IF you thought rust decisions were all about rain in your crop, think again.
Heat is just as big a problem.
Industry guru Dr Grant Holloway will be explaining where it can all go wrong when he attends the annual Birchip Cropping Group Main Field Day on Wednesday, September 11, at Nullawil.
On the upside, he will provide growers with the tools to make the right decision when things do start going wrong with rust.
“The biggest driver of disease is rainfall frequency – that is, the number of wet days we get in a row,” the plant pathologist expert says.
“The second is heat,” he adds.
“I think a major challenge for growers at present is knowing whether further protection is warranted in a season like this where there is yield potential but it hasn’t been super wet,” Dr Holloway says.
“Also in the back of our minds are seasons such as we had in 2016 and 2022, where on both occasions the spring turned wet and timely crop protection was required.”
The effect of wind may also be on growers’ minds, with concern for the potential for spores to be cast across the district.
Dr Holloway, however, says the strong winds are problematic – more so because they are preventing growers accessing paddocks to spray the rust.
“Having a susceptible variety which cannot be sprayed for 10 days due to wind is not a situation I want growers to be in,” he says.
“At BCG’s Main Field Day I’m looking forward to discussing with growers the importance of variety selection and how to prioritise the management of crops they currently have in the ground to maximise production.”
Dr Hari Dadu from Agriculture Victoria and BCG’s Thomas Jones will also be speaking in the smart disease management session at at Nullawil.
Other topics at BCG’s Main Field Day will include nitrogen management, high-yielding wheat, fatigue management with farmer Mark Modra, pulse diseases and varieties, vetch varieties and end-use, canola establishment, disease management, National Variety Trial cereal results and a herbicide matrix.
The field day will take place at 196 Nullawil North Road, Nullawil.
Registrations can be made at www.bcg.org.au/events.
The event will run from 8am to 4pm (with breakfast provided) and is free for BCG members and $50 for non-members.
For biosecurity reasons please ensure all footwear and vehicles are free of soil before visiting the site.
