IF you asked a cropper what their biggest issue was five to 10 years ago, they most likely would have pointed the finger at ryegrass.
However, the hot topic now at the forefront of many graingrowers' minds is how to tackle brome grass.
With brome grass a problem in many cropping areas, Mallee Sustainable Farming and the Vic Department of Environment and Primary Industries have teamed up to try and help farmers overcome the weed.
Vic DEPI's senior technical officer Mick Brady and technical officer Chris Davies are working in conjunction with MSF agronomist Michael Moodie to look at how the weed can best be managed.
"Work started this year as part of the GRDC-funded project Profitable Stubble Retention Systems in the Mallee," Mr Moodie said.
"We've been able to link in to another project that has been funded by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority that is aimed at demonstrating integrated weed management systems and how they can help tackle brome grass."
Mr Moodie said that as well as tackling a current problem, the projects were also aimed at avoiding future issues.
"At the moment, brome grass can only really be completely controlled with Clearfield varieties, which involves the use of a group B chemical," he said.
"Clearfield can be applied over wheat, canola, barley and lentils and it does offer good control.
"But, the problem with that is if chemicals are overused, it will lead to resistance issues pretty quickly."
With the first completely Clearfield resistant brome grass already uncovered, resistance is more an issue of when and not if.
"If we keep smashing one chemical group, we could run out of options pretty quickly," Mr Moodie said.
"The question is, if farmers do that (overuse the chemical group), how long it takes for resistance to become an issue. It could be two years' time, it could be five years' time or it could be 10 years' time, but resistance will become an issue at some point.
"So, we're looking at what other tactics farmers can use, besides Clearfields, in the future to control brome grass."
Mr Moodie said integrated weed management was a good tactic to help prolong the use of Clearfield chemicals.
"It's about giving farmers more options, and different options," he said.
Mr Moodie said farmers were taking action to tackle the resistance issue.
"In the Mallee there's been a pretty dramatic swing in rotations in the past few years," he said.
"A lot of farmers are now putting crops like canola and legumes into their systems, crops we wouldn't have seen much of in this area five years ago," he said.
"Trying to control brome grass is a reasonably big driver behind that decision."
As part of the project there are four demonstration paddocks, all in the Ouyen, Vic, area at Kaimal, Timberoo, Walpeup and Tempy.
"The four farmers who are hosting the demonstration paddocks, we are linking them up with weed management experts, such as the University of Adelaide's Sam Kleemann," Mr Moodie said.
"They'll look at taking a more integrated approach to brome grass management.
"Half of their trial paddocks will have their normal farming practice, and the other half something extra as part of that integrated approach to brome grass LIKE different phases such as lupins or pastures."
All the demonstration paddocks have been set up in areas where brome grass is a known problem.
The trials will also look at factors such as the impact of higher seeding rates with barley and trying different chemicals.
Managing harvest seed set through options such as windrow burning will also be explored.
Paula Thompson
Stock Journal's markets editor.
Stock Journal's markets editor.
