NORTHERN Victorian grain growers have a suite of new resources to help them prepare for late frosts and a potential dry finish to the growing season.
Agriculture Victoria has produced a new webpage, agriculture.vic.gov.au/crops-and-horticulture/grains-pulses-and-cereals/crop-production/general-agronomy/cutting-failed-crops-for-hay-or-silage., to help growers make decisions on crops which have failed due to spring frosts or moisture stress and deal with their effects.
Agriculture Victoria regional grains manager Felicity Pritchard said grain growers also had access to new tools for forecasting frosts through the Bureau of Meteorology and tips for practical strategies for managing better against frost.
Ms Pritchard said the resources were important given the wet start to the season and forecast dry spring for the major grain-growing areas of Victoria, which bring a heightened risk of late frosts.
“Crops that fail due to frost, moisture stress or other limiting factors may be cut for silage or hay as an economically viable option,” she said.
“The new webpage highlights for growers the key factors they need to consider to make sound and timely decisions.”
Ms Pritchard encouraged growers to join the Better Frost Decisions Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/betterfrostdecisions) for more information on identifying and responding to frost over the 2023 season and assistance with planning for future seasons.
The group is part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation investment to deliver frost extension activities in the southern region and is managed by Mallee Sustainable Farming.
