Riverine Plains Blog

Key messages:

• while stubble burning allows farmers to manage heavy stubble loads ahead of sowing, smoke can reduce air quality and visibility
• smoke from stubble burning can impact local wine growers
• growers need to be sensitive to increased community concerns

Significant rainfall in 2022 meant that large amounts of stubble biomass was produced by crops across the Riverine Plains. Although many Riverine Plains region farmers have adopted a range of stubble management techniques, the sheer amount of stubble produced last season means that many growers will resort to burning cereal stubbles ahead of sowing.

Key Messages  

Key Messages

• Know what you’re dealing with – monitor, monitor, monitor 
• Soil moisture data can help predict when slugs will become active 
• Biological controls can be useful  
• Bait at sowing and approximately four weeks later if required 
• Vigour and speed of establishment in canola is important 
• Key factors of bait efficacy are chance of encounter and consumption of active 

Slugs are one of the main establishment pests in the Riverine Plains, along with earwigs, slaters, millipedes, wireworms, and mice. The first step to controlling any of these pests, particularly slugs, is knowing what you are dealing with. 

Key messages

• Dual purpose winter crops can help fill the autumn–winter feed gap
• While there is currently a full moisture profile, a dry topsoil and potentially dry autumn may impact establishment
• Be mindful of soil temperature and available soil moisture when sowing early (February–March)

Key messages

• Understanding the scale and depth of soil constraints is key to an effective amelioration program
• Incremental sampling to depth provides more information than traditional 0-10 cm tests
• Seek advice before beginning an amelioration program

Summer and early autumn provides an opportunity for Riverine Plains farmers to treat soil constraints, such as acidity and sodicity, between winter crops.

So, what are the issues to consider?