“Growing lentils with good disease resistance ratings are worth their weight in gold,” pulse expert from Agriculture Victoria Jason Brand believes. Jason, alongside colleague Josh Fanning will present the latest research in pulses and economics at BCG’s Trials Review Day on Friday the 24th of February at the Birchip Leisure Centre. Register at bcg.org.au/events
New lentil varieties
Part of Jason’s discussion will include what’s new. “GIA Thunder and GIA Lighting are new high yielding IMI-varieties from Grains Innovation Australia that we will talk about on the day. There is also the release of the world-first metribuzin tolerant lentil, GIA Metro. It is a breakthrough in breeding and an exciting addition to growers’ toolboxes, allowing application of metribuzin in crop, providing another method for growers to control broadleaf weeds.”
Integrated disease strategy
As disease ravaged yields in parts of the Wimmera, Mallee and North Central due to unseasonably wet conditions, Josh will discuss how growers could better manage disease both in wet and dry years: “Variety selection with an integrated disease strategy can pay dividends for growers, either in a wet year like 2022 or in a dry year,” Josh says. “It’s a good idea to have a base plan to start the season and then a dry strategy and a wet strategy so that as the season progresses, you know your plan of action and have chemical on hand when you need it.”
Access to fungicide
Planning ahead is key Josh believes: “have the high value, high impact chemical early and if you don’t need it, you can keep it until the following year. Thinking about paddock selection is also important as well as the time of sowing. If you sow early, you are going to have early canopy closure which means more disease lifecycles in a season and it will require a different management plan.”
Josh believes there is not a one-size-fits all approach to disease management: “Each farmer is different. It’s important to have an integrated disease strategy for each farm, considering risk profile, timing, labour etc… A detailed plan allows each grower to find the sweet spot when it comes to making pulses profitable. We will discuss how to develop such a plan at BCG’s Trials Review Day,” Josh says.
Overcoming soil constraints
Jason will also discuss the results of soil amelioration research at Yanac in the west Wimmera and Mitiamo, North Central. He which demonstrate potential opportunities for lentils on soils previously thought to be unsuitable due to variability and soil constraints, as well as big yield gains that can be achieved in faba beans.
Register for BCG’s Members’ Only Trials Review Day at bcg.org.au/events or call (03) 5492 2787. Memberships can also be purchased online at bcg.org.au/memberships or by calling the number above. BCG’s Seasonal Results Compendium will be launched on the day. Remember to download your copy prior to the event.
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