Technical Bulletin No. 5 – 31.05.24

In this edition:

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

• Recent rains have lifted spirits, helping to consolidate crop growth and encourage timely urea applications.  

• Wind damage in light soils has led to patchy canola losses and re-sowing with cereals in parts of the Wimmera.  

• Staggered crop emergence remains a theme although some regions are reporting more uniform growth.  

• Recent rainfall has kept growers busy applying nitrogen, fungicides, herbicides and insecticides.
• Low levels of stripe rust have been detected in the Mallee. Low levels of scald and spot form of net blotch in barley in the Wimmera and low levels of Septoria in wheat in the Wimmera and Mallee.
• In the Mallee, the window for nitrogen applications to boost yield is closing as cereal crops move into ear emergence. In the Wimmera, cereals range from late tillering through to stem elongation and flag leaf emergence, while canola is at early flowering in many districts.
• Low levels of insect activity are also being reported, including locusts in the Mallee, lucerne flea and redlegged earth mite (RLEM) in the Wimmera, cowpea aphids and blue green aphids in vetch, and lucerne leaf roller, RLEM and cowpea aphids in the North Central region.