• Varieties in this trial yielded similarly to other barley crops in the district although there were no significant differences between the varieties.
• Retention across the site was low, with WI 3586 retention exceptionally low especially given that this variety was selected as a replacement for Gairdner with improved grain size.
• Low retention or high protein meant no variety was graded above Malt 2.
• Screenings were highest in Gairdner & WI 3586.
• Test weights for all varieties were acceptable.

• Varieties at this site were low yielding due to low rainfall and hot weather in November, which cut the chickpea growing season short. However there was very little difference in the yield of varieties tested (range 0.2t/ha across the site).
• Quality parameters for chickpea receival were met for all varieties. The high defective seeds result for Kaniva was due to small grain, resulting from the rapid finish to the season.
• Flip 94-508C has improved ascochyta resistance on current desi chickpea lines but prefers higher rainfall than that received at this site. Commercial release is proceeding for this variety but ICCV 96836 has only moderate resistance to ascochyta and will not be released.

• Research to date in Australia suggests optimum rolling time between 3-5 node and crop damage has been recorded from rolling after the 7 node stage. However this trial showed no yield penalty from any time of rolling.
• Lentil rolling is a management practice utilised to create better harvesting conditions and to lower sample contamination. The results from this trial suggests there is flexibility in rolling time and that rolling can be delayed up to the 9 node stage if other management issues are more pressing immediately after sowing. However, this is dependent on the soil and crop health conditions at the time of rolling.
• To avoid crop damage rolling should not occur within 2 weeks of a herbicide application.
• Soils at risk of hard setting or wind erosion should not be rolled PSPE.

• Stripe rust infected all varieties with Yitpi having the least and AGHW 003 the most.
• The application of Folicur markedly reduced the level of stripe rust in all varieties, however there were no differences in yield or screenings between treated and untreated sections of each plot. This indicates that factors other than stripe rust influenced yield.
• Mitre was the highest yielding variety at this site. Despite a lower price per tonne as a result of low protein, Mitre returned the highest price per hectare at the site, under Golden Rewards Pool ESR.

• BOXER GOLD® (Prosulfocarb + S-metalochlor) is a new chemistry released in 2008 that can be rotated with trifluralin (Group D) .
• Rotation of herbicide groupsis a mustto ensure herbicide resistant weed populations do not emerge.

The relatively new herbicide Sakura is currently registered for use in wheat only; in barley this product caused a yield penalty. Effects may not be seen in early stages of plant growth, as Sakura affects the root system. Deep sowing did not have an interaction with Sakura application.

Research and development for satellite products in the broadacre cropping industry has been underway for the past 18 months, with Agrecon already having invested over $150,000 in this endeavour. The main focus has been on broadacre winter grains and oilseeds and more recently on sorghum in summer. One of the steps in the planned R&D program was that of collaboration with region specific grower groups. The purpose of this collaboration is to advance Agrecon’s R&D by gaining access to collateral ground data, field observations, crop input and other agronomic information that only individual growers can provide. The Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) with its reputation for openness to innovation and willingness to trial new technology is an ideal collaborator with whom to form a working relationship.

• Nitrogen applied to crops that have hayed off can contribute to crop biomass and yield in the subsequent season.
• When haying off is severe, a nitrogen (N) balance based on paddock history may be inaccurate.
• Conservative N management delivered the best economic returns over the two years of the trial.

• Monitor all varieties regularly for scald, regardless of disease ratings.
• A new virulent strain infected Hindmarsh crops in 2010.
• Later sown crops are less likely to be infected.

• Seed treatments are essential for smut and bunt control.
• There was no significant difference of seed treatment on the yield of wheat.
• Significant differences were found in growth measurements such as emergence, coleoptile length, plant weight and tillering between seed treatments.

• Growers should check the grain weight, germination of retained seed and calibrate accordingly to achieve consistent plant establishment from season to season.
• Correct seeder calibration amounted to a 0.3t/ha yield or $60/ha gain.
• If phosphorus (P) soil reserves are low, consider increasing P fertiliser rates to achieve optimal yields.

• No significant yield or plant establishment differences occurred between seed treatments in this trial at Culgoa in 2010.
• Gaucho 350 is now registered in cereals and legumes.

• Fungal diseases and aphids can affect yield dramatically in some years in some areas.
• Bayer CropScience is developing two new seed treatments which can help with fungal disease and aphid control and reduce the spread of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) helping to increase yields.
• In this trial no aphids and very low levels of disease were recorded.
• The use of Hombre and Zorro in this situation did not increase yield.

The seeding rate debate will continue for some time to come. The BCG has shown in previous trial work that in normal seasons there are yield benefits with higher seeding rates and in low rainfall seasons there is little or no loss in yield with sowing wheat at 200 plants/m2 . Barley appears to require a lower sowing rate of around 150 plants/m2 .

The seeding rate debate will continue for some time to come. The BCG has shown in previous trial work that in normal seasons there are yield benefits with higher seeding rates and in low rainfall seasons there is little or no loss in yield with sowing wheat at 200 plants/m2 . Barley appears to require a lower sowing rate of around 150 plants/m2 .

Juvenile snails can be killed with bait (mortality 18-80%), but efficacy is highly variable due to numerous factors. Preliminary studies indicate that bait density is more important than bait size. GRDC is funding a new round of snail/slug research to expand on some of these scoping studies.

• Canolas outperformed the mustards in high production situations.
• Some early generation material flowered much earlier than current commerical varieties but they struggled to out yield them in 2010.

• Canolas and mustards performed well at sites with low growing season rainfall and high levels of stored water.
• Roundup Ready lines show great promise over current commercial lines in better seasons.
• Results from the one site tested over the last three years under low rainfall conditions suggested that higher canola and mustard yields of acceptable quality are possible.

Scout and Mace, both Hard varieties, are now suitable Yitpi replacements for the Wimmera and Mallee. Mace needs to be managed for stripe rust; there was a 0.6t/ha yield reduction due to stripe rust at Horsham. New varieties Phantom and Corack also performed well across all trials.

For the fourth year in a row grain yield was increased by controlling summer weeds. There has been a return on investment in all years of this trial, by controlling summer weeds. Retaining or removing stubble has only a minor effect on yield.

• Sheep grazing on stubbles and crops do not reduce crop yields provided summer weeds are controlled and at least 70% stubble cover (2-3t/ha cereal stubble) is maintained.
• Reduced water infiltration and yield from grazing are due to removal of cover rather than compaction; sheep’s mouths cause damage, not their hooves.
• Sheep do compact soil, but only at the surface; natural shrinking and swelling of soils and sowing with knife points alleviates this.
• Grazing of stubbles and crops appears to make more N available to crops, which can increase yield; the mechanisms by which this is achieved remain uncertain.

Any sheep enterprise is less affected by dry springs, high maximum temperatures during September and October and frosts, than any cropping program.

Flight, Velocity, Jaguar and the Agritone plus Affinity mix were the herbicides that provided the most effective wild radish control in wheat. A two-spray strategy is required to control later germinations of wild radish. Short-term pain for long-term gain: including new herbicides (with different modes of action) into the cereal phase will delay the onset of resistance.

• On average in the Mediterranean Mallee environment, sub-tropical grasses grow best during late spring and early summer when soil temperatures are rising and soil moisture is available.
• Unless significant rain occurs after December, the growth rate of sub-tropical grasses is typically low in the period December to April.
• Subtropical grasses are dormant in the winter months, so weed control measures are relatively easy and the inclusion of annual medics may be possible.
• The standing fodder of sub-tropical grasses can potentially be carried over for grazing later in summer.

After six years of running the Systems Site comparing farming systems it has become clear that the critical issues are as follows.

Conserving soil water into dry seasons, which can be achieved using either mechanical in a conventional system or chemical means in a reduced till or no till system (assuming there is enough stubble to protect the soil surface from evaporation).

Since the introduction of Frame and Yitpi (CCN resistant wheats) CCN has not been a problem.

Take-all and Pratylenchus neglectus appear to more closely correlate to specific areas in a paddock rather than levels changing because of crop choice or the rotation (field peas did lower Pratylenchus levels). Certainly there did not appear to be any influence of farming system on these two soil borne diseases.

Weed levels have not changed markedly over the duration of the trial and there were no differences between systems after six years. Brome grass is now present at the site at very low levels whereas it was not recorded in 1999 and 2000.

Wind erosion susceptibility and risk is lowest in the No Till plots because of good stubble cover and aggregation of soil particles. The three other systems all had plots which were moderately susceptible to wind erosion, primarily as a result of low stubble cover.

Using current technology and sampling intensity it is not possible to pick up changes in soil available nitrogen levels between different farming systems.

Soil changes in soil biological characteristics are currently being assessed and will be reported by the BCG update in February 2006.

Nineteen experiments in the Mallee, over four years, have shown that mid-row banding does as well as top-dressing in obtaining yield and protein improvements over more conventional methods of nitrogen application at sowing (eg, broadcast, and incorporated at sowing).

The focus to date of the 2002 drought has been its agronomic, financial and emotional impact on farmers and farm businesses. Whilst this is unquestionable, spare a thought for small business!

No significant differences were found from either the different rates of gypsum applied in 1994 or from the tillage practices.

The results so far (after three dry seasons) indicate that:

- deep ripping has resulted in significantly lower yields, and

- gypsum has had no affect on yield.

Over the summer of 2002/03 soil conservation is as critical as summer weed control to ensure that your soil resource is in the best possible condition to produce high yielding crops in 2003.

• Relatively low levels of stubble cover during January – March provide effective protection against soil erosion.
• Protection against soil erosion is not related to the tillage system employed in crop establishment or management provided stubble is retained over the summer period.
• Ripping techniques in which significant levels of clod are brought to the soil surface are effective in preventing significant soil losses on paddocks without vegetative cover.

Yields were increased by 0.4t/ha (15%) in barley and 0.2t/ha (10%) in wheat at Horsham in 2014 by sowing east/west. Sowing direction did not alter grain quality. 

Varietal characteristics (maturity, height and growth habit) were not found to influence the yield response.

Similar findings have been found in NSW, in the presence of weeds, and WA, with or without weeds.

• Light interception at midday was significantly higher under east-west sowing compared with north-south.
• It is plausible that sowing direction may influence weed seed set.
• To establish a competitive crop against weeds and maximise yields, growers should aim for the narrowest row spacing to suit their system.

Winter wheat can be sown as early as February, flower at the optimum time and yield as well as spring wheat sown in May. Winter wheat provides lots of feed for livestock if used as a dual purpose crop. The Mallee needs adapted winter wheat varieties bred for it!

Target hybrid canola sowing rates that will produce no less than 20 and no more than 40 plants/m2.

• No foliar fungicide can make the leaf area infected turn green again so timing is critical.
• In a wheat plant, the top three leaves: flag, leaf 2 and leaf 3, contribute the most to yield. Fungicide applications must be timed to ensure protection of these leaves.

This trial has demonstrated the impact poor nozzle selection and water rates can have on herbicide efficacy. Farmers generally only use one nozzle type for all post emergent herbicide applications and water rates tend to be lower than optimal. It was found that increasing the water rate and selecting a nozzle with a fine droplet pattern and good coverage gave best results for contact herbicides and those poorly translocated within the plant (Group A herbicides eg. Verdict 520). For herbicides that move readily through the plant, coverage is not as essential allowing larger droplet size nozzles to be used without losing efficacy. For smaller grass targets it is even more important to have the correct water rate and nozzle type. Understanding how herbicides work, modes of action and movement within the plant will allow for better water rate and nozzle selection leading to more cost effective weed control and less off target impact.

This trial has demonstrated the impact poor nozzle selection and water rates can have on herbicide efficacy. Farmers generally only use one nozzle type for all post emergent herbicide applications and water rates tend to be lower than optimal. It was found that increasing the water rate and selecting a nozzle with a fine droplet pattern and good coverage gave best results for contact herbicides and those poorly translocated within the plant (Group A herbicides eg. Verdict 520). For herbicides that move readily through the plant, coverage is not as essential allowing larger droplet size nozzles to be used without losing efficacy. For smaller grass targets it is even more important to have the correct water rate and nozzle type. Understanding how herbicides work, modes of action and movement within the plant will allow for better water rate and nozzle selection leading to more cost effective weed control and less off target impact.

• Roundup at 400mL/ha alone can be very safe on medic plants; however, more work is required to confirm this.
• Roundup 400mL/ha appears to only suppress bromegrass and annual ryegrass. Hiigher rates are needed for better control.
• The additives Goad and 2,4D Ester increased medic damage; however, overall suppression of medic growth was below 50%.

Spraying small ryegrass with translocated herbicides such as Roundup, the droplet spectrum is not as critical as what was first thought. When spraying Roundup during the time of year when drift is a problem, which occurs mainly at sowing during autumn, nozzles which produce droplets which drift less such as the Air Inducted nozzles (AI) can be used (in our trials water rates were kept at 60L/ha).

Spraying small ryegrass with translocated herbicides such as Roundup®, the droplet spectrum is not as critical as what was first thought.  When spraying Roundup during the time of year when drift is a problem, which occurs mainly at sowing during autumn, nozzles which produce droplets which drift less such as the Air Inducted nozzles (AI) can be used (in our trials water rates were kept at 60L/ha).

The plan must address the target and the nature of the target. Is the target small or large, short or tall, fine or course, young or mature. Is the target stressed eg. heat, waterlogged, dry or frosted.

Velocity®, Igran®, Precept® and Lexone® provided the most effective statice control in barley.

The use of, or addition, of Group G herbicides failed to improve control.

Group C herbicides had varied results. Products containing terbutryn and metribuzin achieved a high level of control, but products containing  diuron and bromoxynil did not.

• Statice seedbanks reduced with targeted management options in three years, providing no new seeds are allowed to set.
• Crop competition and crop-topping to prevent seed set can help to control statice.
• Statice can be hard to control, so good farm biosecurity is important to prevent the introduction of statice. This includes controlling statice in non-crops areas, such as laneways and fence-lines.

Yields were increased by 0.4t/ha (15%) in barley and 0.2t/ha (10%) in wheat at Horsham in 2014 by sowing east/west. Sowing direction did not alter grain quality. 

Varietal characteristics (maturity, height and growth habit) were not found to influence the yield response.

Similar findings have been found in NSW, in the presence of weeds, and WA, with or without weeds.

In a stem rust outbreak, fungicide is best applied before infection of the crop is visible.

Use of foliar fungicides applied prophylactically at the start of flowering (GS60) gave good control of a late stem rust infection in Yitpi, but were largely uneconomic in 2011.

Under very low Rhizoctonia pressure, none of the seed treatments trialed here had an impact (negative or positive) on barley yield. EverGol® Prime is a new product that is now registered for the suppression of Rhizoctonia in wheat and barley at a rate range of 40 - 80mL/100kg of seed.

• Do not become complacent about rust; have a strategy/budget in place.
• Resistant varieties are the best method for combating stem and stripe rust.
• Some ofthe new release varieties,resistantto stem rust, are equalto Yitpi in yield performance and are worth keeping an eye on to reduce the risk of stem rust.

• The risk of rust outbreaks in 2007 will be high if there is a build up of inoculum on volunteer cereals over summer.
• Rust diseases will need to be managed to protect returns.
• Resistant varieties are the best form of management where possible.

Stripe rust if not controlled in a susceptible variety can result in large yield losses. At the Laen trial site the treatments which controlled stripe rust yielded 1 t/ha more compared to the treatments with no or little control (3.6 t/ha compared to 2.6 t/ha). The best seed dressing for reducing the infection of stripe rust was Jockey at the registered rate of 0.45L/100kg of seed, Impact-in-Furrow treatments at the full (0.4L/ha) and half rate reduced stripe rust infections to minimal levels. Foliar fungicides applied at full flag leaf emergence, Triad, Bumper, Folicur and Opus, resulted in complete control of stripe rust.

Stripe rust can be managed in 2004 using a combination of inoculum reduction (removal of volunteer cereals), varietal selection, seed or fertiliser treatment and crop monitoring with a view to fungicide application if necessary.

• Be vigilant and monitor every paddock – they can be very different ƒ
• Do not spray after head emergence – the damage has been done ƒ
• Use early season treatments in the Wimmera and be prepared to apply one spray in crop if it is required. ƒ Stripe rust is a permanent fixture in our environment
• We must all be prepared to control the disease WHEN (not IF) it occurs in 2006.

Select a wheat variety with good stripe rust performance.

Fungicides applied as a seed treatment and/or as a foliar application provide cost effective control of stripe rust.

• Reducing stubble loads can reduce the severity and duration of frost events under certain conditions. However, under the situation of multiple and severe frost events the influence of stubble is less defined and stubble reduction does not reduce risk.
• In the Mallee, most stubble management practices carried out prior to seeding to increase stubble incorporation or breakdown (cultivation, slashing) did not reduce stubble loads enough to reduce frost severity and duration.
• In the Wimmera, reducing stubble loads did not consistently reduce frost severity or duration possibly due to a combined effect of greater canopy closure with higher yield potential (2014) and higher stubble break down with low stubble levels (2015).
• Stubble management in frost prone areas is not about complete removal of stubble, but reducing it to a level that minimises your risk.

• In 2007, herbicides applied to burnt stubble were more effective than those applied to slashed stubble. In 2008, there was no effect of stubble management on efficacy or crop safety.
• All herbicide treatments gave adequate control ofryegrassin both years, but TriflurX® 1.5L/ha + Avadex Xtra® 1.6L/ha gave the best control in both 2007 and 2008.
• Improved control of ryegrass did not increase yield, and the most profitable treatments were the lower rates of trifluralin.
• Standing stubble substantially increased grain yield relative to slashed stubble (0.41 and 0.47t/ha in 2007 and 2008 respectively).

• Rainfall over the summer fallow period will cause nutrient leaching from stubbles.
• Stubble crop type determines initial value of stubble and what may be leached due to rainfall.
• It is important to consider other loss pathways such as microbial breakdown and volatilisation as well as leaching when calculating stubble nutrient value following the summer fallow period.

• In wet years, barley sown into cereal stubble can suffer badly from yellow leaf spot.
• In dry years, this is not a problem.
• However, the barley still performed better where the wheat stubble has been burnt.

• Cereal stubble should be burnt when sowing wheat, barley or canola.
• The smaller the cereal and canola seedlings do not thrive when grown in stubble.
• Larger seeded crops such as chickpeas and lupins performed best in stubble retained situations.

• In 2016, a Decile 10 season, stubble load had no effect on soil mineral nitrogen or soil water.
• The presence of stubble resulted in higher soil mineral nitrogen over the summer fallow period.
• Wheat yields were higher following peas or fallow than they were after wheat or canola in 2016.

• Six out of seven sub-tropical species were successfully established.
• The Panicum maximum cultivars (cv.) of Petrie and Gatton, Panicum coloratum cv. Bambatsi and Digitaria milanjiana cv. Strickland established well and produced in excess of 1.4t dry matter/ha in 2007 and 1t dry matter/ha in 2008.
• Panicum maximum cv. Petrie produced the most biomass in both 2007 (4.5t dry matter/ha) and 2008 (1.8t dry matter/ha).

• When superphosphate was the commonly used cropping fertiliser, adequate sulphur nutrition was assured. With the move to high analysis fertiliser such as MAP and DAP sulphur deficiencies have become more common. Of all winter crops canola is most prone to show sulphur deficiency. Canola has high requirements for sulphur.
• It is twice that of pulses and five times greater than wheat for the same yield. At Sea Lake in 1999, a product or group of products that supplied a balanced level of phosphorus, nitrogen and sulphur produced the highest yields, however DAP proved the most economic

Sulfurs and zinc fertiliser increased wheat yields by 120 and 300kg/ha above MAP + urea.

• Durum quality wheat was produced at Lubeck, although high soil N levels pushed protein levels above the maximum for noodle wheat. Milling wheat grown at the same site achieved H2 quality. There was no yield response to N fertiliser at sowing. This demonstration highlights the importance of careful paddock selection when producing specialty wheat.
• While it has been demonstrated that durum wheat can be produced in this part of the Wimmera, durum is a high risk option. A basic economic comparison highlighted the high penalty when downgraded to feed quality if durum specifications are not met.

Despite the prevalence of cereal leaf disease in the Wimmera in 2003, these sites were relatively clean. Low levels of spot form of net blotch (SFNB) were present at most sites.

Yields ranged from 1.5-2.1t/ha at Minyip and 2.3 to 2.7t/ha at Lubeck. Oil contents ranged from 38- 43% with no clear varietal trends. Table 1 summarises the yields grown and the source and level of blackleg resistance. Hyola 60 and Surpass 603CL had the highest mean yields, followed by AVSapphire and ATR Beacon. The yields of ATR Stubby were comparable to the other triazine tolerant varieties. ATR Stubby is an early maturing variety and would be more suited to Mallee environments. Pioneer 45C05 and Pioneer 44C11 were sown at Minyip and performed well. These varieties are suited to the northern Wimmera and southern Mallee.

These demonstrations were not fully replicated and reflect performance only for the 2003 season at each site. Therefore, consider long-term variety trial data before selecting a new variety.

• Based on current prices, adjuvants can account for 5-50% of the total cost of application.
• Vegetable oils in general performed better than BS1000, Hot-up and Companion.
• Based on cost, Infiltrator was the best adjuvant to accompany Roundup CT.

For most effective weed control of heliotrope an early applied residual herbicide such as Glean, Ally or Atrazine (be careful with plant backs for different crops!) is most effective. For grass and heliotrope control later in the season, weeds have to be sprayed before they are fully grown and flowering.

• The benefit of summer weed control can vary across soil types and conditions.
• Conserving summer soil moisture is generally money in the bank and can prove invaluable when there is a dry finish, although the benefits seem to differ according to soil type.
• Higher glyphosate prices meansthat growers need to become more efficient when controlling weeds. Targeting weeds while they are young and fresh will help with reducing glyphosate rates. The addition of residual herbicides, such as Ally, will reduce the need for follow-up spraying.

• Controlling summer weeds improves crop yield.
• Summer weeds like Heliotrope use large amounts of stored soil water and nitrogen, which is then not available to the following crop.

• In dry regions, summer fallowing is not just about controlling weeds but mainly about conserving moisture!
• Cultivation conserved the most amount of soil moisture over the summer period. ƒ
• The three treatments which controlled summer weeds: (i) cultivation every three weeks; (ii) cultivation when required; and (iii) knockdown when required, had a significantly higher yield (0.4 to 0.7 t/ha) compared to the treatments where there was no or poor summer weed control. ƒ
• Greater than 80mm of available moisture was lost under heavy heliotrope and melon populations

There was a significant difference in canola yield between the high and low fertiliser treatments.

• There was no significant difference in field pea yield between the treatments.
• The yield only reached 20% of potential, according to WUE principles.
• A severe frost in late September resulted in massive pod damage.

• The crop reached 100% efficiency rating according to WUE principles.
• In years with low rainfall agronomic practices aimed at optimising produciton are unlikely to have any special benefits.
• It is only in years with average to above average rain that limiting factors can start to be identified.

• The target of a six tonne wheat crop was not achieved at all three sites.
• The dry spring reduced the yield potential of Frame, hence the most limiting factor was water.
• The demonstration showed little consistencies for treatment responses across the three sites.

• Inoculum are living bacteria.
• Survial of rhizobia is vital for inoculation and effective nodulation of crop and pasture legumes.
• Chemicals and fertilisers can affect survival and persistence of rhizobia in the soil.
• Therefore, ensure high numbers of rhizobia are sown, especially where chemicals are used.

The Sustainable Land Management Demonstration Sites in the Mallee have been established to demonstrate improved farming practices through a better understanding of crop management and water use to reduce groundwater recharge and soil erosion.

• Test your soil- soil testing individual paddocks for nutrient status and plant available water at the start of the season allows you to determine the paddocks yield potential and requirements. Knowing this information at sowing can assist in making decisions throughout the season.
• Yield Prophet- the crop simulation model is a great tool for assessing crop risk and predicting potential yields.

• Yield Prophet- the crop simulation model- is a great tool for assessing crop risk and predicting potential yields.
• For renovating overgrazed perennial pasture paddocks, the sowing of cereals is a low risk strategy.
• Pasture establishment is extremely difficult in the Mallee in years with limited spring rainfall.
• Cereal biomass production may be greater by an order of 10 times than either perennial or leguminous pastures in the first year of establishment.
• Best pasture options for a June sowing in terms of biomass in the first year of establishment are either forage brassica or Italian Ryegrass

• TagTeam™ has increased the yield of field peas by 4.5 percent in trials using half the rate of phosphate fertiliser, resulting in a productivity gain of at least $30/ha from both the yield increase and fertiliser reduction.
• JumpStart™ has been shown to increase the wheat yield by 5 percent in farmer split-paddock trials where half the rate of the grower’s fertiliser was used, resulting in productivity gain of at least $30/ha from both the yield increase and fertiliser reduction.

An Ally tank mix gives farmers a fantastic weapon in the fight against weeds.

In this experiment foliar application of tebuconazole at label rates to a wheat crop (cv. Yitpi) at GS38-49 resulted in a significant yield loss (0.43t/ha or a 43 percent decrease relative to the control)

There are substantial benefits from GM herbicide tolerant canola when compared with alternative non-GM weed control systems. These include more effective weed control, reduced pesticide use, reducted use of cultivation, improved yields, reduced risk of herbicide resistance and a reduction in the environmental 'footprint'.

Agricultural activities such as cultivation, livestock farming, stubble burning and decomposition of crop residues cause greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere.

Topdressing pulses with nitrogen does not pay; inoculation does. Nitrogen topdressing of pulses resulted in little or no net growth or yield benefit. Inoculating pulses is most effective if the soil is moist and if residual soil nitrogen and soil rhizobia populations are low. The current study indicated that a return on investment of up to $60 can be achieved from the inoculation of chickpeas in the absence of soil rhizobia.

There is enormous opportunity for the farming sector in general to benefit through the introduction of new crop types. Potentially crops that may have previously been bred for the food industry might now have an opportunity to be reutilised through the significant segregated storage and handling system that we see across most of the east coast of Australia. The ongoing reliance on fossil fuels is not healthy. With the world oil stocks depleting at an ever increasing rate we need to be proactively looking at all sorts of alternative renewable fuel sources.

Soil organic matter consists of a labile (non-permanent) and stable (humus) fraction. No-till increases the labile fraction of soil organic matter, but not the stable fraction. Additional nutrients will be required to ‘fix’ the labile fraction to humus.

Wild oat control in dryland cereals is important for yield maximisation and profit. Even low levels of wild oats (50 plants per m2 ) can reduce yields by 17% (PISA Weed Decide Calculator). In a trial conducted at Birchip, Victoria Hussar® and Atlantis ® (group B herbicides) were shown to give similar wild oat control when compared to the current standards and can be used to rotate modes of action. Hoegrass® and Decision™ were shown to be less effective than current standards for wild oat control, at the rates used. Yields varied greatly within replicates so little can be derived from them.

Grazing crops early and/or lightly will generally not affect grain yields.

Plant recovery is supported by having more green material remaining after grazing; the more the merrier!

Early sown winter wheat can produce more biomass earlier in the season than spring wheat varieties.

Brodal carry over from the 2000 season had an affect on some commercially grown canola crops in 2001. The BCG trials showed that the Pacific Seed varieties Surpass600 and Surpass402CL and the Pioneer variety 44C73 were sensitive to simulated carry over of Brodal (diflufenican). If you are planning to sow any of these varieties this year, or a variety which was not in our trial, it is important to check whether you used Brodal in 2001 and discuss this with your supplier.

• Grain yields increase with higher crop inputs and, after grazing, further improve following a sown legume pasture and a more intensive grazing system.
• There is no measured change in soil organic carbon as a result of either varying crop and pasture inputs or grazing compared with not grazing stubbles or pastures.

• Summer weeds use significatn amounts of stored soil water.
• The long-term impact of summer weeds amounts to a loss in production of 1t/ha in cereal yield in the southern Mallee.
• In a changed climate scenario, where our region is likely to receive more summer rain at the expense of spring rain, the impact of summer weeds on potential crop yield is likely to increase.

For farmers who have not yet reached this stage of herbicide resistance it is imperative that alternative control practices to herbicides are put into practice.