Riverine Plains Blog

Key messages:

• Four consecutive good seasons, along with stubble retention and tight cereal rotations have favoured a build-up of Fusarium crown rot in the Riverine Plains region
• High levels of Fusarium crown rot can cause significant yield loss, so assess the risk now by sampling last years’ cereal stubble or by using Predicta®B DNA soil testing
• Integrated management options will reduce the risk of yield loss from Fusarium crown rot and other root diseases

Key messages

• monitor now for fungal diseases including stripe rust, septoria and sclerotinia
• despite predictions for a drier-than-average spring, disease outbreaks could still occur 
• rotate fungicide groups to reduce the risk of resistance developing and investigate the potential of new fungicide products

Key messages:

• always have a clear purpose for collecting on-farm data and understand how it can be used to make decisions, for example informing fertiliser strategies, livestock breeding programs and soil amelioration
• good quality data is critical to making informed decisions
• ensure that you will be able to access your data, even when changing consultants or machinery suppliers

Key Messages:

• High-moisture grain is not safe to store without aeration or drying, but can be temporarily held in silos with aeration cooling before being dried or blended
• It’s important to regularly monitor stored grain temperatures to avoid spoilage
• Do not store high moisture grain infected with fungi or moulds

With wet and cool weather continuing to complicate harvest, growers may be thinking about their options for managing higher moisture grain (either this year or in future seasons).

So, what are the key things to consider?

Key Messages