Medic trials

Why do the trial? 
Barley grass possesses several biological traits that make it difficult for growers to manage it in the low rainfall zone, so it is not surprising that it is becoming more prevalent in field crops in SA and WA. A survey by Llewellyn et al. (2015) showed that barley grass has now made its way into the top 1 O weeds of Australian cropping in terms of area infested, crop yield loss and revenue loss. 
The biological traits that make barley grass difficult for growers to manage in low rainfall zones include: 

- early onset of seed production, which reduces effectiveness of crop-topping or spray-topping in pastures,
shedding seeds well before crop harvest, reducing harvest weed seed control effectiveness compared to weeds such as ryegrass which has a much higher seed retention,•    increased seed dormancy, reducing weed control from knockdown herbicides due to delayed emergence, and
•    increasing herbicide resistance, especially to Group A herbicides, used to control grass weeds in pasture phase and legume crops. 

Barley grass management is likely to be more challenging in the low rainfall zone because the growing seasons tend to be more variable in terms of rainfall, which can affect the performance of the pre-emergence herbicides. Furthermore, many growers in these areas tend to have lower budgets for management tactics, and break crops are generally perceived as more risky than cereals. Therefore, wheat and barley tend to be the dominant crops in the low rainfall zone. This project is undertaking coordinated research with farming systems groups across the Southern and Western cropping regions to demonstrate tactics that can be reliably used to improve the management of barley grass. 

To compare the production of different winter pastures and their recovery from grazing.

To answer the question 'What if there is no break until June or July?'

To compare grass herbicides alone and in comparison with common broadleaf herbicides.

To investigate best bet options for controlling medic prior to sowing lentils.

To assess the ryegrass control ability of crop rotation, in combination with pre- and post- emergent herbicides.

To compare a number of different varieties  which could be used for making hay.

To evaluate emerging and newly released medic, vetch and forage peas varieties for their ability to produce dry matter and nutritive value for stock in the Mallee and Wimmera environments.

To provide a useful technique for estimating pasture legume seed reserved in paddocks.

To assess the potential of medic pastures and compare the productivity and persistence of commercial varieties in the Birchip area.

To discuss the BCG Farming Systems 2000 season.

To compare the profitability of four different farming systems.

To report on the BCG Farming Systems project in 2001.

To investigate pasture production and utilisation by sheep.

To update information on livestock ad the Farming Systems site.

To report on the Farming Systems trial 2003.

To report on the Farming Systems trial.

To assess and evaluated a range of different pasture varieties at three different sites.

To assess and evaluated a range of different pasture varieties at three different sites.

To demonstrate a range of crop types and end-uses that could have a role in the low rainfall farming systems of the Mallee.

To evaluate commercial and new pulse (grain legume) cultivars on sandy, calcareous soils, in terms of both the crop performance and its benefit in a rotation.

To determine the effectiveness of a number of grass selective herbicdes to control grasses in medic pastures

To investigate the effect of grass herbicides on nodulation in legumes.

To investigate some other types of legumes for their dry matter and suitability as green manure.

• To observe the control of legumes and oilseeds of treatments normally used in cerealy crops applied pre-sowing and early post emergent.
• To observe the crop effect of a range of products over a range of crops applied post sowing pre-emergent and applied early post emergent.

• To compare a number of herbicides and herbicide mixes to control broadleaf weeds in a variety of legume and canola crops.
• To compare a number of herbicides and herbicide mixes to control broadleaf weeds in a variety of legume and canola crops before sowing another crop.

To demonstrate the effects on plant density, nodulation and yield from inoculating legume seed using the correct method, applying inoculum dry and sowing 7 days after inoculating seed.

To determine whether crop growth and yield responses are likely from inoculating legumes on alkaline clay-loams in the Southern Mallee.

To provide a calendar as a guide to insect pests that could be expected during each of hte major crop and pasture growing phases.

To assess the long-term impact of a range of P fertiliser rates on crop yield and economic returns

Working with 60 farmers, counts were carried out in three districts of South Australia to measure the effectiveness of different types of management on snail control.

To investigate herbicide options on newly sown pasture crops at three sites.

The aim of this project was to assess parture herbicide tolerance at Charlton in 2000.

To discuss how to achieve a dense medic dominant pasture.

To identify suitable pasture species for the SA Mallee.

To determine yield loss and tolerance of cereal varieties to P. neglectus.

To evaluate Roundup CT and a range of additives as fallow initiation treatments.

To measure and report the potential impact of best management practices for dryland agriculture in the Mallee.

To test whether soil fertility and health could be improved under a higher input system compared with a lower input and more traditional system.

To report on variety descriptions and characteristics.

To demonstrate a wide variety of crop types and varieties in the Southern Mallee.

To demonstrate to Upper North growers the impact that sulfonylurea (SU) residues and other broadleaf herbicides have on two medic pastures, Herald and the new strand medic Angel.

To test the tolerance of the new strand medic, Angel, to sulfonylurea (SU) herbicide residues from a summer weed application.

To report on activities and results from the core site in 2005.

• To report on a farm which aims to run both livestock enterprises profitably and at the same time, through good grazing management, to allow desirable native grasses and forbs to eventually replace the sown pasture species.

To discuss nitrogen inputs from pasture and patterns of release for crops.

To report on nitrogen inputs from pasture legumes in a cropping rotation.

To improve pasture assessment skills of those involved, quantify pasture quality and identify factors which determine productivity.

To compare various crops and crop mixtures as alternatives to fallow in the first year of a 2 year cropping rotation.