• 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. 

• Faba bean sown in 2019 significantly reduced Pratylenchus neglectus (root lesion nematode) numbers. Lentil and canola also reduced P. neglectus but to a lesser extent. This carried through to 2020 sown wheat where populations remained low.
• In 2019, faba bean was the lowest risk non-cereal option in the break crop phase to manage a late start or dry finish, although wheat outperformed all crop types in terms of yield and gross margin in 2019.
• Wheat sown in 2020 yielded more when sown after pulses (faba bean, lentil, chickpea) compared to when sown after canola or wheat,
• In a poor season or low rainfall situation the low nitrogen strategy (30N basal) offered the best returns, there was no yield response to higher rates of nitrogen applied in-season.
• Wheat after pulses had the greatest yield response to applied nitrogen.
• Protein response to nitrogen rate was higher in wheat-wheat compared to when sown after break crops.

• Wyalkatchem wheat reinforces its position in the cropping rotation.
• Magenta may be a possible alternative to Wyalkatchem.
• Advisable not to grow durum on the lateritic ironstone soils on the plateau.
• More research required into suitability of soft wheat varieties .
• Linseed tolerates and yields in wet soils, but its marketing requires further investigation.
• Avoid growing chickpeas unless you can eliminate wildlife.
• Lentils require good inoculation and well-drained soil. Target early or medium maturity varieties.

• Soil water content is being measured to 3 m depth in the CWFS core site.
• The lucerne plots in the phase farming systems contained 200 mm less soil water than the continuous cropped plots at the end of 2003.
• Lucerne had dried the soil to a similar extent after 3 years of lucerne (conventional tilled system) and 2 years of lucerne (reduced till system).
• Most of the additional moisture in the annual plots was below 1 m depth.
• Including a perennial pasture such as lucerne in a cropping system can reduce the risk of excessive deep drainage.

• Yield and quality response to nitrogen program and seeding rate was difficult to observe due to moisture stress throughout grain-fill.
• Seeding rate had no significant effect on grain yield or quality.
• Nitrogen program significantly affected N uptake and grain protein, but not yield or other quality parameters. Grain protein was very high overall.

• There is wide phenological diversity in Australian canola varieties. From a 28 March sowing date the fastest variety, Nuseed® Diamond, started flowering on 22 June and the slowest variety, Hyola® 970CL (winter type), started flowering on 28 September, a difference of 98 days from sowing to start of flowering.

• The highest yield of 4.7 t/ha came from sowing fast (e.g. Nuseed® Diamond) and mid (e.g. Pioneer® 45Y25 (RR)) spring phenology types in mid-April to early May. Sowing the fast variety early (Nuseed® Diamond) resulted in significant frost damage, reducing yield and quality, as it started flowering in June.

• The winter varieties and the slow spring varieties had stable yield across sowing dates, but generally yielded closer to 4 t/ha.

• Open-pollinated (OP), triazine tolerant (TT) varieties yielded within 5% of hybrid non-TT varieties (with similar phenology).
 

• Hindmarsh, Skipper and Fathom all yielded consistently better than other varieties across all the trial sites.
• Commander performed the best out of the malt varieties and achieved Malt more often.
• Hindmarsh dominated the yields and is still worth selecting over any other variety, even in the Wimmera.
• At current Malt premiums, growing Hindmarsh is a good alternative to most malt varieties.

• The trial highlights the advancements made through breeding, with most modern varieties at least 25% higher yielding than Dundale, despite the extreme weather conditions (dry spring and frosts). In most cases this resulted in gross margins improved by more than 100% in 2014.

Previous trials and demonstrations have highlighted zinc deficiencies in both cereals and pulses, which could produce substantial profits over the cost of zinc. A trial conducted on wheat at Hopetoun in 2006, on a zinc responsive soil type with a good zinc history defined responses to zinc and demonstrated that responses to phosphorus or nitrogen cannot be achieved if zinc is deficient, in a drought year.

• Treat infested pastoral areas with 3.0 litres MCPA amine per hectare in the autumn. Apply the MCPA with 100 litres of water per hectare. Horehound can be a difficult plant to wet. A wetting adjuvant may be of assistance.
• Maintain grasses to prevent the establishment of seedlings. Burn the infested area the following year, in early
• autumn, to destroy as much of the seed bank as possible. Respray the area later in the autumn to control any subsequent horehound germinations with MCPA amine.

Over the last two years the Department of Agriculture WA, has been developing an analogue forecasting system for southern Australia. All through 2002 we issued analogue years (similar years in the past) that were typically El Nino years and/or droughts. In 2003, we were confident that the El Nino would decay. This paper discusses the forecasts that were issued and how they related to what happened at Birchip in 2003.

Chara sown 13th June gave a small but significant responses to applied nitrogen, despite a soil N reserve of 176 kg/ha N (0‐90cm) pre planting. With this later sown trial there was no significant difference in nitrogen timing, though there was a trend for seedbed/GS31 (50/50 split of N) treated crops to be slightly higher yielding than GS31/37 (50/50 split of N) treated crops.

• Deep ripping was very worth while at this site but had not effet of lowering crop requirements for N in this situation.
• Nitrogen requirements may have been lower after deep ripping if there had been more organic N to mineralise (say after a lupin crop) and/or the soil had higher mineralised N levels that were subjected to more leaching pressure.
• After deep ripping, high N inputs may be more effective delyaed until late tillering. 

• Glasshouse experiments measured plant DM response and recovery of Zn fertilisers in oxide and sulfate form using three placement treatments - banded, mixed throughout the soil volume, and applied to the soil surface.
•  Also plant recovery of Zn from pure Zn phosphates and carbonates, which are likely reaction products of banded Zn fertilisers in soil, was measured. Recovery of Zn from Zn phosphates, carbonates and oxides was lower than that of Zn sulfates when banded.
• Placement was the major factor controlling plant responsiveness to Zn.
• Zinc oxide fertilisers had very low water solubility and slow dissolution rates in water, which is related to the high pH when the oxide is dissolved in water.
• There was significantly less recovery of fertiliser Zn by plants from Zn oxides than from Zn sulfates when the fertiliser was banded near the seed, likely due to higher pH in the band as the oxide dissolved.
• However, the Zn supply to plants was the same for both sources of Zn when fertilisers were mixed through the soil, as the soil likely buffered any dissolution-induced pH increases.
• This means that Zn oxides, despite their low water solubility, can be effective fertilisers if uniformly mixed throughout the crop rooting depth but Zn sulfate is preferable for banding or surface application.

• Inoculation with effective formulations significantly improved nodulation, herbage and yield. 
• Sterile peat slurry innoculant produced more nodules on faba beans than all other rhizobial products; freeze dried rhizobia applied to seed and peat applied as liquid inoculant produced greater nodules than granular inoculants. 
• inoculation with peat slurry, peat applied as a liquid, and freeze dried inoculants significantly improved herbage and yield compared with uninoculated treatments. Yield was also improved following application of bentonite granules. 

• Inoculation with freeze‐dried rhizobial formulations produced nodulation of grain legumes equivalent to that of the traditional peat slurries, with significantly less preparation required when inoculated in furrows. Becker Underwood granules produced less nodules than peat slurries treatment, but improved inoculation over nil treatments.
• Granular products varied in their ability to provide nodulation of grain legumes.

Farmers make their luck by:
• concentrating on preventing losses, rather than depending on bonanzas,
• giving priority to reducing costs, even if it means missing some income in good years, and
• diversifying markets (on-farm) and investments (off-farm).

• Surface applied liming will only move to address subsurface acidity if pH(Ca) in the topsoil is kept greater than 5.5
• Surface applied lime movement is very slow and may take many years to treat subsurface acidity
• Check the plant back period for legumes if using sulphonyl urea herbicides as surface applied liming makes the pH level in the top 2.5 cm high and will affect its break down 

• Wheat grain yield in 2007 was increased by 0.2t/ha after the addition of 5.0t/ha of wheat straw
• Straw is important for decreasing evaporation and conserving moisture in topsoil, particularly after canopy closure and when the crop is senescing
• The additional moisture available under straw significantly increased dry matter production after GS65.
• Inter-row sowing reduces straw burial

• 3t/ha Little Sahara limesand will increase the pH in the top 5 cm of soil within 6 months and the effect will last for 4 years before re-acidification occurs

• It can take up to two years to get a pH change down to 10 cm in the soil profile

• Maintain surface pH above 5.5 to minimise risk of sub surface acidification.

• 3t/ha limesand will increase the pH in the top 5 cm of soil within 6 months.
• Possibly takes up to two years to get a pH change down to 10 cm in the soil profile.

• We can not rely on current varieties remaining resistant and as farmers, breeders and pathologists we must remina vigilant in manageing stripe rust.
• This involves managing diversity in our varieties, reducing the opportunities for hte fugus to carryoever from one season to the next on volunteer wheat and using seed treatments where appropriate.

• This manual provides useful guidance on the design of experiments to explore and treat nutrient deficiencies in agricultural crops.

There is some excellent material coming through the programme, with significantly higher yields than the existing check varieties. At this stage grain quality tests have not been done.

• There was no significant difference between the varieties which were well below the normal canola average for the area.

Please see attached trial report for results.

Please see attached trial report for findings.

• Hyola 404RR and Hyola 505RR show their adaptation to the medium or higher rainfall districts of Victoria and ability to have the highest yields and oil %s assisted with excellent blackleg resistance.
• Hyols 474CL and Hyola 575CL performed well against competitor Clearfield hybrids along with providing improved oil %s and stability.
• Most of the hybrids evaluated significantly out-yeilded the OP Clearfield variety 43C80.
• Hyola 555TT, Crusher TT, Thumper TT and Jackpot TT show good adaptation and ability to have some of the highest yields for the Western District of Victoria.

Overall the site experienced low starting rainfall with staggered plant emergence and then with further rainfall plot populations were within 75 to 85% of targeted plants/m2. All pests and diseases were controlled to an acceptably high level.

Full laboratory analysis of all samples has not been completed, but some interesting data have already emerged.

Experiments were conducted in a commercial lentil crop (2006) in a paddock considered representative of the southern Mallee region of Victoria (McCellands Jil Jil East). The study identified that seasonal variations in the spatial pattern for grain yield were explained principally by differences in the ‘effective plant available water’ (ePAW) rather than differences in nitrogen supply. ePAW was considered to be related to both the textural properties of the surface soil (eg. small rainfall events at the season break are more effective in coarser textured soils than in clay soils) and the presence of physio-chemical in the subsoil, which can limit crop access to stored water.

• Nodulation and shoot dry matter in medics is depressed by poor phosphorus (P) nutrition and in-crop application of certain herbicides.
• Applying P when establishing a medic pasture boosts shoot and root dry matter and improves root health.
• The timing of application of certain herbicides can have an important effect on maximum shoot dry matter.
• High soil nitrogen levels can reduce nodulation in medic pastures.

• Growers should be aware that the application of certain broad-leaved herbicides can result in a reduction in shoot dry matter of medic pastures.
• Application of a full label rate of Agritone 750 (late) resulted in the largest reduction of shoot dry matter.
• Applying P to a soil with low P reserves when establishing a medic pasture boosts shoot and root dry matter, improves root health and improves N fixation.
• Growers should also be aware that the use of herbicides can reduce nodulation and N2- fixation in medic pastures.

• Applying phosphorus to a soil with low P reserves when establishing a medic pasture boosts shoot and root dry matter, improves root health and improves N fixation.
• The addition of urea at seeding can reduce nodulation in medic pastures.
• Residues of the herbicide Logran can severely stunt medic growth.
• Applying a full label rate of Agritone 750 (late) decreases pasture production and N fixation in actively growing pastures.
• Any management practice that reduces medic biomass will reduce N fixation, such as the late application of certain herbicides, eg Agritone 750.
• In a dry growing season when medic plants are already moisture stressed, herbicides will have little impact on medic production and N fixation.
• Regardless of seasonal conditions, the management of newly established medic pastures with regard to herbicides and nutrition, appears to have no impact on the yield and protein levels of the wheat crop in the following year.

The HRZ of south-eatsern Australia has a high yield potential but for this potenial to be realised, new traits will need to be introduced. Important traits are likely to include high seed numbers per pod, drought tolerance during flowering and seed development and good blackleg resistance. Further testing of germplasm under a wider range of conditions will be needed to verify findings and develop cultivars adapted to the region. 

This demonstration has shown that there are many tools available to help farmers identify paddock zones. In this case, the farmer was easily able to identify roughly each zone, however from the yield map it is apparent that using the yield maps, to get those zones 100%, slight changes were required. There was little advantage in applying fertiliser in any of the zones, however, emergence issues may have confounded some of these responses. Both P tests (Colwell and DGT) indicated that Zone 2 was responsive to P. There appeared to be a slight increase in yield to P. This was indicated visually during the season, though the difference was thought to be greater and unlikely to be significant. Most importantly, this demonstration has highlighted that you don’t need to invest heavily to practice PA and VR. The farmer identified 80-90% of the variation with the help of other tools. Those tools will prove very important when the zones as less pronounced or in paddocks that have been recently acquired.

• VBHT805 is an inidazolinone tolerant barley variety in the final stages of evaluation and commercialisation.
• VBHT805 could be a useful tool for managing Group B soil residual herbicide carryover for improved grass weed control in intensive cereal rotations.

• Yield of PBA Ace and PBA Jumbo2 (the only two imidazilinone or IMI-sensitive varieties evaluated) was reduced by 70%–80% from applying imazethapyr.
• PBA Hurricane XT and PBA Herald XT are the only current commercial IMI-tolerant varieties. PBA Hurricane XT is better adapted, producing more dry matter and grain yield than PBA Herald XT in southern NSW.
• CIPAL1422 is a promising advanced Coordinated Improvement Program for Australian Lentils (CIPAL) breeding line with high grain yield. It is very IMI-tolerant, and tall and bulky with late maturity.
• Advanced breeding lines are equal to, or better than, PBA Ace and PBA Jumbo2 in southern NSW. They bring additional features such as herbicide tolerance, extra bulk and height, and a wider range of maturity.
• IMI herbicide tolerance will expand weed-control options in lentil, which is a poorly competitive crop with a limited number of registered herbicides.
• These new varieties, coupled with new technologies, demonstrate considerable potential for expanding lentils across the better class of acidic, red-brown soils of southern NSW

• The trial was sown into dry soil on the 11th May. This trial was indicative of many lupin crops within the West Midlands region in 2010, with establishment and weed control issues. Establishment was inconsistent across the trial site with seasonal conditions, non-wetting soil and rhizoctonia root rot contributing to uneven plant numbers and poor growth within some plots. Herbicide management of weeds, particularly ryegrass, was less effective than expected, resulting in high weed burdens, especially in plots with poor lupin establishment.
• Anthracnose was introduced into plots 4 weeks after sowing but warm dry weather following introduction of infection and long dry spells during the growing season reduced disease development.
• Disease assessments at crop maturity indicated that despite high levels of inoculum being introduced only low levels of disease were present within the trial and differences between varieties were not statistically significant. Approximately 10% of the moderately susceptible Jenabillup plants suffered stem infection, the resistant variety Tanjil and resistant breeding lines had between 2-4% of plants with stem infection. Pod infection levels were low across the trial due to dry weather during podding.
• Due to uneven establishment, variable soil moisture, root disease and weed burden, individual plot yields varied from 0.5 t/ha to 2 t/ha across the site (average 1.4 t/ha), however neither variety nor anthracnose infection significantly affected yield.
• In seasons with good rainfall, anthracnose can be a yield constraint for lupin production in the high-medium rainfall regions of the northern agricultural region (particularly in areas with abundant blue lupins); the anthracnose resistance in current advanced breeding lines will reduce disease development and yield loss.

• A medium level of common root rot infection reduced the yield of LRPB Gauntlet by 11% with a high level of infection resulting in 20% yield loss.
• Crown rot infection had around double the impact on yield loss with a medium level of inoculum reducing yield by 23% and a high level of crown rot infection resulting in 41% yield loss.
• Combined infection with both pathogens further exacerbated yield loss which equated to 31% and 52% with a medium or high level of inoculum of both pathogens, respectively.