• Farming systems with greater reliance on livestock performed better than more cropping intensive systems over the last five years.
• The lower income and lower cost perennial pasture system was found to be the most profitable under the assumptions made.
• Dry conditions over the last five years have generally played havoc with the performance of cropping intensive systems, particularly the continuous cropping system.
• Because of this, we suggest that the results provide more guidance about the robustness of farming systems during extended dry conditions rather than average conditions so keenly sought.

• 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.

It must be noted that these results have not been statistically analysed, and due to the uneven nature of frost and hail damage, results must be viewed with caution.

It must be noted that these results have not been statistically analysed, and due to the uneven nature of frost and hail damage, results must be viewed with caution.

• An H45 crop affected by stripe rust was treated with Tilt. There was no significant difference between the yield of the sprayed and unsprayed sections.
• The crop was badly hit by frost and moisture stress in September and October.
• 2003 was not a typical year in the Parkes area, so the results from this demonstration should not be used until more work is carried out in more typical seasons.

• Malting: Consider Gairdner, Schooneer, Buloke, Baudin, and Fitzroy.
• Feed grain: Consider Tantangara, in western areas consider Tilga, in the northern part of the central west also consider Binalong, Mackay and Grout, in acid areas consider Tulla.

• The best yielding crops were undersown barley, at l t/ha, and wheat at 0.8 t/ha.
• Excel field peas were the only alternative crop to yield similar to wheat, but like all other alternative crops, its yield was statistically different from undersown barley.
• Wheat and undersown barley were the only trial entries to have positive gross margins.
• Kaspa field peas had the lowest gross margin in the alternative crops because of high seed costs

• This experiment demonstrated the benefits of long coleoptile wheats for deep sowing.
• While there was some reduction in yield with deep sowing, the reduction in yield is likely to be much greater with short coleoptile, semidwarf wheats.
• Fewer tillers arising from a reduced number of emerged seedlings will limit yield in most environments. However, fewer tillers combined with dry conditions after emergence benefited Janz and Hartog by slowing water use at Condobolin in 1999.

• In 2004, late sowing and dry spring conditions had a greater effect on canola yield than any disease or insects pests.
• Jockey seed treatment provided significant control of blackleg at Alectown. However, Jockey did not increase grain yield.
• No disease control benefits were recorded from Maxim® or Jockey canola seed treatments at Wirrinya, Gunning Gap or Red Bend.
• Maxim seed treatment resulted in a significant grain yield increase in canola at Alectown.
• Gaucho and Cosmos did not reduce earth mite damage to canola seedlings under very high populations at Red Bend. Other control measures are needed when earth mite populations are very high

• “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.

• Angel will tolerate residual levels of SU herbicides.
• Angel can be controlled to the same degree as Herald using a MCPA and Lontrel mix.

• Angel shows excellent tolerance to summer SU herbicide application.
• After using SU herbicides for summer weed control Angel can be grown with minimal effect on pasture productivity.

Urea is not a magic white powder. Other yield limiting factors must be addressed before the full benefit can be obtained from nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen applied must be balanced with the moisture availability and yield potential. The balancing act is more difficult when trying to achieve prime hard protein levels.

• 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.

For further information please refer to the Lentil growers guide: a guide for the production of lentils. JM Carter and MA Materne, Victorian Institute of Dryland Agriculture, Horsham, Victoria.

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 "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 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.

• 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.

• Barley trials have been conducted at many of the CWFS regional sites over the last three years.
• Barley is a valuable rotation crop as it is not susceptible to many wheat foliar diseases (yellow spot, stripe rust, septoria), suffers less yield loss from root diseases, and competes well with weeds.
• Schooner and Gairdner are the preferred malting varieties in central NSW. Schooner generally achieves better quality in the lower rainfall parts of the cropping belt

• When considering barley varieties, the candidates need to be accessed against the current district benchmark varieties.

• Widening row spacing reduced established plants per area for a given seeding rate.
• At a yield of 1.5 t/ha there was no yield difference between 19 and 42 plants/m2 or between 18 and 30 cm row spacing in 2008 • At a yield of 0.44 t/ha the low plant population (28/m2) yielded best in 2009
• In the Victorian Better Canola trial farmer-saved hybrid seed reduced crop uniformity (variable plant height), delayed maturity and increased blackleg infection

The laboratory results suggest that the inoculum load of the crown rot pathogen, which is normally stubble-borne, may be significantly reduced in the soil within 3-6 months of application of the control fungus to the stubble.

• 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.

• Trifluralin can provide useful control of low levels of brome and barley grass.
• No crop damage was observed this season from Metribuzin/Diuron mixes applied pre-sowing.

• My conclusion is that Conservation Farming practices are just as applicable in a marginal environment as in a more reliable one, perhaps more so. The trick here is to establish a blend of the existing knowledge (e.g. need to store moisture when possible, weed control, fertility management, sound pasture phase, timeliness of sowing, disease management), plus the newly available technology of seeders and herbicides that can continue to grow solid yielding, but importantly more profitable crops into the future.

• An early break that allows canola to be sown in April is the best option for farmers to grow canola in the rotation in low rainfall areas. Use it as an opportunity crop rather than trying to grow it each year. Mustard is an earlier flowering option and when canola quality mustard is available it may be able to be included more frequently than canola is now.
• Conventional canola cultivars, triazine tolerant cultivars and Clearfield canola are all suitable for low rainfall areas, but the conventional cultivars have the highest yield & oil content. The other cultivars have weed control advantages.

• Canola is an important part of my cropping rotation as it has been profitable in it's own right and provided benefits to following crops.
• However it requires a lot of water and nutrients to be successful, and when port prices fall below about $300/tonne I question taking the risks involved in growing canola.

• I firmly believe that canola is here to stay in the district. It is in many ways better suited to the
  environment than wheat.
• The frost risk from sowing early is much greater with wheat because it only flowers for a few days.
• Frosts at this time can devastate wheat crops.

These results highlight the potential for canola yields to be increased with extra P fertiliser rates above 20 kg P/ha. However, fertiliser research has indicated high rates of starter fertilisers such as MAP and DAP can have a negative impact on seedling germination due to fertiliser "burn".

• I see the value of canola in an intensive cropping system but I believe it is more profitable for me to grow wheat with a good pasture phase in the rotation to manage soil structure and nutrients.

• Edillilie crops show huge potential to recover from grazing and value add to cereals.
• Edillilie crops responded to late N application with higher DM production and grain yield.
• Barley was the highest producer of DM at Minnipa.
• Two other G&G regions conducted cereal grazing trials - see the "Sharing Info" section of this book.

• 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.

• Oats produced the most dry matter after repeated grazings.
• Manage timing of grazing to allow cereal recovery. • Establish as much bulk as possible in a cereal pasture by increasing.
• seeding rate and consider dry sowing.

Due to the lack of rainfall during spring, the resulting yields were very disappointing. Yields were too low to make any reasonable comparisons and consequently, the statistical analysis found no significant difference between treatments.

• Chickpea yields varied with variety, row spacing and seeding rate.
• Under the dry conditions of 2007, Genesis 509 sown at 35-45 seeds/m2 inn 44 cm or 66 cm row spacing’s performed best.

• Under the current dry conditions there is limited water in the subsoil which makes this project difficult.
• Soil sampling throughout the year on various paddocks showed plants using what little subsoil moisture was available.
• Since subsoils were not very wet, it is unlikely that the sodic nature of the subsoils was expressed.

• 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.

• There is a large variation in the performance of pastures in terms of stocking rate on the Eyre Peninsula.
• Improved pasture systems are achieving livestock carrying capacity well above district practice.
• High performing pastures have a role, even in a cropping dominated system.
• Use this survey to workout how you are performing.

• The extremely late break to the season highlighted maturity differences very clearly.
• Yield varied from 2.2 -4.0t/ha.
• Protein varied from 13.9% (Mitika, Echidna) to 15.7% (Quoll). Highlighting the potential for oats in a feedlot ration. Mitika has low lignin content (hull) and Quoll has medium lignin (hull) content.
• Screenings varied from 18.0% (Quoll) to 32.1 % (Potoroo). High values were because of the short growing season.
• The test weight varied from 47.6kg/hl (Potoroo) to 54.9kg/hl (Mortlock). Relatively low seed weights confirmed the short season trend shown by high protein and high screenings values.

• The extremely late break to the season highlighted maturity differences very clearly. 
• The long season trial was sown on the same day as the main season trial, favouring heavily the short season varieties.

• The extremely late break to the season highlighted maturity differences in pod mapping.
• The flowering period of late maturing varieties was cut short quite significantly. However there were not big yield differences overall.
• Yield varied from 2.0 - 2.7t/ha.
• The grain size varied from 18.6g/10Oseeds (Morgan) to 26.2g/10Oseeds (Moonlight).

• Many views exist as to whether continous cropping is sustainable.
• Results from a long term tillage trial at Condobolin indicate direct drilled crops are outperforming crops using tillage.
• Stubble retention compared to burning gives mixed results for yield, although more weed build up is evident with retained stubble.
• Wheat yields are higher when grown after peas than after wheat in succession.

Controlled traffic farming leaves permanent wheel tracks when growing crops. There are large savings in
costs, especially due to lower horsepower requirements, and also minimisation of compaction layer effects
on the crop. Machinery with different configurations and widths of wheel tracks presents one problem for
controlled traffic.

• In 2005 the Farming Systems Comparison Trial, the Core Site, came through its 8th season and has a further two years to complete the second, and final, rotation,
• A dry start to the growing season resulted in another late sow.
• The decision to refrain from sowing canola due to the late sowing date was repeated in 2005.
• For the first time since the initiation of the project we see a difference in the grain yields between farming systems.
• Projection of fleece weights suggests that fleece production may have approached performance of previous years.
• The perennial pasture was the highest profit making system based on crude estimates of gross margins.

• There is little difference between the three cropping systems in terms of grain yield and quality.
• The drought over recent years has particularly affected the livestock data.
• Differences between the systems prior to the drought no longer exist as the sheep have spent about half their time off the trial due to lack of feed.
• Other research across Australia is supporting the management issues of some farming systems that have been highlighted by this trial.

• The Tottenham area seemed to have the best season in the central west.
• The huge seasonal variation across the central west in 2003 overshadowed any other effects in the data.

Overall, the information shown in this report is only a very small portion of what is available from the crop monitoring program. 

• 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

It is our plans to work with each of the system leaders and refine their programs to improve the performance of their systems.
 

• 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.

The 1999 results highlight that Janz generally out yields Wollaroi. This is also supported by the findings of other trials.

• High yielding, water efficient DR1 durum was achieved in most of the 18 benchmarked fields.
• Grain protein, Hard Vitreous Kernels, Test weight, 1000 grain weight, falling numbers, semolina colour and semolina yield all fell within desirable limits.

• A good farming system will utilise two to three with varying maturities, to spread risk
• Sowing varieties inside their recommended window is essential and will maximise yield and reduce screenings. 
• Storing summer fallow moisture is the key to producing good yields in these short finishing seasons. 
• In the 2009 season, quick maturing varieties and earlier sowing dates produced the best yields across the region.

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.

• New pre-emergence herbicides provided effective control of annual ryegrass under both knife point and disc systems.
• Good crop safety was observed with preemergence herbicides under knife-points; however, herbicide damage was evident under discs and was due to shallow seeding depth.

• The later sown canola resulted in greatly reduced yields and lower oil contents.
• Aphid pressure was moderate from flowering to podding but no spray was applied.

• 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.

• Perennial pastures have allowed our stock to express their genetic potential even in dry years and to meaningfully measure their traits. However we hope that the introduced perennial grasses, as good as they are, will only be a short term measure until desirable native grass and forb species replace them.

• Although there was a very late break to the season, cooler conditions through September and
• October maintained good yields.
• Yield varied from 0.83 - 2.13t/ha. Yarrum, Kaspa and Parafield were the highest yielding varieties.
• There was no significant difference between seeding rates, except for 16 plants/m2 which yielded significantly less than the other seeding rates. There were not enough plants to compensate for yield in the short season.

• There was no significant difference in wheat yields following different pulse crops in 2004.
• The short season limited the potential differences being expressed.

Although there was a very late break to the season, cooler conditions through September and October
maintained good yields. There was a long period during flowering in October where no significant rainfall
fell. This limited yield potential and caused quite variable results. Annuello (at 3.0t/ha) (mid season
maturity), Whistler (at 3.0t/ha) (winter wheat) and Ventura (2.9t/ha) (short season maturity) were the highest
yielding varieties. While the long season varieties (like Rosella and Arrivato) were the lowest yielding

• The highest yielding pulse in 2003 at Euabalong was field peas, followed by lupins and then vetch.
• All pulse crop gross margins were negative, reflecting the cost of seed, the cost of herbicides and the effect of drought on grain production.

Further work will be done analysing results when the new CWFS Research Coordinator commences duty in May 2002.

• Selecting wheat varieties with stripe rust resistance (rating 7-8) is the most effective form of managing the disease, however the limited number of varieties with the combination of desirable agronomic traits and sufficient resistance will see the continued need for fungicide control strategies
• Yields of H45 (very susceptible to stripe rust) were maximised by keeping the crop free from disease until flag emergence and, most critically in high yielding situations, following up with a foliar fungicide.

• All crops emerged and established well in the early stages.
• Lentils and fieldpeas were very quick and uniform.
• Lupin emergence was staggered but were eventually very even.
• Narrow leafed lupins were severely damaged in all replicates by hares, which removed the central spike of every flowering plant.

Sumemr fallow efficiencies at these sites were generally found to be within the range of 20 to 30%.

• Benchmarking financial performance is an important way to improve a farm business. The FAST project has benchmarked over several years about 240 farms in total. They have come up with 11 indicators that can be used to assess performance. The indicators deal with business health or financial performance, income drivers and resource use.

• Reliance on chemicals as the only weed control option is difficult (almost impossible) in a run of dry years.
• This trial will cease at the end of 2004 (3 years too early to obtain meaningful results) unless other funding is found.
• The trial showed, in the 2003 season, that there was no yield penalty for waiting until rain for sowing, although grain protein was lower in these crops.

Feeding stock for survival during a drought is certain to be a financial loss. Feeding might not be the best strategy. However, if feeding is used, it needs to be planned and concentrate on increasing production.

It is important to remember what the primary objective of seeding equipment is. Some farmers have been disappointed in the overall performance of banding fertiliser due to poor seed placement.

• Significant grain yield responses to P fertiliser application occurred at the Goonumbla site.
• At Goonumbla, 25 kg P/ha significantly increased grain yield over 15 kg P/ha only when applied with starter N.
• Field peas proved very sensitive to heliothis damage at Gunning Gap and to harvest delays at Wirrinya.

• No significant yield response was recorded in either year.
• The trial site appeared to be badly affected by rhizoctonia root rot in 2000.

• No significant yield response was recorded in either year.
• The trial site appeared to be badly affected by rhizoctonia root rot in 2000.

• Stripe Rust (SR) caused yield losses in all but the highly resistant variety Sunstate (8) at most sites.
• Fungicides helped to protect yield potentials in susceptible varieties, except when SR pressure was either very low or very high.
• Timely early and late protection appeared more important than fungicide choice at Z39
• The genetic resistance in Sunstate (8) was clearly the most outstanding form of SR control when disease pressure was very high, exceeding any fungicide strategy used on susceptible varieties.
• Fungicide protection of SR on susceptible varieties is a practical and profitable option in the absence of resistant wheat varieties with desired agronomic traits.

• H45 proved far more susceptible to stripe rust than Diamondbird in 2004.
• With the dry conditions of 2004, when yields were higher (2-3 t/ha) stripe rust infection significantly decreased yield in H45 by 16%-17%. Grain quality effects were also recorded at the site with the highest level of infection.
• Jockey seed treatment provided some residual control of stripe rust at two out ofthe three sites.
• Foliar fungicides proved very effective at reducing stripe rust infection.
• Only the combination of seed applied + foliar fungicide resulted in a significantlyhigher yield and quality than the nil treatment with H45 wheat.
• Yellow leaf spot had no effect on yield or quality of the susceptible varietyDiamondbird.

• 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.

• For the newer semi-leafless varieties Kaspa and Moonlight, the recommended plant population is around 35 plants/m2 for early sowings to 50 plants/m2 for late sowing.
• For the other semi-leafless varieties, 40 plants/m2 is recommended for early sowing and 60 plants/m2 for later sowings.

• Pasture cropping is a relatively new system combining livestock and crop production on the one area of land.
• Production of crop and pasture individually can be lower when grown together in a pasture cropping system compared with when either is grown alone, however the overall annual production can be higher.
• Pasture cropping systems can be managed so that annual winter crops have no direct competition from pastures while the crop is growing.
• Pasture cropping can improve year-round resource use increasing overall annual productivity compared with conventional annual cropping or pasture systems.
• Pasture cropping will be most effective in soil types that do not store soil moisture well and have some summer rain.

• Grazing cereals is a tool for risk management in low and medium rainfall environments.
• Late grazing of cereals in medium rainfall affected grain yield.
• Grazing cereals is useful only if the feed is required.
• Locally adapted wheat varieties performed better than long growing season winter wheats

• Grazing livestock can compact surface soil and reduce infiltration rates, but their biggest impact on fallow efficiency is through stubble removal.
• Stubble improves summer fallow efficiency primarily by increasing infiltration; it slows but does not stop evaporation, and this is only beneficial where rainfall events occur close together or if it aids crop establishment.
• Despite high rainfall during the 2009-10 fallow period at Condobolin, there was little response in soil water storage to the grazing and stubble treatments.
• Wheat yield in 2010 was reduced by very heavy grazing but not by moderate (more typical) grazing.

• Legumes are difficult, but in a heavy cropping regime they are essential in the rotation because of fertility, disease, weeds and sustainability. Trial and observation should be used to find the pulse best suited to your soils and climate.
• Sharing experience with local farmers and agronomists is very useful in this process.

• H45 had a significantly higher level of rust infection than Bowerbird at the Wirrinya trial site.
• The very dry season at Gunning Gap meant little strip rust developed.
• The fungicide treatments had no significant effect on grain yield, protein, screenings or test weight at Wirrinya and Gunning Gap. However the triazole foliar fungicides were very effective at reducing the level of rust in the trial.
• Late infections and dry finishes can result in a nil response to fungicides

• H45 had a significantly higher level of rust infection than Bowerbird at the Wirrinya trial site.
• The very dry season at Gunning Gap meant little strip rust developed.
• The fungicide treatments had no significant effect on grain yield, protein, screenings or test weight at Wirrinya and Gunning Gap. However the triazole foliar fungicides were very effective at reducing the level of rust in the trial.
• Late infections and dry finishes can result in a nil response to fungicides

The application of lime to this sandy acidic soil has had provided little benefit over the last 4 years (ie. 2000 - 2003).

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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. 

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.

• High-pressure injection shows promise as an alternative method for applying fertiliser into the soil.
• Deep banding fluid fertilisers with extra long knife points is another option which also showed promise.
• This research is still in its early days.

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.

Soil biota hold the key to sustainable crop production via impacts on processes like suppression of disease outbreaks and the cycling of essential nutrients.