Technical Bulletin – 29 May 2019

In the northern Mallee, reports of Etiella and Heliothis may create more activity in the coming days and weeks. For the southern Mallee, most growers are looking for more rain to protect yield potential, and late fungicide sprays have gone out on wheat.

In the Wimmera (North, Central and West) soil moisture levels are good (explained later in this bulletin) and there are isolated reports of armyworm activity that warrant some monitoring, particularly in cereal on cereal rotations.

Some action points from recent BCG events: leave the fenceline and get out into your crops to assess for potential frost or heat stress damage, adjust your header set up ready for the coming months, succession planning is an ongoing process and farming is about decision making and we can only influence the quality of our decision making by acting more consciously on the best available knowledge.

• Canola windrowing is complete or underway in most regions
• Hay quality has generally been good due to a drier curing period
• Despite lower growing season rainfall, most regions are generally in a good position for harvest
• Growers are organising harvest priorities and logistics, particularly those still bailing hay while also starting to harvest canola and barley
• Cropping plans for 2024 are being reviewed as final passes on paddocks occur, taking account of weeds, disease and other risks