The fact that Wimmera wheat growers risk 20 per cent yield loss in wet years from Septoria tritici blotch (STB) will be a point of discussion at the BCG Members Only Trials Review Day 14 February. STB, a stubble borne disease found in wheat, is becoming more prevalent in medium rainfall zones, including the Wimmera. […]
BCG is undertaking soil sampling again in 2020. The benefits of soil sampling include: establishing the current nutrient status of your soil to provide the basis for future strategies indicate the ameliorants required to correct a soil’s possible physical and chemical property imbalances identify factors that may be limiting crop and pasture production improved farm […]
The Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) Community Network was launched in August 2017 in response to emerging trends being observed in the Wimmera and Mallee. Population decline, the impact of technology, ageing infrastructure, climate change, farmer wellbeing and a declining ecosystem are all major issues which to date have not been solved by traditional mechanisms. These […]
In the Horsham region, the optimal start of flowering window (OSF) for canola is between 18 July and 25 August with the start of flowering defined as the time when 50 per cent of plants have one flower. A Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded trial at Kalkee was designed with 32 varieties and […]
One of the many things I enjoy about living and working in a rural area is that there is no such thing as an average day. For me that can mean a week like this one where I’ve gone from the BCG board meeting, to our building climate resilience event, helping shift paddocks for harvest, deliver […]
In the northern Mallee a few headers have started, largely on barley, and in the southern Mallee a few are trying to ‘strike the first blow’. Early reports indicate yields (in northern Mallee) are around 1.6-1.9t/ha of Barley. Compass is the first to come in. In the Wimmera harvest is 2-3 weeks away and in […]
Birchip Cropping Group, Buloke Shire Council, North Central CMA and Mallee CMA will be coming together to deliver a unique opportunity for our community to discover the latest information about our climate and what steps we can personally take as individuals and as a community to help shape a positive future for our region. ‘Building Climate Resilience’ will be held […]
BCG in conjunction with GRDC and Adelaide University have 12 free barley grass resistance tests on offer this spring as part of the GRDC project, demonstrating and validating the implementation of integrated weed management strategies to control barley grass in the low rainfall farming systems. BCG are running a 3 year trial at Nullawil, comparing four […]
The anticipation that comes from having such healthy looking crops in Spring is exciting. That anticipation is balanced with our experience telling us there is plenty that can happen between now and harvest. Last year reminded us of the value of fodder, and what about the livestock? So many important business decisions need to be made! An […]