Wild radish control. You get what you pay for.
Grain growers get what they pay for when it comes to control of one of the worst weeds in the Northern Agriculture Region - wild radish.
Results from 13 different trials by the Department of Agriculture and Food last season found the same three treatments performed best in herbicide resistant paddocks.
Details of the results will be profiled at the department's 2009 Agribusiness Crop Updates on 24-25 February in Perth and at subsequent Regional Updates, supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
The trials were prompted by the release of five new wild radish herbicides in recent years.
One was a large scale trial at Marchagee where eight herbicides were trialled in a wheat paddock with multiple herbicide resistance.
The other used a purpose built 'resistance' boom to spray nine different herbicides simultaneously on wheat crops on 12 properties between Yuna in the north and Marchagee in the south.
These trials showed that Precept®, Velocity® and a Paragon® + Bromicide® mix produced an average of 98-99 per cent wild radish control across all paddocks that had previously shown herbicide resistance.
Weeds Research Officer Peter Newman said although these three treatments cost considerably more than traditional herbicides, they were clearly worth the money.
“These reliable herbicides/mixes will cost growers $14-22 per hectare, which is more than they have become accustomed to paying for wild radish control in cereals,” he said.
But Mr Newman warned the treatments were not a saviour and should be considered as part of an integrated weed management strategy.
“These herbicides are just another tool to help to control wild radish. The trick will be to use them wisely to maximise the life span and profit that can be made from the careful implementation of these herbicides into the farming system,” he said.
More information on this year's Agribusiness and Regional Crop Updates can be found at www.agric.wa.gov.au/cropupdates.
Regional Updates will be held on 27 February - Northam, 3 March - Merredin and Jerramungup, 4 March - Liebe Group in Buntine and Ravensthorpe, 5 March - Mingenew Irwin Group in Dongara, March 6 - Gearldton, March 9 - West Midlands Group in Badgingarra, 10 March - Hyden, 11 March - Corrigin, 12 March - Narrogin, 13 March - Katanning and 17 March - Esperance.
This trial site clearly shows how the site treated with a traditional wild radish herbicide is still full of weeds (Wild Radish 1) and the site treated with a new product is clean (Wild Radish 2).
Media Contacts
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Peter Newman, weeds research officer |
9956 6363 |
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Katrina Bowers/Lisa Bertram, media liaison |
9368 3937/9368 3325 |
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