Riverine Plains Blog

Key messages:

• check the efficacy of your pre-emergent herbicide applications – poor results may mean you need to reconsider your post-emergent spray program or other control options
• overall herbicide efficacy can be affected by a range of factors including plant stress, moisture and inadequate coverage
• delays or failures in weed control can be costly, so monitor now to manage the risk

Many Riverine Plains growers are still busy finishing their sowing programs, while also managing time-sensitive issues like slugs. Despite time constraints, it’s important to prioritise weed monitoring, including the effectiveness of pre-emergent herbicide applications, especially in earlier sown crops.

Key messages:

• canola crops are especially vulnerable to sulfur deficiency
• leaching and high rates of plant removal over the past few years have likely reduced soil sulfur levels
• incremented soil testing to a depth of 60-80cm will identify the quantity and location of sulfur in the soil
• understanding what’s in the ‘bank’ can help farmers make timely and economical fertiliser decisions

Sulfur (S) is an important nutrient for grain crops as it is used in chlorophyll formation and plant development. Canola has a higher requirement than wheat or legume crops for sulfur thanks to its oil and protein production.

Key Messages:

• Mice and rats have become a more persistent problem over the past few years
• monitoring is key to understanding the scale of the problem and helps indicate when additional control is required
• timing mouse bait application is critical to protecting crops when populations are high.

Mice populations have traditionally followed a boom-and-bust type pattern, however over the last decade or so they have become a more persistent problem.

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)