Nufarmer 2006 Autumn - Pest Genie

AUTUMN 2006
Nufarmer
AN UPDATE FROM NUFARM ON RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING OF CROP PROTECTION PRODUCTS IN AUSTRALIA
• Nufarm sows for the future
• Moree Regional Service
Centre expands
• Seminars focus on spray
application techniques
• Intervix ®3 set to impress
this winter
Nufarmer Autumn 2006
1

Welcome
Contents
For more than 50 years Nufarm has
been supporting Australian agriculture
by developing new products and uses
and expanding our service network.
Nufarm is an Australian-owned
company, committed to quality products
designed for and tested in Australian
conditions. No other supplier of crop
production products can claim this fact.
In this issue we reinforce the messages
outlined in the current advertising
campaign. In this campaign, Nufarm
reminds growers of the value we deliver,
ensuring farmers get the best outcomes
when they choose Nufarm products.
When you’re farming, timing is
everything. When the spray window is
open, farmers need to work quickly to
maximise cropping yields. To help farmers
get products delivered quickly, Nufarm has
made significant investments in its service
network. The latest expansion is at the
Moree Regional Service Centre (see page
5). Crop protection products stored closer
to the paddock ensure rapid delivery times.
Nufarm provides so much more than a
drum of chemical. Nufarm is committed to
efficacious spray application and holds
regular demonstrations and workshops for
our re-sellers, farmers and agronomists
(see page 4/5).
Seeds are quickly being regarded as the
engine room of agricultural production.
Nufarm has an expanding seeds division
that is bringing exciting new varieties to
market for better yields and greater returns
for farmers.
Nufarm develops new products for the
market every year. In this issue are details
of the new Intervix ®3 herbicide and new
uses for Penncozeb ®5 420SC fungicide.
This season, more than ever, farmers
should insist on Nufarm. Anything else is
just UnAustralian.
Darren Thomas
Brand Manager
Nufarm Australia Limited
3 Nufarm sows for the future
4 Why farmers should insist on Nufarm
5 Upgrade for Moree Regional Service Centre
6-7 News from Croplands, your crop protection
equipment specialists
8 Opus 125 gives the best stripe rust control in
dryland wheat
9 Monza: your flexible choice for brome
and barley grass control
10 Herbicide mixtures effective against resistant
annual ryegrass
11 News in horticulture
®/ Registered/trademarks of Nufarm Australia Limited
® 1 Registered trademark of Nufarm Technology USA Pty Ltd.
® 2 Registered trademarks of Monsanto Technologies LLC, used under
license by Nufarm Australia Limited.
® 3 Registered trademarks of BASF, used under licence by Nufarm
Australia Limited
® 4 Registered trademark of Spraying Systems Co, USA.
® 5 Registered trademark of Cerexagri SA.
® 6 Registered trademark of Syngenta.
Cover: Croplands’ 6000 L Pegasus Sprayer is purpose-built for easy and efficient broadacre spraying.
2 Nufarmer Autumn 2006

Nufarm Plant Science
– sowing for the future
Nufarm has a highly skilled domestic and international plant breeding and field operations team, based in Horsham, Finley and Yarck in
Victoria and offshore. This aerial photograph shows the plant breeding operation on Dahlen Quarry Road near Horsham, Victoria.
In the past 12 months Nufarm has
consolidated its interests in plant
breeding and development with the
acquisition of Victorian canola breeder,
Ag-Seed Research Pty Ltd.
Nufarm, under the banner of Nufarm
Plant Science, now owns three plant
breeding and development businesses -
Nugrain Pty Ltd, Ag-Seed Research Pty
Ltd and Access Genetics Pty Ltd.
The company and its partners are
involved in breeding and developing
new wheat, barley, canola, oats and
field pea varieties. Nufarm now has a
significant germplasm base and a highly
skilled domestic and international plant
breeding and field operations team,
based in Horsham, Finley, Yarck and
offshore.
“This is an exciting move for Nufarm in
delivering the biology and chemistry to
Australian farmers and in the mediumterm
progressing developments
internationally,” said Barry Cox, General
Manager of Nufarm Plant Science.
“Nufarm, through its subsidiary
companies and licensing arrangements,
is actively involved in the development
and release of many of the new, elite
canola varieties now available to
Australian growers,” he said.
“These include ATR Banjo ,
ATR-Summitt , Bravo TT and Warrior
CL .
“Nufarm plans to continue to release
new canola varieties.”
Through Access Genetics Pty Ltd,
Nufarm has established relationships
with SW Seeds and World Wide Wheat.
Both companies have access to new and
diverse germplasm pools not previously
available to Australian growers.
After five years of breeding and
development work with these partners,
Access Genetics Pty Ltd will offer a
range of new plant varieties to Australian
growers in 2006/2007.
This will include a range of high
yielding, high quality field peas and new
wheat, barley and oat varieties. Many of
these varieties are already in public trials
and showing excellent results.
2006 varieties
Variety Description Marketed by
ATR Banjo
A new early maturity, TT canola
with very high oil yields and a
blackleg rating of 7
ATR-Summitt New mid maturity TT canola Dovuro
Ag-Seed Research
Bravo TT New mid TT canola PlantTech
SW Odiel Wheat
Tickit Triticale
Warrior CL
Early maturity, strong rust
resistant wheat
Tahara replacement with
excellent rust and CCN
resistance
New mid-late maturity IMI
variety
“Nufarm is always seeking ways to do
things better,” said Mr Cox.
“The way new plant varieties have
historically been delivered to farmers can
and will change over time,” he said.
“Nufarm expects to be at the forefront
of these changes.”
The products denoted by this symbol
are registered under Plant Breeders Rights
(PBR) in Australia. Unauthorised commercial
propagation or any sale, conditioning, export,
import or stocking of propagating material is an
infringement under the Plant Breeders Rights Act
(1994). Any breach of this legislation will leave
the grower liable for prosecution.
Access Genetics
Nugrain
PlantTech
Seeds of these varieties should be available through major distribution outlets,
however, some stocks are limited.
Enquiries can be directed to Barry Cox on mobile: 0409 374 383.
Nufarmer Autumn 2006
3

Nufarm committed to local
R&D and manufacturing
“Good advice is just as important as
the product in getting the job done right
the first time. Nufarm has a support
network of 29 Territory Managers and
five Horticulture Managers based in key
crop protection zones in five states to
support farmers’ decisions in the
paddock. We’ve got the resources to get
the job done and done well.”
Darren Thomas, Brand Manager, said
research had shown a groundswell of
consumer support for Australian-made
products and services.
“Consumers are keen to support
Australian products, particularly if they
are high quality and available at the
right price,” said Mr Thomas.
Nufarm has stressed its commitment to investing in local research and development in current
press and television advertisements featuring the slogan: “Insist on Nufarm. Anything else is
just UnAustralian.”
Farmers who want to choose quality
Australian crop protection products
and services need look no further
than Nufarm.
Nufarm supports Australian farmers
through local manufacturing and
infrastructure investment, timely product
supply and local research and
development into new products and uses.
That’s the theme of the current Nufarm
advertising campaign launched in
February.
According to National Marketing
Manager, Peter Crock, Australian-owned
Nufarm continues to invest heavily in its
own backyard with:
• four major Australian
manufacturing facilities – in
Laverton, Kwinana, Welshpool and
Brendale, employing more than
300 people,
• nine Regional Service Centres
situated in prime farming areas
across the country, and
• more than $10 million spent
annually on research and
development in the laboratory and
in field trials on Australian farms.
“Nufarm is proudly Australian. For
more than 50 years we’ve worked with
Australian farmers to provide a wide
range of top quality crop protection
products,” said Mr Crock.
“Australians are regarded as
resourceful, hardworking, loyal and
trustworthy. Nufarm also holds these
values which ref lect the service
philosophies and successes of our
founder, Max Fremder,” he said.
“Nufarm has done the hard yards in
the paddock, running extensive field
trials to develop new products and uses
for tough Australian conditions in
recognition that imported formulations
are often designed for European
conditions.
“No other crop protection company in
Australia has the manufacturing
capability of Nufarm to back up our
research. We’re proud to keep
manufacturing jobs and profits in
Australia.
“We’re able to respond more rapidly
than other companies to peak farming
demand by building our Regional
Service Centres in the best places to
serve agriculture. Our expansion
program continues.
“We know Australian farmers want to
support local industry because together
we’re creating a better future for
agriculture in this country. Choosing
products from overseas companies would
be just unAustralian.”
Spraywise semi
More than 700 farmers and
agronomic advisors have
heard and seen ways to
reduce off-target spray drift at 19
spray application workshops held by
Nufarm in the past four months.
The workshops were conducted as
part of the company’s Spraywise ®
program and were well received,
according to the co-ordinator, Jorg Kitt.
Nufarm introduced the Spraywise
program last year to significantly
reduce the incidence and risk of spray
drift damage to a diversity of crops
without compromising spraying efficacy.
The workshops were designed to
look at the drift problem from all
angles – the role of chemicals used,
inf luence of nozzle choice and
set-up of machinery, impact of
weather and governing legislation.
4 Nufarmer Autumn 2006

Moree Regional
Service Centre
upgraded
Nufarm is in a strong position to
meet expected growth in
demand for its range of preemergent
crop protection products in
2006, following further investment in its
Regional Service Centre network.
A new 1,000 square metre warehouse
has been completed at the Moree
Regional Service Centre, bringing the
number of warehouses on site to three.
In addition, three new 30,000 litre onsite
bulk tanks will offer refills of Roundup
PowerMAX ®2 and Roundup ®2 CT.
The upgrade anticipates increased
demand for f lagship pre-emergent
brands – Roundup PowerMAX, Avadex ®1
Xtra and Trif lurX ® – in the run-up to the
winter broadacre cropping season.
Moree is the latest in a series of
upgrades that has seen expanded
facilities at the Wagga Wagga and
Dubbo Regional Service Centres.
A brand new facility also opened at
Geraldton in WA last year. More
Regional Service Centres are planned as
Nufarm continues to invest in Australian
agriculture by providing up-to-date
facilities offering the full Nufarm product
range at shorter delivery times.
Nufarm now has nine state-of-the-art
Regional Service Centres in prime
farming districts throughout Australia to
serve its resellers, reinforcing its position
as the only Australian-owned
manufacturer with an extensive service
network in rural Australia.
“The company’s goal is to supply our
products to resellers in a turnaround time
unmatched by any other crop protection
supplier,” said Matt Sargent, Commercial
Development Manager.
Bruce McGowan of Nufarm stores pallets
inside the new warehouse in readiness for
the 2006 winter cropping season.
“No other agricultural chemicals
supplier in Australia has as broad a
network of Regional Service Centres as
Nufarm. We are proud to be Australianowned
and to serve Australian
agriculture as efficiently as possible,”
said Mr Sargent.
nars – managing spray drift
Consultant for weather services,
Graeme Tepper, presented informative
insights into the complexity of local
weather predictions.
“Mr Teppert explained
microclimates at ground level
and how inversion layers form
and how they can affect
spraying operations,” said Mr
Kitt.
Richard Warner and Frank
Taylor from the R&D team at
Nufarm, differentiated phenoxy Jorg Kitt
products according to their
volatility and explained differences
between vapour drift and physical
droplet drift.
“A very popular part of the workshop
was the hands-on demonstration
provided by spray application consultant,
Bill Gordon,” said Mr Kitt.
“He demonstrated visually how
nozzles producing a coarser spray
quality were less affected by drift.”
Senior Chemical Standards
Officers presented at the
workshops and discussed new
legislation such as the
extension to chemical control
areas in Victoria and new
legislation stipulating phenoxy
products must be sprayed with
nozzles that produce a
COARSE to VERY COARSE
spray quality.
“The Spraywise workshops were an
excellent example of how Nufarm can
pull industry resources together and
apply its knowledge to provide viable
information and a service of relevance
to the farming community,” said Mr Kitt.
• Nozzles producing a FINE spray
quality such as the TeeJet ®4 XR11002
markedly increase drift potential
compared to a COARSE spray
quality.
• Most spray operations in the field
allow a change to nozzles that provide
a coarser spray quality without the
risk of losing efficacy.
• Highly volatile phenoxy formulations
such as Estercide ® 800 should
mainly be used in colder winter
months and not in proximity to
sensitive crops.
• Only non-volatile phenoxy products
such as Surpass ® 300 should be
used in warmer spring and summer
months or in close proximity to
sensitive crops.
• New legislation requires all phenoxy
herbicides to be applied with
nozzles producing a COARSE to
VERY COARSE spray quality.
Nufarmer Autumn 2006
5

CROPLANDS
YOUR CROP PROT
Spra-Coupe responds to customers
with bigger, better 7000 series
Bigger fields, longer rows and a
need for increased productivity
have driven Spra-Coupe customers
to desire bigger, high-profile, selfpropelled
machines. As a result, Spra-
Coupe has introduced the 7000 series
Spra-Coupe with the largest engine and
largest capacity spray tanks available.
“Croplands has responded to customer
needs from the beginning, and those
needs have changed significantly over
the past years,” says Brendan Deck,
General Manager, Croplands Equipment.
“They imagined a new kind of Spra-
Coupe, and with the 7000 series, we
have a sprayer to meet their needs.
These new models offer more power,
more traction, more comfort and more
tank capacity. The spray system is more
stable and more durable with the
traditional reliability and accuracy that
our customers expect.”
“The very efficient, electronically
controlled engine reaches peak torque of
645 Nm at 1400 rpm, plenty of power
to muscle the 7000 Series payloads
across soft soils and steep slopes,”
reports Malcolm Reck, Service Manager,
Croplands Equipment.
Speed and traction match need on the
7000 Series with the new electronic
power shift transmission and optional
front-wheel assist. The transmission offers
six forward and two reverse gears with
four selections under 29.5 km/h and top
speed of up to 44.3 km/h. Torque also
matches need with the integral torque
converter.
Like the engine, transmission and cab,
the 7000 Series Spra-Coupe spray
system is also bigger and better. Built for
greater capacity, the new Spra-Coupe
can be outfitted with either 2,750 L poly
or 2,500 L stainless steel spray tanks.
The centrifugal hydraulic-driven pump
has a maximum output of 320 L/min with
rates as low as 26 L/min to match
product and field condition requirements.
In the best Spra-Coupe tradition, the
7000 Series is designed to match the
crop and the field. The boom on the
Spra-Coupe has introduced the 7000 series Spra-Coupe with the largest engine and largest
capacity spray tanks available.
7650 with its 1.2 metre clearance can be
dropped as low as 58.4 cm in the lowest
setting and raised as high as 243.8 cm
above the ground in the highest setting.
Tracking width easily adjusts to row or
bed width. The electro-hydraulic controls
adjust tracking in 5 cm increments. The
7000 series has a model that is suitable
for the two metre row crop farmer and a
model suitable for the three metre
broadacre farmer.
The new 24 metre boom is engineered
for increased stability and durability with
full boom and tip breakaways and
retractable fold over tips. The five section
shutoffs and independent left/right boom
folds allow the operator to quickly and
easily adjust spray swaths at field edges
and reduce overlaps.
“Increased power and increased
capacity make the 7000 series perfectly
suited to today’s bigger farms and bigger
fields,” said Mr Deck.
“The improved spray system and
features, like the optional eductor, make
the 7000 Series an efficient and
productive machine, just a few of the
great qualities Spra-Coupe customers
have come to expect from Croplands.”
New air induction
provides excellen
The new Turbo TeeJet Induction (TTI)
spray tip from Croplands
Equipment is ideal for use when
off-target drift is a concern and
excellent overlap distribution is
required. Using a unique pre-orifice
design, the smaller droplets in the
spectrum are eliminated and large, airfilled,
drift-resistant droplets are
produced.
“If a grower is spraying near sensitive
areas such as residential areas, open
water or near susceptible plants, the TTI
is the best nozzle to help control drift
without compromising spray pattern
distribution,” said Brendan Deck,
General Manager, Croplands
Equipment.
“That’s because this tip produces very
few small, drift-prone droplets.
“The TTI is ideal for use with preemergent
herbicides, post-emergent
6 Nufarmer Autumn 2006

ECTION EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS
Increased profit, even in uncertain times
Western Australian wheat
grower, Romolo Patroni,
recently upgraded his
OutbackS lightbar guidance unit on his
sprayer to incorporate a mapping unit.
The upgrade will assist Mr Patroni in
achieving greater spraying accuracy,
reducing overspray and saving money
on chemical wastage.
“We need to ensure we’re not
overlapping,” Mr Patroni said.
Romolo, who has a 10,000 hectare
property 40 km south of Southern Cross,
purchased an OutbackS guidance
system for his sprayer last year from local
dealer, Southern Cross Traders.
“I like to support local agencies and
Southern Cross provides excellent service
and back-up. John Griffiths from
Croplands has also offered great support
in the past with our old Croplands
spray tip
t drift resistance
systemic herbicides and systemic
fungicides because of its unique
performance,” he said.
Based on the patented design of the
original Turbo TeeJet spray nozzle, the
TTI offers many of the same benefits: a
wide angle flat spray pattern, excellent
spray pattern distribution and an
economical polymer construction.
Other TTI features include easy preorifice
removal for cleaning/inspection,
a choice of six capacities ranging from
0.56 to 1.9 L/min at 2.75 bar, colorcoding
in compliance with the ISO
standard for easy capacity
identification and easy installation/
alignment via Quick TeeJet caps.
The TeeJet product range includes
spray nozzles, boom components, line
strainers, electric shut-off valves and
hand spray guns.
Romolo Patroni and Southern Cross Service Manager, Bryan Close examine Romolo’s new
Pegasus Trailed Sprayer.
Stallion spray unit. Anytime we had a
problem, John could fix it.”
Mr Patroni added the Outback 360
Mapping Unit when he purchased a new
sprayer.
“The light-bar system on the GPS unit
was good, but I found that as I sprayed
closer to the inside of the paddock,
overlapping became more of a problem.
I couldn’t believe the accuracy of the
guidance system and by adding the
mapping unit I can reduce overspray and
achieve the cost savings I’m after.”
When he bought the mapping unit
Romolo also traded in his Croplands
Stallion sprayer for a new 5000 L
Croplands Pegasus Trailed Sprayer with
30 metre boom.
“The Pegasus has a lot of
improvements over the old Croplands
Stallion. In particular the plumbing, ease
of use and the strength of the boom. The
floating boom with airbag suspension
and the long drawbar offers a much
smoother ride,” he said.
The Pegasus Trailed Sprayer range is
purpose built for broadacre spraying
and is available in a 4000 L, 5000 L
and 6000 L tank.
Fitted with 18.4 x 38” tyres on single
wheels, the Pegasus provides excellent
flotation and a huge rolling radius. A
load-sensitive self-adjusting air-ride
system is available as an option for
rougher conditions.
A choice of 21, 24, 28, 30, 33 and 36
metre hydraulic folding booms with winglift
option and individual fold option are
offered.
“We had a better than average year
last year, but with the price of wheat at
the moment the margins aren’t always
there and there’s a degree of uncertainty.
The new sprayer and mapping unit will
save us money and help make things
easier,” he said.
Croplands Equipment is currently
offering a 6.5% finance offer on Pegasus
Trailed Sprayers through their Finance
division, Croplands Credit. Conditions
apply.
For further information about this offer,
contact Croplands on 1800 999 162.
Nufarmer Autumn 2006
7

Trial shows yield
bonus in wheat
In a demonstration trial of fungicide
effectiveness on stripe rust and
other fungal diseases in dryland
wheat at Warren, in western New
South Wales, wheat treated with
Opus ® 125 out-performed Tilt ®7
and Bayleton ®6 by an increased
0.4 tonne/ha yield.
Nathan Soulsby of Landmark
Warren, who conducted the trial
on the farming property ‘The
Overf low’, said the Drysdale wheat
was sprayed at full f lag emergence
with experimental rates of Opus 125
and Bayleton. These were compared
to 250 mL/ha of Tilt.
“Seven days after application, the
Opus 125 treated plot had reduced
the number of active spores on the
leaf surface significantly and after
14 days was the only one where the
stripe rust was no longer active,” he
said.
“The way Opus 125 works also
kept the plot greener for longer and it
was able to take advantage of an
extra rain event.
“In conditions where two tonnes/ha
is considered a good average yield,
a bonus of 0.4 tonne/ha is worth
pursuing. It well and truly paid for
any extra expense in using Opus 125
over the cheaper alternatives.
“In the right season, many growers
could benefit from a timely
application of Opus 125 as a stripe
rust preventative.”
Temora district farmer Phil Reid examines H45 wheat successfully treated for stripe rust with
Opus 125 last year.
Successful stripe rust
control with
Following the 2005 harvest, Temora
wheat grower Phil Reid has
concluded one thing about stripe
rust control – he doesn’t have time for
repeated foliar fungicide applications.
“Come the end of winter, we’re into
shearing – there’s all sorts of things
happening,” he said. “I don’t have time
to check every day for signs of stripe rust
in each crop.”
Growing more than 1000 hectares of
wheat in 2005 on his property,
‘Maylands’ south of Temora, NSW, Phil
found the best results were achieved in
stripe rust control when applying Opus
125 once at the recommended rate of
500 mL/ha as opposed to two
applications of Bayleton.
“One hit of Opus 125 on H45 was far
more beneficial than two hits of
Bayleton,” he said.
“A paddock that was treated with
Bayleton yielded three tonne to the
hectare and the grain was shrivelled up
rubbish, whereas just half a kilometre
away a paddock that was treated with
Opus 125 went five tonne to the hectare
and there were minimal screenings.
“Any crop around here that was
untreated just turned into shrivelled up
little grains – it was bloody shocking.”
As with many farming decisions, Phil
works on the principle that time is money
and he would rather invest in doing a job
properly first time round.
“You need to consider the length of
coverage of a treatment and if it is going
to get you through the risk period then it
has to be of greater value. It will take the
stress out of what is normally a busy time
of year because you know it will be
protected.”
In the 2004 season, Phil waited for
stripe rust to appear before having to
spray foliar fungicides by air. These
experiences taught Phil to take a more
pro-active approach in 2005 by
spraying before the disease had taken
hold. The strategy paid dividends and
removed the stress and time constraints
experienced in 2004.
“If I grow any susceptible wheats in
2006, like H45, the only fungicide I’ll use
will be Opus 125 and I’ll try and apply it
so it gives the maximum length of
protection in that high pressure period.”
8 Nufarmer Autumn 2006

Monza: the flexible choice for
brome and barley grass
L
ate seasonal starts in the drought
conditions of the past few years
have seen many grain growers
unable to utilise a knockdown phase for
weed control prior to sowing, increasing
their reliance back on pre-emergent and
post-emergent herbicides.
In addition, many farmers in the
southern and western wheat belts have
dropped pulse and canola crops from
their rotations to grow cereals on cereals.
This has ruled out the option of using
triazine herbicides (Group C) in the
break crops for weed control.
As a result, infestations of brome and
barley grass are becoming a serious
problem in wheat crops where farmers
are not utilising the best available tools
to control them early.
“Controlling brome and barley grass
weed burdens is essential to avoid
significant yield losses in wheat and
triticale,” said Damien Deckert, Business
Manager.
“These weeds are noted for their
aggressive competitiveness and prolific
seed production. Taking steps to avoid
them ‘getting away’ by treating them
early before sowing or at the 1-4 leaf
stage can mean the difference between
sowing or not sowing a profitable crop.”
Mr Deckert said that fortunately in the
past eight years growers have been able
to choose the proven performance of the
selective Group B herbicide, Monza ®2 .
“Monza offers growers the f lexibility
of both pre-emergent and post-emergent
application and is an effective and
reliable herbicide for the selective
suppression of brome and barley grass
in wheat and triticale,” said Mr Deckert.
“It works by being absorbed by the
foliage and roots and moved through the
plant. As Monza is a Sulfonylurea, it
blocks the production of essential amino
acids required for production of proteins
used in root and shoot growth.
“Monza gives farmers the ability to
sow on time and to finish the season with
cleaner grain samples, minimal grading
losses and improved returns from
significantly increased yields.
“Monza also has good activity on a
number of other troublesome weeds
including wild oats, wild radish, wild
turnip, silver grass and mustard species.”
Treatments with Monza significantly
reduce populations of brome and barley
grass in crop with remaining plants
showing reduced panicle size and
numbers, plant height, tiller numbers and
seed production.
“Nufarm is committed to providing
products of superior quality that add
significant value,” said Mr Deckert.
“The research and development team at
Nufarm is continuing the necessary trial
work to expand the number of compatible
herbicides listed on the label and to
provide in-field advice so that weed
efficacy and yield responses are
maximised,” he said.
Calculate the benefits with the
Monza wheel
Now, growers and agronomists have an
easy to use calculator to demonstrate the
financial advantages of using Monza.
Intervix set to impress
Nufarm is set to launch an
exciting new product for the
winter cropping season.
Intervix is a new generation herbicide
developed for CLEARFIELD ®3 canola
that was previously trialled under the
code name ‘Euro Lightning’.
“The launch of Intervix has been
eagerly awaited by growers who want
to take advantage of the benefits of
CLEARFIELD canola with increased
f lexibility,” said Business Manager for
CLEARFIELD crops, Damien Deckert.
“Intervix is a Group B herbicide so it
can be used strategically in rotation to
prolong the effectiveness of other
herbicides.”
Mr Deckert said that Intervix offered
growers of CLEARFIELD canola
significant benefits over standard weed
control treatments.
Agronomist Richard Stecher (left) uses the
Monza wheel to calculate the benefits of
weed control for farmer, James Castles.
The Monza wheel calculates
the potential grain yield saved by
controlling weeds early with Monza,
using data provided by the South
Australian Research and Development
Institute (SARDI).
Growers can obtain their calculator by
contacting their local Nufarm reseller.
“If you’re planning to use Monza this
season, grab a calculator to see the
benefits in terms of crop yields and
improved returns,” said Mr Deckert.
“Intervix will offer safer plantback
intervals compared to OnDuty ®3 and
Clearsol ®3 , providing growers with
greater confidence that crops following
CLEARFIELD canola will reach their full
yield potential,” he said.
“The extensive local research and
development trial program at Nufarm
has confirmed that Intervix provides
more powerful weed control compared
to OnDuty, especially on key grass
weeds.
“This means that growers can expect
even higher levels of performance on
yield robbing weeds, which means
cleaner crops and higher financial
returns,” said Mr Deckert.
Intervix will be distributed via Nufarm
AgriCentres ®3 and will be available in
limited quantities this year packed in 10
litre containers.
Nufarmer Autumn 2006
9

Herbicide mixture is vital in
battle against resistant ARG
When it comes to resistant
annual ryegrass, throw
everything you’ve got at it,
advises Bill Long, Private Consultant,
Ag Consulting Co. on the Yorke
Peninsula.
Bill Long is someone who knows.
Over the past 10 years, he and his
staff have battled increasing annual
ryegrass resistance on his customers’
farms on the Peninsula and in the mid
and lower north of South Australia.
“We’re still growing profitable crops.
But it’s a numbers game. We’re still
winning on farms where we are best
able to combine the available herbicide
and cultural methods.”
Mr Long said farms were now very
reliant on pre-emergent herbicides,
particularly mixtures like Avadex Xtra
and Trif lurX, to allow the crop to establish
and get away without excessive ryegrass
pressure.
Research has found mixtures that
include active ingredients giving high
levels of control of a weed species and
including active ingredients from different
mode of action groups, such as Group E
(Avadex Xtra) and Group D (Trif lurX), are
a useful tool in managing or preventing
the establishment of resistant weeds.
And by using pre-emergent herbicides,
non-selective herbicides and cultural
practices can be given the chance to
work later in the season to control weed
escapes.
Mr Long said the big change in the
past few years had been the recognition
of the excellent performance of Avadex
Xtra against annual ryegrass.
“People think of Avadex Xtra as a wild
oat control herbicide, but we’re now
recommending Avadex Xtra mixed with
Trif lurX as a resistant ryegrass control
measure. Wild oats control is really a
secondary bonus.”
Mr Long said that Trif lurX provided
some valuable control of annual ryegrass
and excellent broad leaf weed control of
pests such as wireweed. But the mixture
of Avadex Xtra and Trif lurX combined
provided increased ryegrass control.
“The anecdotal results we’ve found in
the paddock were confirmed in Ag
Consulting Co. pot trials conducted by
Peter Boutsalis, Plant Science Consulting
at the Adelaide University in 2004 and
by a number of field trials conducted by
our group and other research
organisations over the past few years.
“The control achieved by the mixture
was compared with other chemicals such
as metolachlor and several older
compounds. The mixture performed very
well against resistant annual ryegrass
and is well worth using, particularly
when numbers are high,” he said.
Mr Long said that the other big change
was that Avadex Xtra could also be used
in pulse crops, particularly lentils.
“Many people still think Avadex Xtra
can only be used in cereals.
“Lentils are very uncompetitive against
ryegrass. By using the mixture, we can
get adequate ryegrass control to allow
lentil crops to get away and not suffer
from ryegrass competition. Then we can
use selective DIM-based grass products
such as clethodim for ryegrass control
later in the season.”
Mr Long said selective Group A
herbicides were no longer working
against annual ryegrass, particularly in
cereals.
“We rarely mention Group A
chemicals in cereals any more,” he said.
“However, we have a raft of cultural
methods we recommend. Sequencing
crops to allow a range of herbicides to
be used, high seeding rates, careful
selection of crop varieties that provide
competition against ryegrass, spray
topping, weed wiping, stubble burning
and, where possible, using pastures and
grazing, all contribute to lower ryegrass
populations.
“If you can combine as many methods
as you have available, you can win the
game against ryegrass and grow crops
profitably,” he said.
Farmers should consider an Avadex
Xtra and Trif lurX mixture as a worthwhile
part of the battle strategy.
Private agronomic consultant, Bill Long (right), chats with farmer, Doug Smith, at Petersville,
South Australia, about controlling resistant annual ryegrass.
10 Nufarmer Autumn 2006

Highlights from the
horticulture range at Nufarm
Nufarm is well placed to help
farmers harvest the growing
opportunities in horticulture with
our comprehensive range of products,
says Guy Perriman, Australian
Horticulture Manager.
Here is the latest news about
Nufarm horticultural products.
Downy mildew gets the
high jump with Acrobat ®3
The 2005 season caused
many cucurbit, lettuce and
onion growers across Australia
to turn to Acrobat ®3 to combat
high levels of downy mildew
infection. Acrobat contains
500 g/kg dimethomorph and is a Group
X fungicide. Acrobat is ideal for inclusion
in disease control programs in rotation
with other chemical groups in order to
eliminate or delay the onset of disease
resistance.
Acrobat has a unique mode of action;
disrupting the fungal cell wall formation
which enables it to control strains of
fungi that have become resistant to other
chemical groups, e.g. the phenylamides.
With no reported cases of resistance to
dimethomorpth in Australia, Acrobat has
a valuable position to play in disease
control programs.
Acrobat has performed best when
applied prior to weather conditions that
resulted in high levels of disease
pressure. It is this strong protectant
activity of Acrobat that enables the
production of quality vegetables under
testing environmental conditions.
Acrobat has strong residual activity
and is rainfast within 2 hours.
Acrobat is a valuable fungicide for
potato growers risking late blight
Guy Perriman
(Phytophthora infestans) infection. This
devastating disease occurs under
conditions of high humidity (>90%) and
when temperatures are cool at night
(around 12 o C) and warm during the day
(around 21 o C). Acrobat is an ideal
protectant fungicide for use
when the late blight infection
risk is high.
Acrobat must be applied in
a tank mixture with either
Polyram ®3 DF (containing
700 g/kg metiram) or
Penncozeb 750DF (containing
750 g/kg mancozeb) and a
non-ionic surfactant. This is
part of an anti-resistance
strategy for the compound.
Label expansion for Penncozeb
420SC in key crops
Penncozeb 420SC is a popular, liquid
mancozeb sold by Nufarm. Widely used
by Australian banana, potato and poppy
growers. Penncozeb 420SC has recently
had its label extended to include a
number of other key crop registrations.
Penncozeb 420SC is now registered in
almonds, cucurbits, tomatoes and for the
control of phomopsis in grapes, both
wine and table. In tomatoes, Penncozeb
420SC is the only mancozeb formulation
with a powdery mildew suppression
claim. Penncozeb 420SC also controls
early blight (Alternaria solani).
Penncozeb 420SC is a suspo-emulsion
formulation (oil emulsion in water)
containing 420 g/L mancozeb. With the
fine particle size formed as a result of the
formulation, the oil allows better
coverage and adhesion to the plant
surface, Penncozeb 420SC offers
improved rainfastness and effective
protectant activity.
Growers have been impressed with
Penncozeb 420SC as the liquid
alternative to traditional DF mancozeb
formulations. The ease of handling,
simplicity of measuring, lack of dust issues
and the formulation quality all combine to
provide growers with real benefits.
Mancozeb remains a valuable fungicide
for disease prevention and management.
Emergency use permits for Filan ®3
Filan ®3 has provided many vegetable
growers with a new fungicide option
following the granting of a series of
emergency use permits by the Australian
Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines
Authority (APVMA).
Permit 8819, effective from 10 October
2005 until 31 October 2007 will allow
growers of brassicas, brassica leafy
vegetables, lettuce, beans – green pods
and immature beans (phaseolus spp) to
apply Filan for the control of Sclerotinia
disease. Permit 8819 is available from
the APVMA website
(www.apvma.gov.au) or the Nufarm
Horticulture website
(www.nufarmhorticulture.com.au).
Emergency use permits for Filan were
issued following the withdrawal of the
registration for procymidione in these
crops. Nufarm and Horticulture Australia
Limited are supporting an extensive
research and development program with
Filan to ensure registrations for these and
other crops in the years ahead.
Filan is a Group G fungicide,
containing 500 g/kg boscalid, a new
and unique compound for vegetable
growers. The initial Filan registration was
for the control of Botrytis in grapes. Filan
has excellent crop safety, is non-toxic to
bees and is classified as a “reduced risk”
compound by the EPA in America.
Nufarmer Autumn 2006
11

Nufarm contacts
TERRITORY MANAGERS
Customer Service
Coastal/Central Regions 1800 267 612
Southern New South Wales 1800 033 038
Victoria/Tasmania 1800 033 038
South Australia/Sunraysia 1800 131 964
Western Australia 1800 131 964
Coastal
NSW North Coast/
New England Matt Moyle 0400 811 796
Wide Bay/Burnett/
Callide/Dawson Jamie Cox 0427 100 065
Far North Queensland Eddie Hayes 0409 200 993
Central Queensland/
Burdekin Mandy Jeppesen 0428 192 001
South East Queensland Stewart Frankling 0419 558 219
Central
Goondiwindi Lachlan Carrigan 0428 715 955
Gunnedah Phillippa Fleming 0428 710 298
Moree Daniel Guest 0428 529 549
Toowoomba Ed Redfern 0439 798 970
Southern NSW
Griffith Mathew Taylor 0429 398 854
Dubbo David Wood 0407 450 174
Tablelands/Hunter Valley Sean Richardson 0438 985 785
Greater Central West Rupert Backus 0428 285 865
Wagga Wagga Stuart Blair 0418 504 114
Victoria/Tasmania
Western District Philip Jobling 0409 807 160
Gippsland Rafe Bell 0409 424 716
Wimmera Gerard Bardell 0419 561 016
North East Matthew Hincks 0429 708 808
Mallee Ben Coombe 0427 806 635
Tasmania Peter Wilkinson 0418 132 087
South Australia/Sunraysia
Mid North/
Yorke Peninsula Tony Button 0418 637 310
Riverland/Sunraysia Nick Hall 0429 434 217
South East c/- Adelaide Office 1800 131 964
Eyre Peninsula Ken Webber 0428 828 410
Mallee/Adelaide Plains Russell Meade 0418 818 570
Western Australia
Albany David Cunningham 0428 340 825
Geraldton Bill Campbell 0427 545 553
Merredin Keith Perry 0429 413 200
Northam Matt Beckett 0427 928 230
HORTICULTURE MANAGERS
QLD Stewart Frankling 0419 558 219
Sthn NSW Sean Richardson 0438 985 785
Vic/Tas Paul Geister 0438 382 672
SA/Sunraysia Adam Phelan 0417 498 428
WA David Buckley 0427 100 026
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS
Coastal Andrew Horsfield 0427 012 815
Central Frank Taylor 0438 092 972
Sthn NSW Angus MacLennan 0408 358 024
Vic/Tas Gereon Schnippenkoetter 0438 862 896
Vic/Tas Mark Slatter 0438 064 845
SA/Sunraysia John Both 0418 803 055
WA Mike Jackson 0427 527 975
WA Scott Paton 0427 692 319
REGIONAL OFFICES
Coastal
Unit 13/16 Metroplex Ave,
Murarrie QLD 4172
Regional Manager Mark Dawson 0428 106 090
Bus. Support & Develop. Shane Rudd 0417 213 833
Central
Unit 13/16 Metroplex Ave,
Murarrie QLD 4172
Regional Manager Paul Smith 0419 033 841
Bus. Support & Develop. Amanda Marwood 0437 082 620
Southern NSW
Lot 1 Lewington St,
Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
Regional Manager Owen Williams 0417 459 471
Bus. Support & Develop. Angela Armytage 0429 009 716
Victoria/Tasmania
103-105 Pipe Rd
Laverton North Vic 3026
Regional Manager Paul White 0419 306 983
Bus. Support & Develop. Michael Reese 0408 510 064
South Australia/Sunraysia
190 Cormack Rd
Wingfield SA 5013
Regional Manager Warren Ramsey 0419 526 389
Bus. Support & Develop. Aaron Edmunds 0409 184 188
Western Australia
Lot 51, Mason Rd
Kwinana WA 6167
Regional Manager Chris Ryan 0418 692 319
Bus. Support & Develop. Steve Lacy 0407 542 448
CROPLANDS
50 Cavan Rd,
Dry Creek SA 5094 1800 999 162
Nufarm Australia Limited
HEAD OFFICE
103-105 Pipe Rd, Laverton North, Vic 3026
Ph: 03 9282 1000 Fax: 03 9282 1001
Internet: www.nufarm.com.au
Region Contact Phone Based
Nthn Qld/NT Bruce Henningsen 0409 899 491 Townsville
Nthn NSW/Sthn Qld Jeremy Rennick 0407 485 569 Toowoomba
Central NSW Dave Farmer 0427 651 971 Orange
Sthn NSW David Hamilton 0427 975 072 Junee
Victoria/Tasmania Toby Brown 0417 832 784 Melbourne
South Australia Jason Sims 0418 819 350 Adelaide
Nthn WA Kevin Kentish 0428 940 822 Perth
Sthn WA John Griffiths 0407 132 746 Perth
This publication is a guide only and no substitute for professional or expert advice. The product label should be consulted before use of any of the
products referred to in this publication. Nufarm Australia Limited shall not be liable for any results, loss or damage whatsoever, whether consequential
or otherwise through the use or application of products and/or materials referred to herein.
© Copyright 2006 Nufarm Australia Limited A.C.N. 004 377 780