Technical Bulletin No 14 – 09.10.2020

• Sowing is continuing with growers 60 per cent (Wimmera)—100 per cent (Mallee) through their program.
• Crops are needing moisture. Earlier sown crops into moisture growing well later sown crops are still trying to establish.
• Supplementary feeding sheep is ongoing while we wait for crops to be ready to graze.
• Slug management in some areas is ongoing, good results from high rates (20kg/ha) but justifying the economics in these more variable risk areas is difficult.
• Some are considering N decisions in canola and hay oats where crops were sown early.
• Knockdown opportunities have been good.

• Cereals are at stem elongation, some canola is flowering and pulses are still growing slowly.
• Net form net blotch (NFNB) and Septoria are present in barley and wheat respectively. Fungicide plans are being actioned where risk is greatest. Stripe rust has also been detected in other regions, but this is 2-3 months later than last year in commercial crops.
• Red leather leaf is present in oats and prothioconazole applications are occurring.
• Drier weather has seen the disease threat lessen a little for diseases that like cool wet conditions, but there is still a need to be vigilant.
• Preparation for grain storage is commencing with thought going into grain hygiene and silo bag needs.

• Growers are checking cereal growth stages to ensure timely and appropriate post-emergent chemical applications.
• Urea is being sourced and topdressing is underway in some areas.
• Mice activity is low pressure and isolated
• As part of its monitoring project, BCG has detected elevated populations of black keeled slugs around Horshammmmmm

In this edition:

• Canola windrow timing
• Windrowing barley
• Crop desiccation
• Frost
• Grain market update
• BCG research update

• Stubble burning used as a last resort to allow for sowing.
• Canola crops are being sown or are already emerging in some regions.
• Slug and snail management continuing.
• Mice in localised areas requiring management.
• Crop nutrition budgets are being developed from soil test results and yield expectations.

• Sowing programs are generally continuing as planned with close attention paid to emergence of dry sown crops.
• BCG’s sowing program is approximately 20 per cent complete.
• With ongoing challenges with accessing feed, lower wool prices and shearing costs, many producers are responding by downsizing flocks or shifting more focus to lamb production.