The GRDC is an industry body, funded by grower levies, and the update aimed to communicate key research results to graingrowers. Around $180 million is spent in research annually by the organisation.

Wallendbeen’s update was one of 14 held in southern Australia,

Update program manager Matt McCarthy said the update covered a number of topics from livestock integration to frost damage. 

John Webb Ware of Melbourne University spoke on profitable livestock systems saying profitable livestock and cropping enterprises can complement eachother. 

He said management systems should be set up so livestock demand fits the pasture growth curve to optimise pasture utilisation and ensure genetics, animal health, flock and herd structure maximise profitability. 

Ag Grow’s Barry Haskins was on hand to discuss managing annual ryegrass in cropping systems focussing on a pre and post emergent herbicide trial in Barellan last year. 

In his key messages to growers, Mr Haskins said pre-emergent herbicides provided greater than 95 per cent control of annual ryegrass in the demonstration trial. 

Conversely he said post-emergent herbicides provided little or no control of ryegrass with the exception of Atlantis and to a lesser extent Boxer Gold (which is currently not registered for this purpose). 

He said burning stubble decreased the effectiveness of all pre-emergent herbicides and accelerated crop maturity. 

The CSIRO’s James Hunt discussed strategies and tactics to extend whole farm water use efficiency encouraging farmers to sow on time or early.  

“Increasing an early sown variety in a cropping program can greatly increase whole-farm yield,” Mr Hunt said. 

In a presentation which resonated with local farmers after a poor finish to last year’s season Dale Grey of DEPI in Bendigo discussed frost damage in crops and what to do with crops affected by a significant frost event. 

He indicated there has been an increase in frost frequency in many areas in the last 20 years. 

“Minor agronomic tweaks might be necessary in some frost prone areas but most growers should be steady as she goes,” Mr Grey said in his presentation. 

In the event of a severe frost, Mr Grey said monitoring needs to occur up to two weeks after the event to detect all damage. 

Another CSIRO speaker Tony Swan spoke about cropping systems and the impacts on profit. 

Each speaker was well received with local farmers reporting it is important to keep up to date with developments in research and if only one or two things are taken out of days such as the GRDC update then it becomes a worthwhile experience. 

- The Cootamundra Herald