential benefits where residues may be an issue in cropping systems.

• The early season climatic events of waterlogging (Wanilla) and hail damage (Tooligie) were not
  conducive for small scale field trial studies, but reflected wide scale industry issues from these
  regions.
• Although this meant that some measurements could not be taken, reasonable results were
  still gained from these trials.

The best overall herbicide options for controlling the most common broadleaf weeds in the southern Mallee are Simazine alone or Simazine plus Diuron, applied post sowing pre-emergent.

The three wheat varieties all showed good tolerance to the herbicides used in this trial.

• A newly released herbicide tolerant faba bean provides increased weed management options.
• A new release lentil provides another herbicide tolerant lentil variety with different agronomic characteristics.
• However, care still needs to be taken in relation to herbicide use, paddock selection, and herbicide permits and registrations.
   

• Field Peas - There were no differences in pea yields from the applied post sowing pre-emergent herbicides. However, Tough at 2L significantly reduced pea yields in the post emergent herbicide applications.
• Lentils - Simazine alone (1.5L) or in combination with Lexone (1L + 100g respectively) significantly reduced lentil yields. The best options were post sowing pre-emergent Lexone (180g) or Diuron (Diurex at 1.1 kg) or post emergent Broadstrike (25g, no wetter) or Brodal at 150ml.
• Chickpeas - the chickpea yields in the control plots were significantly reduced because of weed competition. The best options were post sowing pre-emergent Simazine and Atradex (1L + 275g respectively) or Spinnaker and Simazine (125ml + 0.75L respectively).
• Lupins - there were no significant differences found in lupin yields between the different herbicides applied.

Rainbow vs Karoo canola - Karoo canola is tolerant to the triazines Simazine and Atrizine; however, it also appears that Karoo has a higher degree of tolerance to Lexone.

• In-crop applications of some broadleaf and grass herbicides can reduce nodulation and nitrogen fixation of peas.
• Timing of herbicide application and seasonal conditions play an important role in herbicide-legume interactions. 
• Late applications of some broadleaf and grass herbicides can reduce crop yields.

• Group B herbicides can exacerbate trace element deficiencies in cereal crops.

• Infrequent rainfall events, poor weed germination early and dry conditions at seeding resulted in challenging conditions for early weed control and crop establishment in 2018.
• In a high Barley grass weed situation herbicide mixes containing Sakura provided good weed control.
• Trifluralin (1.5 L/ha) IBS followed by Lexone (metribuzin) (180 g) post emergent caused significant crop damage due to rainfall events following the metribuzin application.
• Use as many options as possible to lower grass weed seed banks including two-year breaks.
• Regularly test grass populations for herbicide resistance.
• Aim to prevent 100% of seed from setting in all phases of the rotation.

• All herbicides provided effective control of brome grass and barley grass in wheat this season.
• Crop safety in wheat was achieved by all herbicide mixes in 2008.

Rotation of herbicide groups paramount for effective annual reygrass control

Rotation of herbicide groups paramount for effective annual reygrass control

Rotation of herbicide groups paramount for effective annual reygrass control

Rotation of herbicide groups paramount for effective annual reygrass control

• This trial demonstrated the attributes of true forage varieties in comparison to grain varieties.
• The practices adopted through graze and grain techniques have been invaluable to WA farmers and the products used in the trial can be adopted to increase production in mixed areas where livestock play an important part in farming systems through increased stocking rates and maintaining existing cropping rates.

• Winter Graze n Grain Hybrids provide huge yields and multiple cropping and grazing opportunities.
• Hyola® late Spring Super Hi-Biomass Hybrids show very high yield potential in the HRZ with Hyola 725RT and Hyola 600RR topping their respective herbicide technology groups.
• Triazine Hybrids show similar performances and gross returns to the best Clearfield Hybrids and much higher Gross returns $/ha than OP TT varieties especially Hyola 650TT and Hyola 559TT.
• RT® dual herbicide tolerant Hybrids show their $/ha value and as a critical new competitive IWM management tool for all canola growers.
   

There was a strong early visual response to applied phosphorus (P), with the nil P plots lacking vigour early. This was confirmed with significantly better P levels in the plant tissue up to 35 kg of P applied see There was no significant response to applied copper, zinc or sulphur. There was a significant yield response to applied P, however at the highest rate of applied P the yield began to fall. This is possibly due to the increased dry matter produced using more moisture and as a consequence of the dry finish in November losing some yield potential. In this situation the most appropriate rate of applied P for this year would have been between 15 - 20 kg P/ha.

For results please see the attached trial report.

• Phosphorus (P) responses were visual and evident from 3 leaf stage until the end of September with the 50 of P treatments being well ahead of the nil P.
• The 15 P plots also were visibly behind.
• There was a strong trend to increased yield with increasing rate of P applied, however this was not significant due to the high CV as a result of crown rot.
• The zinc and copper cote treatments performed better than most treatments and were significantly better than the nil P treatment, but not significantly better than the straight 25 P treatment as DAP. 
• Grain proteins were lower than expected with a very high CV 13%, usually grain protein CV's are about 2 - 3% showing that there was a dramatic effect of possibly crown rot in the site.
• The site had been in barley the year prior which is the best cereal host for carry over of crown rot and a dry finish makes the crown rot worse. 
   

• More salts in the high input soil which can be detrimental to some plants. 
•  Significantly higher residual phosphorus and potassium in the high input soil, along with higher levels of sulphur. 
•  A soil structural problem in both soil types indicating a need for gypsum and possibly lime. • A crop could be grown in the high input soil with minimal fertiliser input in 1999, whereas significant fertiliser input would be required for the district practice treatment. 

• The District Practice treatment generated a much higher average gross margin than the High Input treatment ($607 vs $408) over the last 4 years.
• The beds performed worse than their flat counterparts in 1999.
• The District Practice treatment has been much more efficient in producing income relative to costs, by comparison to the High Input treatment.
• Over the 4 years of the trial, the deficit May - November rainfall of 227mm would have contributed significantly to the relatively poor performance of the high input treatment compared to the district practice. 

• Similar to the previous 4 years, the district practice treatment has given better performance than the high input treatment.
• This to a degree reflects the relatively fertile site and the fact that the seasons have finished quickly in November.
• On the data gathered so far, it is not economic to increase inputs, particularly fertiliser, beyond what is regarded as good district practice.

• The net return for the high input over the district practice treatment was therefore approximately $154 per hectare. 
• For further discussion please see the attached trial report.

• National GRDC funded project ‘Optimising the yield and economic potential of high input cropping systems in the high rainfall zone’.
• Two nutrient omission trials sown in 2016 at Bool Lagoon to test canola and wheat yield response and the interactions between nutrients where N, P, K and S and micro-nutrients Zn and Cu are omitted.
• Relative to the treatment supplied with non-limiting nutrients, both canola and wheat grain yields were significantly lower if either P or S were not applied at sowing (38 and 30 % depression respectively for canola, 24% and 17% for wheat).
• Relative to the treatment supplied with non-limiting nutrients, canola biomass at flowering was 36 % lower without in-crop N and 8% lower without P at sowing, while wheat biomass at flowering was 40% lower without in-crop N and 12% lower without P at sowing.

• Regional survey on the nutrient status of nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S) and the micro-nutrients Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) of soils in the HRZ of south-eastern Australia undertaken and status report prepared.
• Two omission trials sown in 2015 to test crop yield response and the interactions between nutrients where N, P, K and S and micro-nutrients Zn and Cu are omitted.
• Seasonal conditions resulted in the only responses being received from nitrogen applications; the omission trials to be repeated in 2016 under different seasonal conditions.

• Regional survey on the nutrient status of nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S) and the micro-nutrients Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) of soils in the HRZ of south-eastern Australia undertaken and status report prepared.
• Two omission trials sown in 2015 to test crop yield response and the interactions between nutrients where N, P, K and S and micro-nutrients Zn and Cu are omitted.
• Seasonal conditions resulted in the only responses being received from nitrogen applications; the omission trials to be repeated in 2016 under different seasonal conditions.

• Raised beds had a greater impact on the yields of later sown crops.
• July sown canola yielded higher than May sown canola in both years on the beds.
• There appears to be an important interaction between time of sowing and raised beds. Hence recommendations developed from time of sowing experiments conducted on the flat may not be transferable to crops sown on raised beds.
• Yields did not appear to be greatly influenced by sowing rate.
• The impacts of row spacing on final yields are inconsistent.