• Early sown, long season material did very well in 2018 considering the season (Growing Season Rainfall was one of the lowest on record).
• More options are available to growers who have the opportunity to sow wheat to coincide with earlier rain and the need to start earlier due to a large cropping program.
• The trial is planned to run again in 2019 with the aim to test earlier sowing dates than 2018. 

• Airborne map images available are generally full colour, four band CIR (Colour Infrared), or manipulations of the CIR spectrums such as NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetative Index) or SVI (Standard Vegetation Index), and can provide good information about crop growth and health.
• All these images are available in digital format from an increasing range of suppliers of precision agriculture services.

• The 2016 trial results looking at cultural control techniques on barley grass largely confirmed the 2015 findings.
• Increasing the seeding rate of barley in the presence of barley grass can provide substantial benefits to both yield and reduced weed seed carry-over. This applies particularly to competitive varieties such as Fathom, but also to less competitive varieties such as Hindmarsh.
• In contrast, doubling the seeding rate of wheat had no beneficial effect on yield or weed carry-over.
• Doubling the district practice seeding rate in barley substantially reduced the competitive effect of barley grass to the stage where crop yields were similar to those check plots where herbicide was appliedD.
• uring the trials, barley has consistently outperformed wheat in its ability to compete with barley grass, particularly when sown at high seeding rates.

• Burning or cultivating 2015 stubbles tended to produce higher yields, however this was only significant at Ungarie.
• High rainfall and a soft finish removed the benefit of stored soil moisture that stubble retained systems may have provided.
• Nitrogen was the limiting factor for both yield and protein for 2016.
• Growers cannot let stubble negatively impact on weed control and timely sowing.
• Growers should use crop rotation to their advantage by aiming to sow the right crop into the least antagonistic stubble.
• Stubble retained systems can require more nitrogen due to increased nitrogen tie-up.

• Growing conditions in 2016 were very wet and mild, with rainfall from May to September one of the wettest on record. Growing season rainfall was well above average with 491mm recorded at the site.
• The conditions in 2016 did not favour the expression of crown rot, with only minimal disease observed. As a result there were no significant interactions between any of the seed treatments in this trial.
• Durum wheat is more susceptible to crown rot than barley. The durum wheat variety Aurora was used in this trial and was out-performed by the barley variety LaTrobe, yielding significantly lower.
• At tillering, the NDVI of treatments not infected by crown rot were significantly higher than those infected by crown rot. At flowering there was no significant difference in NDVI between any treatment

• Although not statistically validated a trend of either higher or lower NDVI’s in the centre of the tram tracks was observed on 7 of the 14 farms investigated.
• The trend to wider header fronts makes the practicalities of redistributing residue evenly back across the width of the header all the more difficult and may accelerate any rate of change in crop performance.
• In the short term CTF producers should target even redistribution of crop residue across header
  widths
• Further work is needed and the author would welcome collaboration from others in helping to design a future experiment and statistical analysis.

• After 18 years there was no standout rotation, in terms of profitability, in any given season. All  rotations had their pros and cons in both wet and dry years. Therefore having a mix
  of rotations and doing things on time is a recipe for a resilient business.
• The most profitable rotation for the duration of the trial was the continuous cropping rotation, which included two wheat crops followed by a pulse crop in a no-till system. The addition of the pulse crop every third year was beneficial, especially for adding extra nitrogen, however added issues such as broadleaf weed blowouts with weeds like fumitory.

• In 2017, don’t let stubble compromise the big things (weeds, disease, timeliness).

In this paper, a simple, robust method for quantitatively mapping fPV, fNPV and fBS across the Australian tropical savanna region was deveoped.

• Light interception at midday was significantly higher under east-west sowing compared with north-south.
• It is plausible that sowing direction may influence weed seed set.
• To establish a competitive crop against weeds and maximise yields, growers should aim for the
  narrowest row spacing to suit their system.

Problems potentially identified by maps include:

• nutrient deficiencies,
• in crop weeds, and 
• root disease.

At a basic level, simply overlaying in season aerial photography with yield data can provide some insight into
potential problems:

• If yield deficiencies correlate with high growth areas, then weeds could be the issue.
• Root diseases can show patterns of growth that are particular to that problem.
• With aerial photography or  a NDVI, it may be possible to see colour differences that may indicate areas of nutrient deficiency and ground truth work is crucial to confirm suspicions.

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

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

• Growing conditions in 2016 were very wet and mild, with rainfall from May to September one of
  the wettest on record.
• Growing season rainfall was well above average with 525mm recorded for Rankins Springs and
  532mm for Hillston. There was some waterlogging at the Rankins Springs site due to flooding, which impacted on yield.
• Durum wheat varieties did not perform as well in 2016 at both Rankins Springs and Hillston. 
• Lodging was observed at the dryland site at Rankins Springs, with barley varieties the worst for
  lodging. Compared to 2015, lodging at the irrigated site at Hillston was not as widespread with only a few varieties having lodging scores greater than 5.
• Given the 2016 season, which strongly favoured the performance of longer season varieties, it is important to look at variety performance of this trial, alongside long term NVT results.

• The nitrogen status of the sites was captured prior to the treatments being implemented as a baseline for the nitrogen impact of the treatments in the second year crop.
• The groundcover impact of each of the treatments has been assessed in December 2015 and February 2016.
• The data already indicates that a number of the treatment will not be viable as they resulted in a less than 50 % groundcover which will increase the risk of erosion of Mallee sand to an unacceptable level.
• At this stage the only viable options that reduce chemical usage are the cutting for hay and the use of a blade plough to terminate the crop and associated weeds.

• Break crops faced a range of tough environmental conditions in the Mallee in 2015 including multiple frost and heat shock events.
• Timely rainfall in April and hence early sowing resulted in excellent biomass production with most crop options producing on average more than 2 t DM/ha and several break crop options producing greater than 2.5 t DM/ha.
• The highest grain yields tended to be crops with the quickest maturity such as lentils (0.73 t/ha), vetch (0.64 t/ha) and field peas (0.63 t/ha).
• High value crops such as lentils and vetch were highly profitable due to both excellent prices and reasonable grain yields.

• Stubble height did not affect fallow efficiency at Weethallee following the 2013 or 2014 harvests.
• Stubble height during the 2014 fallow did not impact on 2015 crop yields.
• Leaving higher stubbles may reduce harvest cost but may also cause issues during fallow sprays and sowing. Individual producers need to target a stubble height that best suits their equipment and techniquies.

• CWFS regional site trials during 2013 and 2014 suggest stubble loads greater than 3 t/ha can limit yield.
• “No till with no stubble is no good” on hard setting red brown soil types. The delimma is that the annual incorporation of stubble just prior to sowing by cultivation or removal by burning would result in the loss of signifigant long term benefits to soil health.
• “If you do not measure it you cannot manage it!” Field measurements of stubble are the starting point for deciding what to do.
• Options to manage stubble loads above 3t/ha need to be made seasonally. Good planning may allow other agronomic and farm efficiency outcomes to be achieved at the same time.

• From reports received it appears that the area of cultivated fallow has generally increased by 20 to 30% this summer. Specific district increases are reported below.
• Different motivations for cultivating fallow are reported from different districts but generally relate to either; weed management, physical soil condition issues or ending or starting a pasture phase. Producers ability to sow into current stubble loadings was not a major driver of cultivation.
• Cheaper diesel was not a major driver for cultivation but it appears to have made the decision to cultivate easier.
• Producers will burn to reduce stubble loads for sowing if needed.
• Farmers generally reported higher cultivation activity than crop consultants.

• Although not statistically validated a trend of either higher or lower NDVI’s in the centre of the tram tracks was observed on 7 of the 14 farms investigated.
• The trend to wider header fronts makes the practicalities of redistributing residue evenly back across the width of the header all the more difficult and may accelerate any rate of change in crop performance.
• In the short term CTF producers should target even redistribution of crop residue across header widths
• Further work is needed and the author would welcome collaboration from others in helping to design a future experiment and statistical analysis.

• For the first time sheep grazing behaviour in a Mallee paddock was monitored and mapped using GPS tracking collars.
• Sheep grazed the entire stubble paddock as they sought out spilt grain during the summer fallow, but they preferred to graze on sandy soil types first.
• While grazing a vetch pasture in the same paddock, livestock spent 50% of the time grazing only 25% of the paddock and 25% of the paddock was not utilised.

• No till treatments, for all rotations, were slightly higher yielding than the conventional tillage
  treatments for wheat. The yield of peas, in rotation 2, was very low in this trial as a result of
  the season and Sakura damage.
• Rotations including a fallow, such as the WFW treatment, had lower weed numbers compared
  to continuous cropped rotations. The continuous wheat rotation, both conventional and no till
  treatments, had a large number of ryegrass, even with Sakura.
• Profit and income for 2015 was highest in the no till wheat/ley/fallow/wheat rotation, and lowest in Rotation 2.
• 17 years of no till wheat on wheat is still second for profitability.

• Moderate to high mouse abundance in some Yorke Peninsula, Adelaide Plains, parts of Eyre Peninsula and Macalister.
• Low mouse abundance elsewhere in South Australia and Queensland, and low across Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
• The National Mouse Census Week is set for 13=19 April 2015.

• We are working hard on upgrading models for predicting mouse plagues. MouseAlert information is vital for these improvements.
• Use MouseAlert to report activity and damage: it can be downloaded from http://itunes.apple.com.au/app/id9754-7187 or via computer at www.mousealert.org.au
•  

• Contrasting canola yields were observed at two sites in 2015 highlighting both the potential and the risks of growing canola in the southern Australian low rainfall zone.
• Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crop’s development produced the highest grain yields.
• Purchasing hybrid canola instead of using farmer retained open pollinated canola provided no advantage in 2015.

• An east-west (E-W) sowing direction increased yield over northsouth (N-S) sowing direction in an average season.
• The results showed a decline in yield due to weed competition, but no effect on weed competition due to row direction. So sowing in an E-W direction may give a yield benefit with no difference in weed seed set.
• The wider row spacing of 30 cm resulted in a yield reduction and greater weed biomass at harvest.
• There were no differences in yield with ribbon seeding with either 18 or 30 cm row spacings, but ribbon seeding reduced ‘weed’ biomass.

• The seasonal conditions experienced during these trials had a profound impact on the trial results.
• During 2015 stubble treatments imposed late in fallow had no impact on N response.
• Similar to 2014, during 2015 generally farmers were unable to predict final yield before sowing when the season experienced extreme weather conditions.
• During 2015 split N applications did not improve yields and had only a very minor impact on grain quality.
• During 2015 split N applications was not a way to reduce financial risk as opposed to all N fertiliser upfront since crop outlook at Z30 was positive.

• During 2015 stubble treatments involving late burning or cultivation resulted in significantly different yields in wheat and barley in 2 of 3 trials conducted at Tottenham, Weethalle, and Mumbil Creek.
• The stubble treatments had no effect on cultivar rankings or grain quality at any site.
• The effects of stubble treatments observed during 2015 were similar to the effects observed during similar trials in 2013 and 2014. The trend emerging is best summarised: “Cultivation late in fallow to reduce stubble loads for sowing is the most likely option to reduce yield unless it resolves a physical soil constraint such as compaction or established hard to kill weeds. Burning late in fallow to reduce stubble loads for sowing is unlikely to significantly improve yields compared to sowing into district typical standing stubbles. Burning may be a good last minute option where despite good planning, stubble is still interfering with sowing.”

• 18 cm (7”) systems showed better plant establishment in a drier seeding than the 30 cm (12”) system.
• Higher seeding rates resulted in higher grain yield but also higher screenings and lower protein.
• Grass weeds were lower in the higher seeding rate and in the 18 cm row spacing indicating crop competition is a non-chemical weed reduction method.
• Single row or spread row seeding boots showed little differences in plant establishment, grain yield and quality or grass weed competition.

• Soil acidification is a natural process accelerated by high crop yields, fertilizer use and potentially direct drilling and stubble retention. It is an unseen cost of doing business.
• To maintain a good soil pH profile producers should aim for a pH(CaCl) above 5.0 in the 0-10cm of topsoil or 5.5 if subsoil acidity issues are present. The target in the 10-30cm zone is greater than pH (CaCl) 4.8.
• Retesting during 2015 of historic soil pH datasets confirms soil profiles continue to acidify.
• Left unmanaged sub soil acidification is likely to occur in most Central West NSW soils.
• Liming needs to be thought of as a farm input, like checking and changing the oil in the tractor, (maintaining capital) rather than buying urea (dollars returned per dollar invested).
• Cost in managing soil pH are easier to quantify than returns.

Early sowing is essential in order to maximise yield of wheat crops grown on long (18 month) fallow. Long fallowing and early sowing are complementary practices, as the fallow reduces weeds and diseases which can be difficult to control in early sown crops, and early sowing with slow developing cultivars allows the crop to better use soil water that is stored during the fallow. Stored soil water also helps to establish early sown crops when there is minimal autumn rainfall. This fact sheet outlines how farmers can maximise wheat yield on long fallow by sowing early with slow developing cultivars, and is based on two years of GRDC funded research conducted by AgGrow Agronomy, CWFS and CSIRO in western NSW.

• Treatment 1, Nil grazed, moderate stubble yielded the highest, (2.18 t/ha).
• No significant difference in Total Plant Available Water, majority of stored water was below the 50 cm depth.
• There was a significant difference between the eight treatments when comparing available soil nitrogen.
• There was a significant difference in grain quality attributes between the eight stubble treatments.

• Yields were significantly higher under narrow row spacing, but sowing direction had no influence on yield.
• Weeds had a significant effect on yield, but the scale of yield penalty (t/ha yield loss) did not alter with row spacing or sowing direction in 2015.
• Weeds established faster where row spacings were wider, however by late tillering, all treatments had similar weed numbers and biomass levels.

• “The correlation between returns and nitrogen rates shows that applying nitrogen fertiliser can provide good value in wheat in responsive situations,” said Mr Walker.
• He said advisers examining the combined data should consider the nitrogen rates generally used in their region.
• Mr Walker encouraged advisers to base their nitrogen recommendations on sound information.

Soil acidity is affecting grain yield. 2014 sampling of "new" sites identified that acidification significant enough to impact upon grain yield was evident at 5 out of the 6 sites. The 1 site that did not display acidification had been subjected to a liming program. Sub surface acidification was evident at 2 out of the 6 sites.

• Soil acidity is affecting grain yield. 2014 sampling of historic sites identified decline in pH at all sites except for Nyngan where the site had been returned to perrenial native pastures > 5 years.
• Evidence of sub surface soil acidification was displayed at 3 out of the 5 historic sites.

Soil acitidy is affecting grain yield. 2014 investigation of a farmer led onfarm lime trial clearly identified the benefits of applying agricultural lime. The farmer applied 3 rates of lime and left 2 control strips. Both limed and control strips were soil cored and the pH within the soil profile was identified at depth for 5 individual sections. Results demonstrated that where the maximum rate of lime was applied, the soil pH within the profile was appropriate for plant growth. Where no lime was applied soil pH was significant enough to impact upon plant growth. Biomass cuts taken at Anthesis, from both the limed and control strips, showed a correlation between soil pH and plant growth. Grain samples taken from both the limed and control strips prior to harvest also showed a correlation between grain yield and soil pH. Where soil pH was above 5.5 plant growth and yeild was highest.

• Crop sequence experimentation undertaken in Central West NSW in 2011 and 2012, has demonstrated that crop sequences which include a brassica or legume break crops can be as profitable as, and in many instances more profitable than, continuous wheat.
• Growing pulses for hay was found to provide high quality feed as good as from cereals but hay from canola was less nutritious. However, canola hay provided an alternative option in cases where a possible crop failure is likely due to adverse weather.
• Growing pulses for hay was found to be profitable across a range of season types, achieves excellent grass weed control and provides greater N inputs and higher carry-over of soil water than when the same crop is grown for grain.

Growers view should financially compare the economic impact of both establishment systems over the whole farm, across several years. Account for the differences in grain production and also consider:
• The elite farm that has 100% of pastures successfully established with lucerne;
Versus;
• The farm using cover-cropping methods usually has only 20% of pastures with lucerne and the other 80% of the farm’s pastoral area is composed is mostly annual crop weeds because the lucerne failed to establish.

Pasture improvement in the western wheatbelt has the potential to be very profitable practice. The level of
financial success from pasture improvement is strongly correlated to a farmer’s agronomic and livestock
husbandry skills. It is advisable to take the time to develop:
• A physical plan, to improve pastures and livestock, with the assistance of your District Agronomist and
Livestock Officer;
• Gross margin budgets for sowing the pasture and the livestock enterprise, with the assistance of your
District Agronomist and Livestock Officer;
• An incisive whole farm budget, to produce an economic picture that extends over a 5 year period, with the assistance of your accountant.

• Nitrous oxide losses following rainfall from a wheat crop sown into vetch stubble that was terminated in various ways in the previous year were low: ~ 1.5 g N/ha/day or less.

• 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.

The risk of stem frost damage can be minimised by using winter wheats if sowing prior to 20 April. Spring wheats should be kept within 5-7 days of their optimal sow date. If appropriate, risk of BYDV should be managed by backing up imidacloprid seed dressing with foliar insecticides at the start of tillering if aphids are present. New winter wheat cultivars are in the pipeline and are likely to have significant yield advantages over current ageing material.

These trials demonstrate that certain crop species and cultivars such as barley, oats and grazing wheat, can
suppress weeds effectively at standard establishment rates. This may be due to their ability to compete
effectively with weeds for valuable resources, or their potential to exhibit allelopathic effects associated either
with the crop or remaining residues following harvest.

• No till treatments have been higher yielding and more profitable in continuous cropping rotations. Cultivation has increased yield and profit in 18 month fallow rotations.
• Two cereals followed by a break crop of either fieldpeas or canola no till has been the most profitable rotation. Interestingly 16 years continuous wheat has not been too far behind.
• Weed spectrum and numbers have changed dramatically within rotations and tillage methods. Interestingly no till treatments have hosted less weeds than cultivated treatments.
• One year of no pre emergent herbicide has taken the trial back 6 years and allowed large numbers of ryegrass to again become established and set seed.

Apart from the groups continuing to roll out the results of this project there will be further development in two main areas:

• THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIMPLE TOOL FOR FARMERS AND CONSULTANTS TO USE WITH THEIR OWN FIGURES TO ASSESS VARIOUS DECISIONS,.AND
• THE FURTHER APPLICATION, WITH CSIRO TO USE THE TOOL TO ASSESS RESEARCH RESULTS IN TERMS OF THEIR IMPACT ON PROFIT AND RISK ON FARM”.

• In year 1 of this experiment, we demonstrated that genetically diverse wheat cultivars performed differently in two locations with varying rainfall patterns. Significant differences in crop biomass, LAI, weed count and biomass between  cultivars was also location dependent. These results show that although weed suppression in wheat is influenced by genotype, the genotypic response in wheat is clearly influenced by environmental factors as well, when it comes to growth, yield and weed suppression. However, certain cultivars were excellent performers in both locations in terms of weed suppression and crop yields and these included Espada and Condo and to a lesser extent Janz. Additional results will be obtained from metabolomic analyses to evaluate both primary and secondary biosynthetic pathways operational in crop genotypes and to determine if these pathways influence weed suppression in either location over time. The role of hydroxamic acids in weed suppression will be further examined in detail through targeted metabolic profiling in both soils and plant tissue. Additional field experiments will be repeated over the next 3 years to determine impacts of year and location upon wheat cultivar performance and weed suppression.

Allowing ewes access to some of the dual-purpose wheat sown on a mixed farm can increase gross margins
from the sheep operation by increasing stocking rates and the amount of lamb and wool produced and reducing supplementary feeding requirements.

Slow pasture growth rates during winter limit the potential gross margins from autumn and early winter
lambing in southern New South Wales (NSW) by limiting stocking rates and/or increasing supplementary feed
requirements. Dual-purpose crops can reduce the winter feed gap in mixed-farming systems by increasing
the available feed in winter. The simulation software AusFarm was used to model a mixed-farming system
at Wagga Wagga with Merino ewes joined to terminal sires and grazing lucerne-subterranean clover pasture
over a 41-year period. A paddock of dualpurpose wheat was then added to the system, and ewes were
allowed to graze the wheat crop when feed on offer reached 850 kg DM/ha and before GS31.

• Moderate mouse abundance in some small pockets of north-west Victoria.
• Low mouse abundance in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.