Hard to kill weeds has been a major focus for growers this season. Flaxleaf Fleabane, Hogweed and Feathertop Rhodes grass are in fact becoming more prevalent every season with ever expanding pockets of chemical resistance. A mature Fleabane plant can produce up to 100,000 seeds and has a very high tolerance to herbicide, even closing some of its pores once it detects a threat. In many cases, it is expensive and sometimes ineffective to control weeds with chemical.
This is why many growers are turning to a more mechanical and targeted approach to weed control. According to the local manufacturer of the Brookfield ChainBar, their weed kill results stand at 100 per cent, as a comparison against chemical kill rates of just 70 to 80 per cent. They go on further to claim it’s also just half the cost to run the ChainBar, (see www.brookfield.net.au for an extended reveal of these facts).
The ChainBar cultivates within the top few centimetres of the soil, ripping weeds out soil-free. Adding to the weed dilemma this year is the massive stubble left behind after the all-time record harvest, causing many growers to revert to burning off. The alternative available with the Brookfield chains and tooling option enables the speedy breakdown of crop residues and is also able to return valuable nutrients to the soil. A case study near Cowra NSW saw the use of Dog Leg harrows break down 5-tonnes/ha of stubble in preparation for seeding with a tine machine. The numerous benefits of this strategy include maximum moisture ingress and retention due to the mulch-like stubble cover.
Contact Brookfield in the eastern states on tel: 02 6340 0100, email: sales@brookfield.net.au, or in the west on 1800 774 274, email: saleswa@brookfield.net.au
