Insect management support available for grain growers
Grain growers and advisers are being provided with insect management support to inform their crop pest control strategies in 2018 with an updated version of I SPY, a comprehensive identification manual on insects of southern and western broadacre farming systems of Australia. Now available to view at https://grdc.com.au/I-SPY the manual has descriptions of common species, […]
Barley grass confirmed as resistant to glyphosate in South Australia
A population of the widespread winter annual grass weed, northern barley grass (Hordeum glaucum), has been confirmed resistant to the key herbicide glyphosate in South Australia. Dr Chris Preston, Associate Professor of weed management at the University of Adelaide and chair of the Australian Glyphosate Sustainability Working Group (AGSWG), says the resistance has been confirmed […]
Sowing canola early can reap some big rewards
Research has found Canola productivity and profitability can be boosted by using some tried and tested guidelines for early sowing. This follows 34 paddock experiments conducted from 2014 to 2016, looking at the interaction between variety and sowing date. The guidelines relate to location, variety selection, soil moisture management, seed placement and rates, weed, pest […]
Canola growers battling blackleg disease handed a new weapon
The potentially devastating disease blackleg may lose some of its sting, due to a smart phone app just released for canola growers. The BlacklegCM app gives growers a tool to forecast the likelihood and severity of the disease, associated yield loss and economic returns on a paddock-by-paddock basis ahead of sowing. The app is the […]
Winter grass resistance to glyphosate makes it a weed to watch
Winter grass (Poa annua), once considered a low-key weed, is coming under increasing scrutiny, with glyphosate-resistant populations being confirmed in Victoria. Dr Peter Boutsalis, from the University of Adelaide says the weed has emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Testing has shown at least 20 populations of winter grass exhibiting resistant to simazine […]
Conservation tillage will be critical for summer crop planting
Conservation tillage will be critical for farmers across the country this summer, with an equal chance of wetter or drier conditions for most of Australia. Jarrod Maskell, a territory manager for Kuhn Farm Machinery, said minimum tillage offers farmers the opportunity to make better use of weather windows. “Weather conditions often only allow a brief […]
Caution urged with pre-harvest herbicide applications
Grain growers are being encouraged to exercise caution when undertaking pre-harvest application of herbicides in this year’s winter crops. Growers applying herbicides late in the season to manage weeds, prevent weeds setting seed or to desiccate crops to accelerate or even-up ripening must adhere to herbicide label recommendations and withholding periods to avoid the presence […]
How to stay one step ahead of blackleg disease in canola
Canola growers are being encouraged to assess the extent of blackleg disease in crops this spring to reduce the risk of disease next year and beyond. To support growers in determining current disease levels, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has released the 2017 Spring Blackleg Management Guide Fact Sheet, developed by the National […]
The best way to conserve soil moisture in your next crop cycle
A vertical tillage range released by KUHN Machinery is offering growers an opportunity to harness all the benefits that are derived from increased soil moisture levels. KUHN’s Excelerator 8005 offers a low impact form of tillage that breaks down crop residue quickly to help create a perfect seedbed. With this vertical tillage tool it enters […]
WANTED – Potato crop test sites for soil conditioner
After so many years of using gypsum and lime to modify soil structure, it is time to ask if there is anything new and more efficient. The fact is, that today, a new stream of products that provide the ability to modify soil behavior so much faster is available. You now have the ability, if […]