Frost ID Field Walks – Bencubbin

Join MADFIG with the support of GGA, Ben Biddulph DPIRD and Graeme Laslett CAS, to present on first ID in field, management now and going forward into 2022.

10am start at Tony Sachse’s – Gillett Road, 12kms North of Bencubbin.

Frost ID field walk is followed by the Lake McDermott Spring Field Walk with lunch provided.

1. Brief definition and summary of recent local frost events with reference to DPIRD/ BOM weather station summaries. Link to DPIRD frost maps and local WS data maps
2. Discuss specific crop vulnerability times and the temperature/ duration required to cause different frost damage symptoms, impact of rain before frost events etc.
3. Frost FAQ’s for discussion.
4. Discussion of rainfall, landscape, soil type affect frost damage and how to use this to plan scouting.
5. Update on drivers of crop development during the 2021 season, with spread of local sowing times and current stage of wheat, barley and canola crops development with respect to the frosts.
6. Field walk on how to identify frost damage with information tips on frost monitoring/ scouting.
   1. main local crops affected by frost including wheat, barley, canola and locally relevant break crops which are frosted in the region.
   2. Inspect both severely and less severely frosted parts of the landscape if possible to show both healthy and frosted symptoms.
   3. Discuss rules of thumb for estimating percentage lost, use of ilas.casmage analysis NDVI etc.
   4. Provision of resource information:
      1. Poster on Frost ID in cereals for a quick overview.
      2. DPIRD Frost Identification Guide for Cereals for detail
      3. DPIRD Frost Identification Guide for Canola and Pulses for detail
7. What management decisions can be changed now?
   1. No more N
   2. Fungicide need to reconsider
   3. Revise crop yield estimates for fire/hail insurance
   4. Multi-peril insurance claim if covered.
8. Discussion of salvage options
   1. Harvest as per usual
   2. Hay/silage on farm use quality can be lower and still acceptable. Opportunity to replace fodder reserves if mixed farming
   3. Hay/silage off farm and risks associated with weather, market access, storage/ freight and sale/price volatility
   4. Green/brown manuring (if weed control an issues).
   5. Grazing, livestock considerations
9. Harvesting frosted crop strategies
   1. Grain quality implications
   2. Difficulties feeding with green sappy material.
   3. Still need to harvest low for stubble management/ trash control
   4. Increased dust and machinery cleaning to manage increased fire risk
   5. Extra wear on headers and increased fuel consumption
   6. Wind erosion risk 2022 with increased lodging/rotting off at ground level
10. Nutrient removal considerations going into 2022 season
    1. NPK
    2. Cost of K removal with hay, $ replacement needs to be calculated
11. Salvaging Crops for Fodder, grain or grazing costs and income calculator Southern Australia.
12. Invite local counsellors to attend the field day. Emotive impact including brief outline of situation distress, now and at harvest. Touch on local resources available and encourage growers to support each other now and through harvest.

Exit survey for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Cost (in AUD$): Free

• GGA-MADFIG-Frost-ID-Field-Walks.pdf