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12 WEEDS ARE A FACT OF LIFE FOR MANY VEGETABLE GROWERS, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO AFFECT THE COST, YIELD AND QUALITY OF CROPS. A RECENT SCOPING STUDY LOOKED AT THE MOST COMMON WEEDS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA AND THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY GROWERS, TO HELP IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. Weeds are a persistent problem, requiring constant attention and careful management. If not dealt with effectively, they can have a devastating effect on crop profitability, yield and quality. In response to this issue, a recent scoping study, entitled Weed Management for the Vegetable Industry, was led by Dr Paul Kristiansen of the University of New England in New South Wales, with the aim of identifying the most important weed species in Australian vegetable production and the methods currently used to control them. The study also looked at gaps in the current knowledge of weed control and identified key R&D priorities. “Vegetable production is different to a lot of other ag industries,” Dr Kristiansen said of his reasons for initiating the study. “It’s very intense; there’s a lot more ploughing and a lot more changing of the environment that can be quite challenging for farmers. A lot of the practices are a bit traditional, so we were thinking about some of the other industries and how they’ve modernised the way they manage weeds.” The project comprised a review of literature, a national survey of vegetable growers, focus groups and farm visits in major vegetable producing regions across Australia. Common weeds The national survey showed that the most commonly found weeds affecting vegetable crops were annual or biennial broadleaf species, including Fat hen, Stinging nettle, Mallow R&D Farm Productivity, Resource Use & Management Managing weeds: An integrated approach and Pigweed. These weed types can be extremely problematic as they seed heavily and, unlike grass and grass-like weeds, are more difficult to control using selective herbicides. The Sedge nutgrass was also commonly reported, which is problematic due to its persistent underground root system. Effective strategies When dealing with these common weeds, the current strategy of most growers is to use a mixture of herbicides, tillage or cultivation, hand weeding, plastic or biodegradable mulch (where applicable) and crop rotation. Other methods, such as fumigation, biofumigation, stale and false seedbeds and farm hygiene may also be used successfully. The project found that nearly all growers integrate a number of control methods, because no single technique will effectively manage the weed issue throughout the entire growing season. This is known as Integrated Weed Management (IWM) and, while relatively little attention has been paid to the practice in the vegetable industry, the grain and cotton industries have demonstrated that IWM is key to sustainable productivity. Integrated Weed Management Most growers are already using a basic IWM approach, relying on a few conventional practices such as herbicides, tillage and hand weeding. However,
Dr Kristiansen noted that there was a “lack of awareness and training” around IWM. To take IWM to the next level, it needs to be used as an important part of a broader Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy, since weeds often act as a host for pests and diseases. Weeds may also be symptomatic of poor soil health, as they inhibit the crop’s ability to out-compete weeds. For this reason, soil, water and nutrition management strategies should be incorporated into IWM to improve soil health and strengthen crop defences. The factors critical to a successful IWM approach are weed control methods, timing, diligence, knowledge and planning. Dr Kristiansen emphasised that ideal IWM comes from “a combination, not just relying on one thing”. “If something’s working and you keep doing it, you may actually diminish its effectiveness. Just keep mixing it up – it’s all very site-specific, not an out-of-the-box solution, but the principles will be planning ahead, thinking about what crops you’re growing and preparing the soil properly.” Further R&D priorities The study offered many recommendations for research topics, such as new herbicide options, biodegradable mulches, management of specific weeds, herbicide resistance, weed seed bank management, economic impact of weeds, precision agriculture and reduced tillage. It is hoped that with the observations and recommendations provided by this project, scientists and growers can continue working together to improve grower understanding of weed management and develop more effective strategies for the Australian vegetable industry. “We’re thankful for the input of the farmers,” Dr Kristiansen said. “They give their time for us researchers to ask questions, but it’s important that we have those linkages with the farmers and they let us know what’s going on – that’s really appreciated.” A full project report is available on the InfoVeg website: www.ausveg.com. au/infoveg. This project was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (HIA) using the National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government. Project Number: VG13079 13 Vegetables Australia November/December 2015 Realise a better selection in pest management. Growing immaculate looking and tasting <strong>vegetables</strong> takes hard work and know-how. Equally so is the job of protecting them against nasty caterpillar pests such as Diamondback moth, Heliothis and Cabbage white butterfly. DuPont Coragen® acts very quickly to stop these pests feeding and damaging your crops, but is friendly to key beneficial bugs making it an ideal partner for any integrated pest management strategy. Coragen® can now be used in aerial, as well as ground applications giving you more ways to protect your crops. Visit www.cropprotection.dupont.com.au for more information ALWAYS REFER TO THE LABEL BEFORE USE: Copyright © 2015 E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (“DuPont”). All rights reserved. Du Pont (Australia) Pty Ltd. 7 Eden Park Drive, Macquarie Park, NSW 2113. ACN 000 716 469. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont , Rynaxypyr ® and Coragen ® are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates. DUPONT0049.
Page 1 and 2: vegetables Michael Vorrasi Nuffield
Page 3 and 4: Contents November/December 2015 Reg
Page 5 and 6: AUSVEG Chairman and CEO messages Ge
Page 7 and 8: As we approach the end of 2015, the
Page 9 and 10: Nufarm 9 WIN THE DOWNY FIGHT WITH D
Page 11: 11 GIVE YOUR CROP A CLEAN GETAWAY V
Page 15 and 16: 15 Photography by Chris Kershaw. gr
Page 17 and 18: 17 Vegetables Australia November/De
Page 19 and 20: The Front Line 19 stakeholders. The
Page 21 and 22: Export Development 21 JAEPA opens g
Page 23 and 24: Two centuries of innovation. A life
Page 25 and 26: moist during incorporation to obtai
Page 27 and 28: Veggie Stats: Beans R&D Drive Train
Page 29 and 30: 29 Gross Value of Production $180 $
Page 31 and 32: VG14031 New product development inf
Page 33 and 34: Sustainable Farming 33 Focus Region
Page 35 and 36: 35 of our soil and the farming prop
Page 37 and 38: 37 Price and Perceived Value Figure
Page 39 and 40: 39 such as ladybirds, spiders and w
Page 41 and 42: 41 improve the strength of the root
Page 43 and 44: Recent issues and developments in A
Page 45 and 46: Minor use permits Permit Number PER
Page 47 and 48: 47 47 Around the states South Austr
Page 49 and 50: 49 Northern Territory Spring is a t
Page 51: CALENDAR 30 January - 2 February 20

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