COST OF WEEDS TO AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE | WEED MANAGEMENT IN OATS | INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT

WESTERN

SECTION 6WEED CONTROL

OATS

FEBRUARY 2016

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SECTION 6 OATS - Weed control

1Know more. Grow more.

February 2016

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SECTION 6

Weed control

6.1 Cost of weeds to Australian agricultureWeedscostAustralianagricultureanestimated$2.5–$4.5billionperannum.Forwintercroppingsystemsalone,thecostis$1.3billion,equivalentto~20%ofthegrossvalueoftheAustralianwheatcrop.Consequently,anypracticethatcanreducetheweedburdenislikelytogeneratesubstantialeconomicbenefitstogrowersandthegrainsindustry. 1

Weedcontrolisessentialifcropsaretomakefulluseofsummerrainfall,andinordertopreventweedseedsfromcontaminatingthegrainsampleatharvest.Weedmanagementshouldbeplannedwellbeforeplantingandoptionsconsideredsuchaschemical and non-chemical control. 2

Weedcontrolisimportant,becauseweeds:

• robthesoilofvaluablestoredmoisture

• robthesoilofnutrients

• causeissuesatsowingtime,restrictingaccessforplantingrigs(especiallyvine-typeweedssuchasmelons,caltroporwireweed,whichwraparoundtines)

• cause problems at harvest

• increasemoisturelevelsofthegrainsample(greenweeds)

• contaminate the sample

• prevent some crops being grown where in-crop herbicide options are limited (i.e. broadleafcrops)

• can be toxic to stock

• carrydiseaseincludingleafdiseasessuchasrustandseptorialeafblotchandrootdiseases including nemotades and take all

• host insects

6.2 Weed management in oatsOatscompetebetterthanbarley,wheat,canolaandpulseswhensownatrecommendedseedingratesbecauseoftheirgreatertilleringability.Ifgiventherightstart,anoatcrophasthenecessaryvigourtocompeteagainstweeds.Increasingcropdensity may improve competitiveness and ultimately impact on yield.

Weedcompetitioncanbeaffectedbycropspecies,cropvariety,weedspecies,cropandweeddensity,andtimeofemergenceofthecroprelativetotheweed.

Cuttinghayisacommonmethodusedforreducingtheweedseedbank—itisimportanttoactuallycuthayaspertherotation,asharvestinggraininsteadcanresultinhugeweedincreasesthefollowingseason.Buteffectiveweedmanagementforhaycropsisalsoessential,asweedcontaminationisdirectlyrelatedtoquality.Weedscancause

1 GRDC(2014)Integratedweedmanagementhub.GRDC,www.grdc.com.au/weedlinks

2 DAFQld(2012)Wheat—plantinginformation.DepartmentofAgricultureandFisheriesQueensland,http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/plants/field-crops-and-pastures/broadacre-field-crops/wheat/planting-information

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SECTION 6 OATS - Weed control

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downgradingorrejectionofexporthayasthereisaweedcontaminationlimitof5%.There is also a nil tolerance to annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT) and prickly weeds such as doublegee. 3

Cautionisneededwhensprayingoats,asithasamuchlowertoleranceof2,4-DandMCPA sprays than the other cereals. 4 Chemical control should be timely with respect to bothweedsizeanddevelopmentofthecrop.

6.3 Integrated weed managementPreventingweedsfromenteringorestablishinginapaddockisthebestmethodofweedmanagement,especiallywhencombinedwithphysical,agronomicandchemicaloptions.Someofthenon-chemicaloptionsavailableinintegratedweedmanagement(IWM) are to:

• useweed-freeseed

• cleanmachinerywhenmovingbetweenpaddocksandotherareasonfarms

• tarp loads when moving grain

• controlweedsalongroadsidesattheedgeofpaddocks

• eradicatesmallpatchesofnewinvadingweeds

• consider weeds when importing hay

• don’timportgrainorproductsthatmaycontaincertainherbicide-resistantweedseeds

• forcropandpasturerotationsusespecieswithdifferentcompetitiveabilities,sowing dates and harvesting techniques such as swathing

• increase seeding rates to maximise crop–weed competition and yield without reducing grain size

• sow cereals in an east–west direction

• implementticklecultivationtostimulategerminationofryegrassandotherweedsprior to seeding

• graze sheep or cattle 5

• introduceharvestweedsseedmanagementstrategies(e.g.chaffcarts,windrowburning)

6.3.1 Reducing glyphosate resistanceGlyphosateisakeyherbicideinAustralia’sfarmingsystemandresponsibleuseisrequiredtoprolongitseffectivelife.

IWMshouldbeappliedbygrowerstosustainglyphosateandreducetheincidenceofresistanceinweeds,particularlyryegrass.

Adouble-knockdowntechniquewillminimisetheriskofresistancedeveloping.Doubleknockdownisthesequentialuseofglyphosatefollowedbyamixtureofparaquat+diquat.

Bestpracticesfordoubleknockdowninclude:

• glyphosatefollowedbyparaquat+diquat,providingbetterryegrass,capeweedandradish control than the reverse

• sprayingthefirstherbicideatthe2–6leafstageofryegrass,resultinginthebestcontrol

3 DAFWA(2015)Oats:weedsandintegratedweedmanagement,https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/oats/oats-weeds-and-integrated-weed-management

4 DAFQld(2012)Diseasemanagementandweedcontrol,https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/plants/field-crops-and-pastures/broadacre-field-crops/oats/diseases-and-weeds

5 DAFWA(2015)Oats:weedsandintegratedweedmanagement,https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/oats/oats-weeds-and-integrated-weed-management

i More information

DAF Qld (2012) Disease management and weed control, https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/plants/field-crops-and-pastures/broadacre-field-crops/oats/diseases-and-weeds

DAFWA (2015) Oats: weeds and integrated weedmanagement, https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/oats/oats-weeds-and-integrated-weed-management

NSW DPI (2015) Weed controlinwintercrops, http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/123157/weed-control-in-winter-crops-2015.pdf

Weeds Australia: Weed identifictiontool,WA, http://www.weeds.org.au/wamap.htm

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• ensuring the interval between knockdowns is at least 1 day when using the glyphosatefollowedbyparaquat+diquatbuta2–10dayinterval,whichismoreeffective,ifseasonalconditionspermit

• allowingalongerintervalbeforethesecondspraytoensureplantsemergingafterthefirstknockdownarekilled6

An interval of 7-10 days is better and use full herbicide label rates with both applications.

Agronomist’s view

6.3.2 Protecting herbicidesRapidexpansionofherbicideresistanceandthelackofnewmodesofaction(MOA)requirethatnon-herbicidetacticsmustbeasignificantcomponentofanyfarmingsystem and weed management strategy.

Inclusionofnon-herbicidetacticsiscriticaltoprolongtheeffectivelifeofremainingherbicides,aswellasfornewproductsandMOA.

Effectiveherbicidesarekeycomponentsofprofitablecroppingsystems.Protectingtheirefficacydirectlycontributestothefuturesustainabilityandprofitabilityofcroppingsystems.

ThelastsignificantnewherbicideMOAreleasedinAustraliawasGroupHchemistry,firstlaunchedinAustraliain2001.Priortothat,themostrecentnewMOAwasGroupBchemistry,whenchlorsulfuronwascommercialisedinAustraliain1982.

Successfulweedmanagementrequiresapaddock-by-paddockapproach.Weedspresentandweed-bankstatus,soiltypesinrelationtoherbicideused,andcroppingandpastureplansarecriticalpartsofthepicture.Knowledgeofpaddockhistoryandofhowmuchthesummerandwinterweedshavebeensubjectedtoselectionforresistance (and to which herbicide MOAs) can also assist.

Whenresistancehasbeenidentified,knowledgeofwhichherbicidesstillworkbecomescritical.

Thefollowingfive-pointplanwillassistindevelopingamanagementplanforeachpaddock:

1. Review past actions and history.

2. Assess current weed status.

3. Identifyweed-managementopportunities.

4. Matchopportunitiesandweedswithsuitablyeffectivemanagementtactics.

5. Combineideasintoamanagementplan.Useofarotationalplancanassist.7

6.3.3 Broad-leaved weedsTherangeofbroad-leavedweedsfoundincropsisgenerallylargerthaningrasses;however,afew,suchascapeweed,doublegeeandwildradish,arewidespread.Others,suchassoursob,sorrel,dock,fumitory,self-sownlegumesandwireweedareofsignificantlocalimportance.

Capeweed (along with wild radish) is the most common broad-leaved weed given its widespreadoccurrenceinpastures.Itiscost-effectivelycontrolledbyawiderangeofproducts.

6 DAFWA(2015)Oats:weedsandintegratedweedmanagement,https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/oats/oats-weeds-and-integrated-weed-management?page=0%2C1

7 DAFWA(2015)Oats:weedsandintegratedweedmanagement,https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/oats/oats-weeds-and-integrated-weed-management

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SECTION 6 OATS - Weed control

4Know more. Grow more.

February 2016

FeedbackTable of Contents

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Doublegeeinfestationisgenerallyonalesserscalebutdormancyandstaggeredgerminationposeproblemswithregardtooptimumtimingofherbicides.Seedproductioncanbeginatrelativelyearlygrowthstages(fourleaves),especiallyonstressedorlateremergingplants.Iftheaimofcontrolistoreduceseedproduction,delays in application to ensure adequate emergence may be counterproductive.

Wildradishisamongthemostwidespreadweedsofcerealcrops.Staggeredgerminationanddormancymaketheircontroldifficult.

6.3.4 Grass weedsAnnualryegrassandwildoatsaretwoofthemostcompetitiveweedsofcerealcrops.Theconditionsofcerealcroppingfavourtheirgerminationandvigorousgrowth,which,whencombinedwiththeirhighseedpopulationsfromprecedingcropsorpasture,canoftenleadtoverylargereductionsinpotentialyield.Bothspeciesexhibitstaggeredgermination,whichoftenleadstopoorcontrol.

Wheretheseweedsemergeafterseedingandbeforecropemergence,aknockdowntreatmentcanbeusedtoburnoffthesmallgrassseedlings,butitisimportanttoensurethat no crop emergence has occurred. Do not use glyphosate-based knockdowns in thisway.Thesegrassesareoftenaprobleminemergingcropsafterearlyseeding.

Control options include:

• delayed seeding

• shallow cultivation-tickle

6.3.5 Annual ryegrass toxicityAnnualryegrasstoxicity(ARGT)isadiseaseofgrazinglivestockthatresultsfromtheingestionofannualryegrassseedheadsthathavebeeninfectedbythetoxin-formingbacteria Rathayibacter toxicus. The bacteria adhere to seed-gall nematodes (Anguina funesta)inthesoilandentertheplants,withthenematodes,astheyattempttocompletetheirlifecycle.Bacteriacolonisethegalls,displacingthenematodes,andtoxicitydevelopsastheplantshayoff.

There is a zero tolerance to ARGT in export hay. In Western Australia the considered safelevelofARGTinfeedis200–300galls/kgofgrainandhay.Therequirementforexport hay is less than 1 gall/kg.

ConditionsthatfavourthedevelopmentofARGTare:

• paddockswithmoderatetohighfrequencyofcropping

• highdensityofryegrass

• short growing seasons

• spreadofcontaminatedmaterialsfromARGTareas

• late hay cutting

Exporthayisoftengrowntoaidinryegrasscontrol,butallexporthayistestedforARGTpriortoprocessing.ToensurethecontinuedacceptanceofWAhayintoexportmarketsitiscriticalthatsuppliesremainARGT-free.Deformedheads,bacterialgallsandsometimesslimecanbedetectedinthefieldbutlabtestsarerecommendedtodetermine the levels present.

6.3.6 Harvest weed-seed controlControlling weed seeds at harvest is emerging as the key to managing the increasing levelsofherbicideresistance,whichisputtingAustralia’sno-tillfarmingsystematrisk.

Forinformationonharvestweed-seedcontrolanditsapplicationforthewesterngrainsregion,seeGrowNotes Oats West Section 12. Harvest.

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