Current news http://www.grdc.dev.readingroom.com.au/http://www.grdc.com.au/images/grdc.jpg http://www.grdc.dev.readingroom.com.au/ 60 Take home message: Faba beans have a relatively small but significant fit in the central and north-west plains regions of NSW, being a valuable part of the whole farm system due to their rotational and logistical benefits. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=85C74F97FBB24375BCE661A14F94A464 Tue, 11 May 2010 15:10:00 GMT Take home message and middot; PBA HatTrick performed well in 2009 with commercial yields of 1.0 to 2.2 t/ha and middot; HatTrick's Ascochyta rating (MR/R) was confirmed in 2009 trials at Tamworth and middot; There is no cost benefit in spraying HatTrick for Ascochyta until the disease is found and middot; Crop Care Barrack720 and reg; (chlorothalonil) is now registered for ascochyta in chickpea and middot; HatTrick's Phytophthora rating (MR) was confirmed in 2009 trials at Tamworth > Warwick and middot; Agronomically, manage HatTrick the way you would Jimbour http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=85B4F09AB2CC14CC65E82ED3D44D44CC Tue, 11 May 2010 14:55:00 GMT Take home message and middot; Windrowing has less harvest losses than direct heading and middot; Windrows placed in wheel tracks will result in harvest losses and middot; Have a good relationship with your contract harvester to get the best harvest results no matter which way you harvest and middot; Windrowing is not always more profitable, weigh up the pros and cons http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=855C6AE2E1235AD9FD867BAE5EDF064D Tue, 11 May 2010 13:15:00 GMT Kevin Moore1, Leigh Jenkins1, Kathi Hertel1, and Graeme Callaghan2 1NSWI>I, and 2Graeme Callaghan > Associates, Dubbo Take home message and middot;>>>>>>>> Low temperatures and frost caused losses up to 100% in many 2009 chickpea crops and middot;>>>>>>>> Chickpeas won't hold a pod until average daily temperature reaches15C and middot;>>>>>>>> Temperature records in the canopy can explain why flowers and pods abort and middot;>>>>>>>> Plant at the optimum time to maximize WUE and yield and minimise frost damage and middot;>>>>>>>> Early planting can lead to excessive biomass, reduced WUE and increased frost damage http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=85084761FD630152043E4D15160408AB Tue, 11 May 2010 11:45:00 GMT Steve Moore - University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute - Field pea varieties developed for the northern region now provide a viable pulse alternative for grain growers in the northern region - Advanced lines under evaluation indicate significant yield advantages over existing varieties. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=84C3D927F1D26E9DD58F44E56CEF065E Tue, 11 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT The 2010 Canola Blackleg Guide has been released, click here to download http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=D0F31C570E3E30F2F22BEEC65AC9AC2E Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:25:00 GMT A comprehensive survey of no-till adoption amongst Australian grain growers has found between 70 and 90 percent of farmers use no-till practices on their farms, to some extent. The survey looks at what's driving the use of no-till and also examines why farmers in some districts have been slow to adopt no-till practices. On this program we also ask what could potentially threaten the use of no-till and drive farmers back to more cultivation. Click here to listen. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=F79D61C8C2BA99D75C4E3735F17DE274 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:30:00 GMT Take home message In Australia Rhizobia has been a successful commercial inoculant for over 50 years. However, new innovative legume inoculant technologies are emerging which combine Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) with Rhizobia. These multiple beneficial biological inoculants work synergistically with the plant root system to deliver enhanced performance through the growing season. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C81AE48593D0D6B6F8CE59FC951CAF7E Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT Take home message - Understanding a weeds lifecycle is important in being able best target that weed for effective control - Both sowthistle and fleabane have small, wind dispersed seeds that germinate in the surface layers of the soil but persist if buried too deeply - Sowthistle is an all-year-round weed whereas fleabane will only germinate under cooler temperatures in autumn and spring - Both species are at high risk of herbicide resistances, especially to glyphosate, so an integrated weed management (IWM) approach is required to avoid resistance - The double-knock tactic is the most effective herbicidal tactic for controlling fleabane - The age and not the size of fleabane is an important factor in achieving effective chemical control - Crop competition is a very useful non-chemical tactic which can be effective on sowthistle - Both species can be effectively managed in a zero till farming system http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C804F243BE54C4966F26C4C425F95674 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:40:00 GMT Take home message - The fallow phase of the crop rotation has the greatest risk of developing glyphosate resistance, due to a heavy reliance on glyphosate - Using one method of weed control continuously will lead to species shift, and herbicide resistance when one or few herbicides are used continuously - An IWM plan involving field monitoring, field records, and rotation of chemistry and other weed control options will prolong glyphosate effectiveness - Control survivors of glyphosate applications (not with glyphosate) to prevent seed set http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C7FC878FD909EEE258AB7F9BDC8D7DBC Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:25:00 GMT Take home message - New inoculants TagTeam and JumpStart have the potential to reduce phosphate fertiliser costs for legume and cereal growers. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C7ED09F8D0BE6F9021D568CC9C185A2C Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:15:00 GMT Take home messages - Low levels of yield losses from crown rot occurred in 2008 trials, due to favourable late crop growing conditions. This contrasted with the high losses in 2007 - There were no clear differences between either barley or wheat varieties in crown rot tolerance in a low yield loss season. This supported the 2007 finding where only minor differences in tolerance occurred even under high disease loss situations - Average yield losses in two durum varieties were still ~ 300 kg/ha (~10%), in a low disease expression year, and more than double the losses of the worst performing barley or bread wheat varieties - Variety choice can NOT be your main crown rot management tool - It is CRITICAL to check inoculum levels in stubble of cereal crops grown in 2008 as high levels of crown rot infection may have been masked by the favourable finish http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C7A708FBBAB3451AC3F631D6735A4A49 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:55:00 GMT Take home message Maintaining high mycorrhizal populations promotes good crop growth and the efficient use of P and Zn fertilisers. Many crop species require only half the phosphate concentration in soil when they are colonised by AMF as they do without AMF for the same level of production. AMF levels can be severely reduced by long periods of fallow, such as those induced by drought, or the growth of non-host crops. Knowledge of the P and Zn levels in your soil and supplementation with fertiliser if required could avoid unexpected yield reduction due to nutrient deficiencies. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C798842F9A0E5A7BEDB8371ACF4BD4F4 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:40:00 GMT Take home message Surface application of ammonium sulphate fertiliser on alkaline cropping soils of northwest NSW poses a high risk of volatilisation loss, particularly if there is calcium carbonate (lime) at the surface. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C78E39F79B4950C90E77BB1013190914 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:20:00 GMT Take home message - Growing crops purely for ground cover can reduce soil erosion and actually increase yields of following crops. - Under northern conditions, the best fit appears to be in the long fallow following a summer crop. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C75B6844EEA86F6B91D3F17E3C54AF01 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:30:00 GMT Take home message - Resistance to Groups A, B and Z occurs in wild oats. - Group Z (Mataven and reg;) resistance can be selected by use of Group A herbicides. - Glyphosate resistance has been discovered in barnyard grass and liverseed grass as well as in annual ryegrass. - If glyphosate is the only weed management tool used, glyphosate resistance will occur. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C4A85EC6A6F69916905479E4A8C0700E Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:25:00 GMT Take home message Product stewardship is responsible management of our technologies. Monsanto is committed to stewardship and maintaining diversity in weed control within Roundup Ready systems to maximise the value of Roundup Ready traits and Roundup Herbicide in the Australian agricultural landscape. Effective Stewardship manages potential risks, contributing to sustainability and in turn ensures growers benefit. Growers of the technology have to undertake an accreditation course to be able to access the technology, as well as comply with both the Crop Management Plan (CMP) and the Resistance Management Plan (RMP). The RMP for Roundup Ready and reg; canola utilizes the Paddock Risk Assessment and Management Option Guide (PRAMOG and reg;) as a step-by-step risk assessment process on a paddock by paddock basis. It consists of three steps: - History evaluation of glyphosate use in the paddock - An risk analysis of both glyphosate and other MOA resistance -risk status - Management options and actions based on -risk status. Using these steps allows growers of Roundup Ready canola to understand the factors associated with resistance. The PRAMOG mandates the use of alternative methods of weed control in the system depending on the risk status of an individual paddock. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C495D546A6D33BB694E6923B47113293 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:35:00 GMT Take home messages - It appears likely that an assessment of the available P status of Vertosols will need to consider both Colwell-P and acid-extractable P. Soils with low Colwell-P but high BSES-P levels are less likely to respond to P than soils with a similar Colwell-P and low BSES-P, but there are exceptions. This issue requires further investigation. - Maximising the value of residual P bands in minimum till systems depends on locating crop rows in proximity to previous bands and off-setting freshly-applied bands to maximise the volume of P-enriched soil. - The best measure of P availability to the crop is P uptake by the crop at maximum biomass. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C48214B3DB5091FC673016D88AED856E Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:10:00 GMT Take home message The impact of aphids on winter cereals (yield and quality) is the result of a complex relationship which involves the timing of infestation, aphid density, where on the plant the aphids feed, and crop physiology and level of moisture stress at the time of infestation. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C47290409F32522705BA0EF5A8871FF8 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT Take home message - Trust nobody! - test it yourself, but test it properly. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C40AE3EA9F3A2250012E1A4A2A6F3818 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:10:00 GMT Take home message - Soil test for P in cropping paddocks. - Work out where the response to P is likely to be greatest based on both soil test P and paddock history. - Rank the paddocks to be fertilized with P. - Work through the 2*2 risk analysis model. - Responses to zinc are variable. - Long term trials on vertosols support the use of zinc. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3DF90CBAEE669F1B33CA2A13FD097D4 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:20:00 GMT Problems: 1. Fertiliser prices are high and continuing to increase. 2. New and alternative products to traditional fertiliser promise great things but there are mixed messages as to their effectiveness. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3D38746EC68EE71D69A6CEAF4E3A4D3 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:05:00 GMT Take home message - As the cost of N fertiliser continues to rise unpredictably, the N fixed by the pulses in pulse-cereal rotations becomes a more attractive option as a source of N. - Pulse N2 fixation is enhanced by good crop and soil management, e.g. no-tillage, high stubble cover, optimum sowing dates and plant establishment, inoculation. - Well-grown pulses in the northern grains belt can fix 80-120 kg N/ha and increase soil nitrate levels by 30-40 kg N/ha and grain yields of following wheat crops by 0.5-1.5 t/ha. - The rotational benefits of pulses tend to last for one season only. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3C9F393D182BAC7012585276CDB19EC Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:55:00 GMT Take home message Existing spray nozzles and rate controllers operate over a limited application rate and speed range, usually less than a 3-to-1 range. Over this range, the droplet size and spray pattern can vary significantly, resulting in spray drift, poor coverage and overapplication. New, pulse-width-modulation technology allows flow rate of spray through a nozzle to be controlled independently of pressure and droplet size. This provides up to a 10-to-1 range in spray rates and ground speeds to be accommodated with changes in droplet size or pattern. The technology also allows on-the-go changes in spray droplet size without changing spray rate or physically changing spray tips. The technology, developed at the University of California, is commercially available and established in the market. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3AC265AA0E69BF327A905FD73251AAF Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:15:00 GMT Take home message - Legume inoculants are now produced and marketed by five different companies in a range of formulations - Peat inoculant, applied to the legume seed as a slurry, remains the most widely used of the formulations and the benchmark for efficacy. - Granular inoculants, popular in Canada and the U.S., are likely to gain in popularity in Australia because of ease-of-use and convenience, subject to proven efficacy under a range of conditions http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3CD520D043AAD345805AC8918751F8D Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:00:00 GMT Take home message - In the northern grains region phosphorus (P) is commonly the next limiting nutrient after nitrogen (N). Managing P profitably in vertosols can be complex as a result of contrasting responsiveness between crop species, complex soil chemistry, lack of econometric analysis and being soils that are frequently initially P adequate that are now in a negative balance. Re-interpretation of past responses data can provide some answers to current questions but outcomes must be interpreted in the light of significant changes to production systems. - Zinc (Zn) is the trace element that has commonly limited yield. Large response is probably now less frequent than in the past as a result of widespread use of zinc-fortified starter fertilisers and perhaps crop varieties with inherent better tolerance to low zinc availability. Plant tissue analysis is regarded as a more reliable guide to zinc requirement than testing soil and is a valuable guide to the ongoing need for zinc addition. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3788DCBCDDBD17B9F1B8CF6C19865D1 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:25:00 GMT Take home message Nitrogen soil test where used in context generally provide useful information in helping make nitrogen decisions. The quality of the data and decision are dependent on the quality of the process used in collection of the soil, analysis and the interpretation. The value of the preplant N test is not in predicting a rate but it lies in helping define a seasonal crop nutrition strategy. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C37247EAA66DFE930E16A3CDD719F069 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:20:00 GMT Take home messages - The industry must change approach in fallow weed management or risk losing glyphosate due to resistance selection - Neither double-knock strategies nor residual herbicides will provide a silver bullet solution - However we need to consider and utilise these alternative approaches in appropriate situations as part of an Integrated Weed Management approach http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3694CC0045491F8418264EBA85428A4 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:10:00 GMT Take home message - Preparation of seedbed and method of sowing has a significant impact on seedling emergence and the final yield outcome in a watering up situation. Optimising planting method is the key. - The number of plants established, often has no significant impact on number of shoots achieved, although will have an impact on the length of flowering. - Establishing 150 - 200 plants/m2 doesn't necessarily equate to high yield, as all best practices need to be achieved. - The most effective result from a limited water input situation was achieved by establishing the crop on a full moisture profile and applying one irrigation at late flowering/early grain fill. Diminishing returns were achieved from further irrigations principally because of lodging problems. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C394616DAF89A2AED0B3A143801322E4 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:00:00 GMT Take home messages - Multiple resistant wild oats pose a serious threat to most winter crops, as most post-emergence herbicides are no longer effective. - Effectively controlling multiple resistant wild oats populations requires the prudent use of pre- and post-emergence herbicides, assuming there is at least 1 effective post-emergence remaining. Alternatively, one has to adopt more radical changes to their cropping system, by introducing long fallows, forage crops, pastures, wide row winter crops or genetically modified crops. - The double knock technique is an excellent strategy for combating or preventing glyphosate resistant barnyard grass and annual ryegrass - If the technique is used correctly, levels of control are excellent (between 99 and 100% control). However, 100% control is the common result. - Incorporating a residual herbicide in the second knock leads to the most effective control and will reduce follow-up sprays. - Improved fallow weed management skills are required as double knock requires timing and some knowledge about double knocking variables http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C33F2EB0CADCC88662E3E4CB532B3D97 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:20:00 GMT Take home message - Phosphine resistant insects can be controlled but only by fumigating in a sealed silo. Fumigating in unsealed silos selects for resistance by allowing resistance -carriers to survive, interbreed and with further selection (exposure to phosphine) produce the very high two-gene resistance. Therefore-. - Do not repeat fumigate the same grain (which will contain the same insect population). http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3359CADFBC636DDEB2248BF731D0DCD Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:10:00 GMT Take home message - Peat granules (N-Prove and reg;) performed best in local trial, with nodules consistently colonizing the crown and lateral roots. - Clay granules (Alosca and reg; and Nodulator and reg;) had sporadic results, with some plants well colonized, and others not colonized at all. - Seed applied liquid treatments (Nodulaid and reg; and EasyRhiz and reg;) were reliable but nodules were confined only to the crown of the plant. - Generally, no nodules were found on the uninoculated plants. - No significant yield difference was found, assumed to be due to high residual nitrogen levels. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C32B932DCC40BF1A4B21A2DF54091023 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT Take home message Boxer Gold is a soil applied pre-emergent herbicide registered for the control of Annual Ryegrass (ARG) and Toad Rush (Juncus bufonius) in wheat and barley. Boxer Gold contains 800 g/L prosulfocarb (Group J) and 120 g/L S-metolachlor (Group K) formulated as a non-staining emulsifiable concentrate. The co-formulation of prosulfocarb and S-metolachlor provides growers with new chemistry and an alternative MOA for the control of ARG in wheat and barley. The product offers many unique benefits over existing soil applied herbicides registered for use in wheat and barley. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C31D86DDC30B7A10D9C855F56EED2B5F Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:50:00 GMT Take home message Imidacloprid, the insecticidal active ingredient in Hombre, Zorro and Gaucho is more than just an insecticide. It not only controls aphids in cereal, minimizing the spread of barley fellow dwarf virus but can also allow the plant to maximize the production of 6-CNA. Environmental stress (eg extended dry periods) limit the plants production of 6-CNA. The benefit with imidacloprid is that it has been scientifically proven to stimulate the plants production of 6-CNA, allowing the plant to maximize energy production at that time and continue growth. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C312423AB95C6C1949C57806A5092C44 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:25:00 GMT Take home message - Irrigation farmers sowed a record area of irrigated wheat between western NSW and central Queensland in 2008. Much of the crop lodged and average yields were well below the potential of 8-10 t/ha. - In the short term growers should target an achievable yield of 6t/ha by sowing at or after the middle of the planting window, with quick maturing varieties at moderate plant density and with delayed application of N fertiliser. Paddocks with soil mineral N that exceeds the requirement for a ~6 t/ha yield are a lodging risk. They should either be managed with quicker varieties, later sowing and lower density, or not sown to wheat. - Consistently achieving 8t/ha wheat yields will require new agronomic practices and may require shorter straw varieties. Agronomic research to minimise lodging will focus on timing and amount of N fertiliser, plant growth regulators and crop spacing. - The gross margin per megalitre for irrigated wheat yielding 6 t/ha is close to the gross margin for cotton grown in the following summer using water remaining after losses from shallow storages. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C74251AFAF66F58B897D33A8CACEB22E Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:05:00 GMT Take home messages - Schooner and Gairdner have been the preferred malting barley varieties in central NSW. Buloke , an export malting variety, is performing well in drier areas and for late sowing in wetter areas. Commander may have a place in medium rainfall areas for the domestic malt market. - Hindmarsh will join Grout as a major feed variety while Urambie can fill a dual-purpose role. - Fairview shows good potential under irrigation. - Varieties with short coleoptiles such as Fitzroy , Buloke, Hindmarsh, and to a lesser extent Gairdner, should not be sown deep, particularly if seed is small or treated with fungicides such as triadimenol. - Wide row-spacings gave yields similar to narrow spacings in 2008, possibly because of the combination of stored soil water and low in-crop rainfall. - Initial results suggest there may be variety and row-spacing effects on phosphorus response. - Malting varieties vary in their response to pre-harvest rainfall. Based on a 2008 trial, Buloke appears reasonably tolerant whereas growers of Flagship will need to ensure timely harvest. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C38F855BAC03C6D791C8C60EAAA0636A Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:40:00 GMT Take home messages - High levels of aphid pressure (~35-95 aphids/tiller in Untreated) occurred naturally in all four trials - Untreated aphid numbers rapidly built up from early September but also rapidly declined ~3-4 weeks later - Seed treatment provided significant aphid control for ~70-90 days from planting and resulted in an average yield benefit of 10% or 330 kg/ha (range 7-16% or 239-439 kg/ha) - Foliar insecticide control of >crown' colonising aphids was not effective - Foliar insecticide control of >foliage' colonising aphids was effective and generally resulted in similar yield benefits compared to the seed treatment - A foliar insecticide application when aphid numbers were declining did not provide good aphid control or any yield benefit - Despite the higher yields, seed treatment generally resulted in lower grain quality but did not affect final grain quality grade at any site - Seed treatment resulted in an average net benefit of $33/ha (range $21-46/ha) assuming a grain price of $125/t on-farm http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C34B3F06F7B83C65C3FD216244AAADA9 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:40:00 GMT Take home message - Chloride deficiency causes leaf spotting similar to that observed in several paddocks of durum grown in northwest NSW in 2007 and 2008. - Initial field trials did not respond to added chloride fertiliser, probably because the soil supplied sufficient chloride from below a metre depth. - Glasshouse wheat grown in sand and chloride-deficient nutrient solution reproduced the leaf spotting symptoms observed in the affected durum paddocks. Spots are very similar to yellow spot caused by the fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis. - Whole plant tissue chloride concentration and lt;0.1% should indicate when spots are related to chloride deficiency and save on unnecessary fungicide sprays. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C7818D0F98D7DF90037632A903AB0E5E Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:10:00 GMT Take home message - Roundup Ready canola used unwisely could increase selection for glyphosate resistance in weeds. - Reducing the risk of glyphosate resistance requires action in the rest of the rotation. - The double knockdown needs to be employed properly to ensure glyphosate resistance risk is not increased. - Seed set control is an effective part of managing weed resistance. http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C4A260780B197F8B71DC87B91DFA2863 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT Take home message - Canopy management by delaying or splitting N significantly increased yield in 2008 under optimal conditions. In previous years the application of N at early stem elongation maintained yields equivalent to when N was applied in the seedbed. - Over 3 years of research canopy management has only shown potential to significantly increase grain yield under the following conditions: - early sown crops - long season cultivars - low starting N ( and lt;70-80 to 90 cm) http://www.grdc.com.au/director/events/researchupdates?item_id=C3F28F7FAFEE2A47BDF0BB25E634F8E8 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:40:00 GMT