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Summer weeds are setting seed
Jackson pegging out trial plots at the Jil Jil site
Summer weeds are already setting seed across the Wimmera Mallee and the pressure is on once again to control them. Not an easy task as harvest is still in full swing for many.
Summer weeds suck valuable moisture from the soil. Moisture which is then not available for next year’s crop. Agricultural Science Undergraduate from La Trobe University, Jackson Davis, is measuring exactly how much plant available water and nutrients summer weeds take from the soil at the BCG trial site at Jil Jil. The trial will specifically investigate heliotrope and camel/afgan melon. Jackson is undertaking this work as part of a 12-week BCG/La Trobe University cadetship program.
Jackson commented: “Everyone’s heard about the importance of controlling summer weeds. What we don’t know is the different water and nutrient use between summer weed species. Having such specific knowledge about different weeds means that in future, paddocks with particular weed burdens can be prioritised in the summer spray program.”
Neutron probes and soil tests will be used to measure the water use of summer weeds throughout the project while soil tests will also be used to monitor soil nutrient levels together with plant tissue tests.
Other considerations when planning a summer spraying program are plant-back issues for the 2010 crop, livestock withholding periods, rotating herbicide groups and weed growth stages.
For more information about the project contact Jackson Davis at the BCG office on (03) 5492 2787 or Dr Michael Walsh (project supervisor) on 0400 993 563.
This project is funded by the Australian Weeds Research Centre.