Investment

Summer fallow weeds cause large grain yield reductions in the following winter crop as they deplete soil water and nitrogen in the fallow phase, therefore limiting availability to crops. Additionally, fallow weeds can act as a 'green bridge', increasing the risk of various diseases such as stripe rust. Control of summer fallow weeds is a significant and increasing cost in the Narromine region due to costs for herbicide products as well as machinery and labour costs involved in applying herbicides. This project will assess the effectiveness of residual herbicides against weeds common to the region to assist growers in making informed decisions around the use of residual herbicides in summer fallow situations to reduce these costs.