• Capital value improvement of $61,000 by using the stripper front.
• The cost per rotor hour of the machine increased as the capital cost went up and the number of hours decreased.
• There was a 24% reduction in fuel usage and a 16% reduction in labour costs.
• Harvest was completed on average two to three days faster with a stripper front.

• Capital value improvement of $61,000 by using the stripper front.
• The cost per rotor hour of the machine increased as the capital cost went up and the number of hours decreased.
• There was a 24% reduction in fuel usage and a 16% reduction in labour costs.
• Harvest was completed on average two to three days faster with a stripper front.

• N applications at flowering in 2012 increased grain protein (%) in barley and improved grain quality, but were not economically viable. In the Wimmera, 20kg N/ha/t grain at flowering time increased grain protein by 1% in wheat.
• Applying UAN late (GS65) in wheat did not increase grain protein and resulted in no economic returns.

• 1995 wheat grown on a 1994 canola a chickpea stubble yielded similarly.
• From agronomic measurements taken the wheat grown on the canola stubble had a potential to yield 15% greater than that on the chickpea stubble; however, this did not eventuate.
• From one year results, wheat grown on a disease free paddock with an immediate history of either chickpeas and/or canola will yield comparably.

The choice of most suitable canola variety for any situation will often follow consideration of maturity, herbicide tolerance, blackleg resistance and eraly vigour together with relative yield and oil content.

• Canola is best sown shallow (1-2cm) on hard setting and crusting soils.
• On lighter soils or better structured soils canola can be sown a bit deepter (5-8cm) if there is more moisture at this depth.

Losses underneath the comb for the direct harvesting was 0.32 t/ha.

• Canola can produce excellent quality hay (and silage).
• Cutting at late flowering is a good compromise between quality and quantity.
• Cutting after late flowering reduced hay quality but had little effect on hay quantity.
• The hybrid IT varieties produced higher hay and grain yield than the triazine tolerant varieties.
• The option of hay reduces the risk of growing canola and enables the rotational benefits (weed control, disease break) of canola to be achieved at a lower financial risk.

• Limited results are available from 2006 due to the dry season.
• Only limited seed is available for many of the new canola varieties.
• Review available data and always try new varieties in conjunction with proven varieties.
• Plant back residues may be an issue – check the labels!
• Match cultivar selection to available soil moisture and the break of the season.
• 14 new varieties are expected to be released in 2007 in Victoria.

The 2009 season was one we would like to forget, with decile 1 growing season rainfall for nearly all grain growing regions in Victoria. Despite the season, crops in many areas looked excellent, but those without stored subsoil moisture at sowing struggled considerably with no effective rainfall in spring. Oil contents were highly variable, and generally low. Frosts on 23 October and 17 November wiped off about one-third of the crop in the Western District

Growing canola successfull requires that:

• suphur levels are optimum
• zinc levels are adequate
• P levels are adequate
• N levels are optimum

• Selecting mid-fast hybrid varieties with flexible phenology in the Wimmera is a good risk management option, which also has yield potential when seasonal conditions are favourable.
• Fast hybrids have performed well but avoid the temptation to plant these early if an early break eventuates.
• Selecting slow developing varieties comes with added risk of requiring a germinating rain in the first week of April or earlier.
• The best return on investment in nitrogen comes with application to hybrids that flower at the optimum time for the environment.

• 16 new varieties/hybrids will be marketed in 2006. ƒ
• Limited yield results are available to date – check NVT database and produce summaries for your areas. ƒ
• Review long term data and try new varieties in conjunction with proven varieties. ƒ
• Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has the potential to offer grain growers an alternative market for their oil-based grains. ƒ
• GM crops have had significant global economic and environmental impact but have been effectively on-hold in the short term in Australia due to the moratoriums imposed by state governments. ƒ

The safest way of sowing canola is with the fertiliser down the same tube.

• The late sown crops (in July) were extremely poor and were not harvested.
• The optimum sowing time for the 1996 season was early May.
• There was no significant difference in yield between karoo and Narendra on the same sowing date.

• In the southern Mallee canola is best sown from mid May onwards (earlier sowing can lead to problems with frost.
• Sowing in July is too late.

The canola varieties tested did not significantly differ in yield.

• Garnet, Hyola 50 and 44Y84 yielded significantly better than the site mean (2.4t.ha).
• Quality was exceptionally high in all varieties.
• Average yields of Triazine Tolerant (TT) varieties were similar to the Roundup Read (RR), Imi-tolerant (IT) and conventional varieties in 2010.

• Crusher (TT), Garnet (conv), 44Y84 (IT) and Hyola 505 (RR) yielded significantly better than the site mean (2.20t/ha).
• Oil (%) was above 42% in all varieties.
• The best yielding of the triazine tolerant (TT) varieties were equal to the best of the other herbicide groups
• Of the Clearfield tolerant (IT) varieties, hybrids (44Y84 and 45Y82) yielded 14% higher than conventional open pollinated varieties (44C79 and 43C80).

Note: blackleg resistance ratings shown are for 2007, and ranked from 1.0 to 9.0. Varieties with ratings of 3-4.5 are moderately susceptible; 5-5.5 are moderately resistant; 6.0-7.0 are resistant and 7.5-9.0 are highly resistant. Check the Victorian Winter Crop Summary for 2008 ratings.

Try new varieties in conjunction with proven varieties on smaller areas.

Hybrid varieties (44Y84CL, 44Y24RR, Hyola® 555TT) topped the yields at the Mallee sites, particularly on deep red Mallee sand. The shorter season varieties (ATR Stingray, IH30 and GT41) were not able to capitalise on the spring rainfall as well as later maturing varieties. New RoundUp Ready and Triazine Tolerant canola variety Hyola®525RT® was not a yield record breaker, but the technology is very exciting. Expect more varieties to be released with greater yield potential in the near future.

Results are provided in the attached report.

• Limited results available from 2002 due to the drought .
• Review long term data and try new varieties in conjunction with proven varieties.
• Five new varieties will be marketed in 2003.

• Limited results will be available from 2004 due to the dry season.
• Review long term data, and try new varieties in conjunction with proven varieties.
• Six new varieties will be marketed in Victoria in 2005. 2004 was a difficult season for most.
• The hot dry weather during flowering and pod filling periods reduced yields and oil contents. Frost was also an issue to farmers in the Wimmera.
• Given the season there will be limited results available, and as always we recommend that new varieties are chosen in conjunction with proven varieties.

The attached comments may assist in selecting canola varieties for the Wimmera. Variety choice should not be made solely on 2002 performance. Refer to DPI variety summaries for further information.

• Frost and mouse damage was severe in the plots.
• The crops were sown early and the frost occurred just as the grain was starting to form in the pods.
• Mice were active in the plots until bait was put out.

The short season regular (non TT) canola varieties yielded the best at the Birchip and Sea lake sites.

The short season regular (non TT) canola varieties yielded the best at the Birchip and Sea Lake sites.

See attached report for further details.

The highest yielding wheat overall was Meering at Charlton.

The highest yielding wheat overall was Meering at Charlton.

The highest yielding wheat overall was Meering at Charlton.

No tested barley cultivars suffered yield losses under Cadence WG or Diuron/MCPA in 2010, but a narrow safety margin exists for Baudin, SloopSA, SloopVic and Vlamingh in response to these two treatments.

• Wheat on wheat can be successfuly grown with relatively low risk if all factors that influence diease are considered.
• The most important are: disease carry over, variety selection, sowing time, seed treatment and burning stubbles.
• Barley on wheat is less of a problem, except for self-sown wheat in the barley sample.

• Wheat on wheat can be successfuly grown with relatively low risk if all factors that influence diease are considered.
• The most important are: disease carry over, variety selection, sowing time, seed treatment and burning stubbles.
• Barley on wheat is less of a problem, except for self-sown wheat in the barley sample.

On-Duty residues may affect the performance of subsequent susceptible crops. Cereals are considered a safe crop option following Clearfield canola as long as the On-Duty has been applied prior to the end of August and that rainfall between spraying and sowing the next winter crop has been at least 250mm.

There was no forage production response to fertiliser nitrogen (N) at Yanac in 2012; a low rainfall, decile 1 season. District experience, however, has seen forage production respond to fertiliser N in better rainfall seasons. Consider the risk associated with the application of fertiliser on pastures. What is the likelihood of achieving a paying response from this investment? Ensure forage is meeting the nutritional requirements of stock to realise genetic potential for growth and production.

Root diseases such as 'Take all', cereal cyst nematode, and Rhizoctonia cost cereal farmers acorss the Mallee and the Wimmera millions or dollars each year.

Grain legumes are ideally suited for direct drilling into cereal stubble. Cereal stubble does not affect grain legume growth or yield. The legume's large seed size and tolerance to variations in sowing depth allows them to safely emerge through stubble. Stubble should be left on the soil surface. Attempts to break up and bury it with repeated harrowing and workings will damage the soil structure, negating any benefit from retaining it.

• Grazed crops showed no effects from grazing in 2016 – an excellent season producing high early biomass. Crops recovered and yielded very well.
• Trojan and LRPB Arrow were the best dual purpose wheat varieties.
• Fathom, Spartacus and Rosalind were the best dual purpose barley varieties.

The highest yielding wheat overall was Janz at Charlton at 3.72t/ha.

The highest yielding wheat overall was Janz at Charlton at 3.72t/ha.

The highest yielding wheat overall was Janz at Charlton at 3.72t/ha.

In this demonstration at Birchip, Yitpi and Krichauff were the highest yielding wheat varieties (3.28 and 3.26 t/ha),.

• Resistance to Group B herbicides is common across western Victoria.
• Resistance to trifluralin is increasing.
• A new pre-emergent herbicides should become a fundamental part of an integrated weed management strategy to aid in control of multiple-resistant ryegrass.

Nitrogen fixation can be manged to maximise efficiency by following a few rules:

• only sow inoculated legumes into soils low in available N,
• inoculate legumes every time they are sown, and
• keep the rhizobia alive.

It is too early to tell whether chickpeas are as sensitive to simazine on clay soils as they demonstrated to be on a sandy soil in 1995.

• Resistant varieties will still produce excellent yields under high disease pressure and provide growers with a low risk alternative to grow chickpeas again.
• The resistant varieties Genesis 090 and Genesis 509 produce excellent yields under high disease pressure and provide growers with a low risk alternative to grow chickpeas again.

Large differences in yield existed between varieties and also in their tolerance to different herbicides.

• Lasseter chickpeas had the highest yield compared to Desavic and Tyson, which, in turn, were better than the Kabuli type, Kavina.
• There were no effects of the herbicides on yield.

No visual herbicide damage symptoms or yield effects were evident in 2008 wheat, barley, IT canola or lentil crops sown after the application of common herbicides to chickpeas in 2007.

There was a small but significatn yield penalty for desi chickpeas treated with P Pickle T compared to the nil treatement (the control).

A strong negative effect on crop yield was found with sowing chickpeas shallow even with light rates of Simazine and Triflualin.

• In 1997, due to dry conditions, there was little effect of Simazine and Trifluralin on chickpea yield.
• On lighter soils it is still advisable to sow chickpeas relatively deep (7-8cm) when using Trifluralin and Simazine for weed control.

The yields are too poor to properly assess the three different treatment times.

Chickpeas should be sown from early June in the Southern Mallee.

The optimum time for sowing Desavic chickpeas, for the 1996 season, was from early May to mid June.

In the Southern Mallee canola is best sown from mid may onwards (earlier sowing can lead to problems with frost). Sowing in July is too late.

• Chickpea production in Victoria will increase in 2006 due to the wide availability of the ascochyta blight resistant variety Genesis™ 090.
• This variety will provide a new small seeded high yielding kabuli chickpea option for growers, particularly those in traditional desi growing areas.
• Two new larger seeded kabulis, Almaz and Nafice, with moderate ascochyta blight resistance are good varieties for areas where Kaniva has been grown successfully.

• Chickpeas are again a valid crop option with a number of varieties with improved ascochyta blight resistance, high yields and good adaptation now available to growers.
• Variety selection must be based on ascochyta blight pressure, yield and marketing opportunities, and understanding that disease management is critical to success.

• Chickpea variety selection must be based on ascochyta blight pressure, yield and marketing opportunities.
• If considering early sowing, it is essential to select a variety with excellent ascochyta blight resistance or ensure an excellent disease management strategy is implemented. 

• Treat all chickpea seed with a fungicide seed dressing when preparing seed for sowing in 2011.
• All chickpea varieties require fungicide pod sprays to protect pods and seeds against ascochyta blight infection.

• Chickpea lines (kabuli and desi) with improved ascochyta blight resistance have been commercialised to Australian Agricultural Commodities by the Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
• These new varieties will require fewer fungicides applications to manage ascochyta blight disease and reduce risk.

Chickpea lines (kabuli and desi) with improved ascochyta blight resistance have been commercialised to Australian Agricultural Commodities by the Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment. These new varieties will require fewer fungicides applications to manage ascochyta blight disease and reduce risk.

• The first ascochyta blight resistant desi chickpea variety, Genesis 508™, is available to growers this year.
• A small-medium seeded kabuli variety, Genesis 090™, will be commercially available in 2006.
• Both varieties have been commercialised through Australian Agricultural Commodities (AAC).
• These varieties require fewer fungicide applications to manage ascochyta blight and much reduced risk.
• Each must be considered separately based on regional yield and quality.

1999 Mallee advanced chickpea yields ranged from 0.88 to 1.21 t/ha.

Fewer fungicides are needed by the new ascochyta blight resistant varieties than for the previous susceptible varieties.

When selecting a chickpea type and variety to grow, growers need to make their decision on the basis of AB resistance, yield, price, marketability and availability of likley target markets. Other agronomic traits such as susceptibility to cold, root lesion nematode susceptibility, maturity and lodging reisistance need to be considered also.

• The trial results were quite variable.
• The excellent yields obtained from the current kabuli varieties, Kaniva and Garnet, are noteworthy, but G846.2.6, the new kabuli resease from NSW stands out as the top yeilder.

The choice of vigorous, leafy, nutritious forage crops available for low to medium rainfall environments to supply nutritious green feed to sheep during the winter and spring months continues to expand. Forage cereal crops provide feed during winter; vetch is useful from late winter into spring and forage brassicas provide from late spring into summer. To help decide which forage to grow from the broad range available, first plan the time of greatest need (time of year, duration), intention to harvest silage, hay or grain and the rotational requirements of the paddock in which forage is to be planted.

Conventionaland TT canola and many pulse crops are very sensitive to traces of sulfonylurea (Glean, Logran or Ally) remaining in the boomspray (tank, hoses and filters). It is recommended to clean out the boomspray using the recommended procedures with bleach. However, if a sensitive crop (such as regular canola) is to be sprayed after using one of the SU herbicides then it is suggested to also clean the boomspray with an EC formulated herbicide or insecticide.

• DPI-Horsham are currently breeding Clearfield® tolerant Juncea canola varieties
• The Clearfield® tolerant varieties express a high level of tolerance to recommended rates of the imidazolinone herbicides.
• These Clearfield® tolerant varieties will most likely be commercially available in 2009.

The Clearfield production system for canola is conventionally bred canola sedd that is tolerant to imidazolinone herbicides, Group B.

Yield increases were the result of stripe rust control and the associated green leaf retention achieved with fungicide treatment.

You need to reduce the use of grass selective herbicides in pastures; however, if it is necessary to use grass selectives, make sure there is a 'mop-up' treatment later in the year to control resistant annual ryegrass and silvergrass.

The use of trifluralin as part of an integrated herbicide management program for the control of Group A resistant annual ryegrass populations has increased dramatically over the past decade. The requirement of incorporating Triflur 480 within 4 hours of application has imposed management issues during the busy sowing period, however, the advent of Crew (a slow release trifluralin formulation) offers greater management flexibility with an incorporation period of 24–48 hours.

• High sowing rates (120kg/ha) and narrow row spacing (17cm) had the highest yield in all wheat varieties tested.
• The results were repeatable over two dry seasons (1997 and 1998).

Increased use of grass selective herbicides in many farming systems has caused increased selection pressure for herbicide resistance in grass weed populations such as annual ryegrass and brome grass. Work conducted by Bill Roy (Agricultural Consulting & Research Services Pty Ltd, York) with GRDC support demonstrates that managing herbicide resistance requires a diversified approach using a number of different tools. Manipulating canopy through seeding rates and row spacing is one of the options being explored by the BCG.

Increased use of grass selective herbicides in many farming systems has caused increased selection pressure for herbicide resistance in grass weed populations such as annual ryegrass and brome grass. Work conducted by Bill Roy (Agricultural Consulting & Research Services Pty Ltd, York) with GRDC support demonstrates that managing herbicide resistance requires a diversified approach using a number of different tools. Manipulating canopy through seeding rates and row spacing is one of the options being explored by the BCG.

Barley was more competitive than wheat in reducing ryegrass numbers.

• The overall performance of Frame and Silverstar was much better than for Ouyen.
• In this very dry year, higher sowing rates at narrow row spacing gave the highest yields for Frame and Silverstar.
• Ouyen performed better at higher sowing rates at wider spacings.

• Variety: there was no difference between the yield of Digger and Northfield (0.56 vs 0.57 t/ha respectively)
• Row spacing: there was no significant difference in the yield of lentils sown at 18 cm (7") or 36 cm (14") (0.59 vs 0.54 t/ha respectively). However, the crop sown at 18cm (7") was much easier to harvest and stood up better.
• Sowing rate: there was a significant negative effect of sowing rate on yield - the 50kg sowing rate had the higher yield compared to the 100kg/ha sowing rate (0.62 vs 0.51 t/ha respectively).

• Conserving summer rain is one of the most effective ways of improving crop yield.
• Summer weeds have the biggest impact on how much summer rain is stored and made available to crops.
• The presence of stubble has never been shown to have a large positive effect on the storage of summer rain in southern Australia, but it might lengthen the sowing window after the break and improve establishment.

• Weeds have the biggest impact on summer water storage.
• Over the last two summers, the method of weed control had little effect on moisture storage
• Even under adequate growing season rainfall, weed control is necessary because weeds tie up and/or prevent significant amounts of nitrogen mineralizing, which cost 0.5t/ha of the canola yield.

Controlling summer weeds conserved both water and nitrogen and doubled wheat yields in 2011 on both sand and clay soil types. Retaining or removing stubble has only minor effects on wheat yield. Complete control of summer weeds pays, and there is no excuse for weedy paddocks during summer in the Wimmera and Mallee!

• Conserving summer rain is one of the most effective ways of improving crop yield.
• Summer weeds have the biggest impact on how much summer rain is stored and made available to crops.
• The presence of stubble has never been shown to have a large positive effect on the storage of summer rain in southern Australia, but it might lengthen the sowing window after the break and improve establishment.

• Conserving summer rain is one of the most effective ways of improving crop yield.
• Summer weeds have the biggest impact on how much summer rain is stored and made available to crops.
• The presence of stubble has never been shown to have a large positive effect on the storage of summer rain in southern Australia, but it might lengthen the sowing window after the break and improve establishment.

• Conserving summer rain is one of the most effective ways of improving crop yield.
• Summer weeds have the biggest impact on how much summer rain is stored and made available to crops.
• The presence of stubble has never been shown to have a large positive effect on the storage of summer rain in southern Australia, but it might lengthen the sowing window after the break and improve establishment.

• Conserving summer rain is one of the most effective ways of improving crop yield.
• Summer weeds have the biggest impact on how much summer rain is stored and made available to crops.
• The presence of stubble has never been shown to have a large positive effect on the storage of summer rain in southern Australia, but it might lengthen the sowing window after the break and improve establishment.

• Conserving summer rain is one of the most effective ways of improving crop yield.
• Summer weeds have the biggest impact on how much summer rain is stored and made available to crops.
• The presence of stubble has never been shown to have a large positive effect on the storage of summer rain in southern Australia, but it might lengthen the sowing window after the break and improve establishment.

• Historically, Australian farmers own the land they farm. Given that a large capital cost is associated with land purchase, businesses may seek non-ownership options.
• Alternatives to buying or selling agricultural land do exist.
• Leasing and share farming agreements are the most commonly utilised alternatives in Australia but still play a relatively minor role.

• Continuous wheat can be successfully grown.
• Stubble has been burnt to reduce the incidence of yellow leaf spot in the following crop.
• In most years the crop has been direct drilled.
• Disease levels are still low and the crop is checked at flowering every year for root diseases.
• Continuous wheat has been relativley low risk - after 7 years it has not failed (except for the drought year in 2002).
• Thus far there is no problem with grass weeds or soil borne diseases.

• Multiple machinery pass trafficking decreased crop yields for at least four years on a Loxton deep sand.
• Single pass machinery trafficking did not result in yield decreases at Loxton and rarely at any of the other trafficking soil types in this project.
• Most soils in the south-eastern Australian Low rainfall zone are not likely to remediate from compaction naturally.

• In the 2001 season there was no benefit from the application of an alphacypermethrin insecticide application to barley and lentil crops.
• The dry summer of 2000/2001 resulted in very few host plants for aphids and virus diseases and threshold levels for disease carry over potential were not reached.
• In wet summers with many host plants surviving it is possible that preventative spraying with alphacypermethrin could be worthwhile.

In the 2001 season there was no benefit from the application of an alphacypermethrin insecticide application to barley and lentil crops. The dry summer of 2000/2001 resulted in very few host plants for aphids and virus diseases and threshold levels for disease carry over potential were not reached. In wet summers with many host plants surviving it is possible that preventative spraying with alphacypermethrin could be worthwhile.