Post Harvest Weed Management
NOVEMBER 21, 2018
As we near the end of harvest and head into a fallow period prior to sowing summer crops, effective weed management is key to ensure soil moisture is preserved. Grain Central reported that “removing summer weeds in the months after winter crop harvest will be one of the biggest contributors to improving water use efficiency, minimising soil nutrient losses and reducing disease carryover for 2019 crops.”
Over the years, herbicide resistance builds up and it can become harder to manage weeds in a cost-effective way. GRDC suggest that the “rapid expansion of herbicide resistance and the lack of new modes of action (MOA), require that non-herbicide tactics must be a significant component of any farming system and weed management strategy. Inclusion of non-herbicide tactics is critical to prolong the effective life of remaining herbicides, as well as for new products and modes of action that have not yet been released or indeed invented. Effective herbicides are key components of profitable cropping systems. Protecting their efficacy directly contributes to the future sustainability and profitability of cropping systems.”
The BROOKFIELD ChainBar is the perfect tool to use for managing leftover stubble, when fitted with disc chains it lays the stubble down and crushes it to create a mulch-like protective layer over the soil which reduces evaporation and boosts microbial activity. An early summer pass with ChainBar fitted with disc chain will encourage weeds to come up early so they can be removed with another pass before seeding, allowing for a weed free seeding and no outlay for chemicals.
Get in early to ensure those weeds don’t stand a chance, BROOKFIELD ChainBar’s are available in working widths from 6.1m (20.01ft) to 18.4m (60.20ft). Call us on 1800 774 274 today for a quote!
Sources: Grain Central, Summer weeds blitz key to crop success, https://www.graincentral.com/cropping/summer-weeds-blitz-key-to-crop-success/ and Grains Research and Development Corporation, Integrated Weed Management Hub, https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/resources/iwmhub
