Join BCG for a practical crop walk exploring pulse performance, soil acidity, herbicide interactions and seasonal crop management in the North Central region.
Start at paddock on corner of McColl Rd & Tonkin Rd, Lockington VIC 3561 (enter via Tonkin Rd)
8.30am Welcome and site context
Welcome and an introduction to the site with Ant Lees and BCG.
8.45am Canola and wheat NVT
Walk through the canola and wheat National Variety Trial sites, comparing variety performance under local seasonal conditions. Discuss differences in establishment, growth, disease and yield potential, and what to consider when making variety decisions for the season ahead.
9.05am Travel to second site
Address: -36.370509083548136, 144.56792581649506
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9ooKUQV5iFVuCYYW6
9.20am Pulses on acid soils
Dig up pulse plants to assess root development and nodulation, and use pH test strips to explore soil acidity across the site. Discuss how low pH can affect nodulation, nutrient availability and pulse performance, and what the trial is showing about the response to lime.
9.40am Lime and soil amelioration
Compare spaded and spaded + lime treatments and discuss how incorporating lime through the soil profile can address subsurface acidity. Look at differences in crop establishment, rooting and performance, and consider where amelioration strategies may fit within local farming systems.
10.00am Pre-emergent herbicides
Walk through the pre-emergent herbicide matrix and compare crop response across treatments. Discuss how soil amelioration, including spading and lime incorporation, can change herbicide behaviour and what this could mean for crop safety, weed control and herbicide decisions following soil renovation.
10.15am Morning tea
10.30am Vetch time of sowing
Compare vetch established at different sowing times, with a focus on the early-sown treatments. Discuss the trade-offs between sowing date, biomass production, crop development and hay potential, and what growers should consider when targeting high-yielding vetch hay.
10.50am C4Milk – Murray Dairy
Discuss opportunities to produce high-quality feed, make use of summer rainfall and improve the availability of home-grown forage for livestock, alongside the practical considerations for managing continuous forage cropping.
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