Technical Bulletin No. 5 – 05.06.25

• 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.

• Insect activity is increasing under favourable conditions, though few cases have reached economic thresholds for control.
• Low levels of stripe rust are being detected across Western Victoria, however growers with robust programs that included fungicide at sowing are reporting little to no evidence of foliar disease.
• Low GSR deciles, frosts in early September and favourable prices have growers considering cutting crops for hay instead of harvesting for grain.
• Preparations for harvest are underway.

2022 has been the season that keeps on giving, even though we are now in 2023. Wheat harvest has presented challenges with grain quality for some, and it was thought timely to talk a bit about what is going on, and while not a lot can be done in terms of this harvest, there are some considerations leading into sowing of next seasons crops and learnings to take from what has happened this year. Steven Simpfendorfer of NSW DPI has been kind enough to share some insights on fusarium head blight (FHB) and white grain disorder (WGD) via a communication piece that was distributed to northern NSW and QLD networks.