Beating herbicide resistant weeds in the Northern region
Once herbicide resistant weeds have established in cropping paddocks, attention must focus on stopping seed set at all costs. Addressing weedy patches early saves money and keeps cropping options open in the long-term.
WeedSmart’s northern extension agronomist, Paul McIntosh is encouraging growers and agronomists to attend WeedSmart Week in Dalby on 7 and 8 February to gain practical insights into tactics that are proven to keep herbicide resistance at bay.
“We have seen the swing towards weeds that have natural tolerance to glyphosate in our zero till systems in the northern region and we need to do more than just switch chemistries,” he says. “Resistance is building in other weeds and to a range of herbicide actives in the region. Stopping seed set has to be a priority if we want to continue gaining the benefits of zero till farming.”
Jake Hamilton is one Darling Downs grower who has adopted the WeedSmart Big 6 strategies to target feathertop Rhodes grass, barnyard grass, urochloa, fleabane and wild oats. Farming wheat, barley, chickpeas, mungbeans, faba beans, sorghum and cotton on 5000 ha near Condamine, Jake uses high-rate optical spot spraying on problem areas to maximise product efficacy and he harvests weedy areas last to avoid mechanical spread.
“GPS levelling and contouring around the edges of wet melon holes and washouts helps achieve field uniformity and prevent weed hotspots,” says Jake. “We clean and grade our planting seed, use high seeding rates and are working hard to improve the overall soil fertility to boost crop competitiveness.”
Jake and his agronomist, Ed Offer, MCA Agronomy Service, Chinchilla will be presenting their insights into integrated weed management on a wide range of soil types during the forum day at Dalby Events Centre.
Another key topic for northern region farming systems is the strategic use of residual herbicides to provide early weed control while also keeping future cropping options open. Tony Lockrey, consulting agronomist and branch manager with AMPS Agribusiness, Moree will outline the strategic use of the suite of new herbicides with residual activity and learnings from their use in the last few seasons.
The 2-day event will be held on 7 and 8 February, 2023 at the Dalby Events Centre, beginning with a forum where speakers will provide up-to-date information on how WeedSmart solutions can improve broadacre crop yields in southern and central Queensland and northern NSW. The program features panel sessions with growers and agronomists discussing their wins and challenges with managing weeds in commercial settings using the WeedSmart Big 6 tactics.
Day 1 will also feature a machinery expo at the Dalby Events Centre where growers will speak about their experiences with the latest in spray and camera technology and mechanical weed control tools.
The second day is a farm tour with prominent growers of the Eastern Darling Downs region showcasing their farms and sharing their innovative weed control methods.
WeedSmart’s program leader, Jessica Strauss says early implementation of the herbicide and non-herbicide tactics that form the WeedSmart Big 6 effectively minimises the impact of herbicide resistance on farm profitability.
“This will be the eighth WeedSmart Week event and is made possible through the support of the GRDC as the major sponsor and a wide range of herbicide and machinery companies – all with skin in the weed control game,” she says. “Growers and advisors from other areas are encouraged to take advantage of GRDC’s financial support for study tours to attend events such as WeedSmart Week.”
Check the full program and register now for this important 2-day event for the single ticket price of $190, or $170 for students, which includes the forum, bus tour and machinery expo, all fully catered.
