Did you change varieties this season? What was your reasoning behind it? Will you stick with the variety or look for something new in 2018? Choosing a variety can be a nail biting experience, but with the right information and careful consideration, your farm business has the potential to improve productivity and reduce costs.
Each variety has its advantages and disadvantages, and there can be some real management benefits to growing the right variety in the right paddock. It’s a matter of spreading risk by choosing a variety for specific reasons including its maturity, frost and heat susceptibility and disease management package.
With herbicide costs and resistance on the rise, integrated weed management (IWM) is becoming increasingly important.
One way farmers can combat weed management issues is through crop competition. Crop competition is becoming more effective with increased seeding rate, reduced row spacing, choosing varieties based on growth habit and sowing varieties within their optimum sowing window.Â
The impact of growing a less competitive variety is an increased likelihood of more weeds emerging in the subsequent season. Varieties that have good early vigour and prostrate growth habits can assist in competing against weeds.
BCG research conducted as part of the GRDC-funded ‘barley agronomy in the southern region’ project has shown that Hindmarsh and Spartacus CL are poor weed competitors, while Compass, Fathom and Scope CL are good weed competitors.
Research also indicated that yield loss can be significant when weeds are present, with a 1.4t/ha lost in 2013 and 0.7t/ha in 2016 at the same Nhill trial site.
Other management techniques can also assist in managing weedy paddocks. Contrary to long-term belief and previous research, researchers are no longer advocating to sow your weediest paddock last.
Research presented by University of Adelaide researcher Dr. Christopher Preston at the Bendigo GRDC Update in February 2017, explained that getting good early growth and competition was more cost effective than a second knockdown application.
To accommodate sowing weedy paddocks early, growers need to be able to access a wide range of varieties with different growth habits, including longer season winter varieties.
As a continuation of research conducted by LaTrobe University researcher Dr. James Hunt, investigation is occurring into identifying well adapted wheat varieties should an early sowing option arise. Some varieties relished the warm soil, with Scepter and Cutlass (sown 16 March) now out in head at the two BCG managed trials at Longerenong and Curyo, not boding well for harvest.
Not surprisingly, frost damage in this trial is expected to be an issue come the end of the season which is a good result ie. confirming the most appropriate sowing window for certain varieties. Mice are also showing how destructive they can be with heads already being lopped off plants.
All of the above trials will be presented at the BCG Main Field Day as well as emerging weeds and their management, a shielded sprayer with the local farmer discussing why he built it and its benefits, frost identification, disease management and much more.
The BCG Main Field Day is on September 13 at the BCG 2017 main research site at Curyo, corner of Grogans road and Sunraysia highway, 25km North West of Birchip.
This article was published in Stock and Land, August 24.
