Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Focus farms test weed management and dryland cropping practices
Five focus farms across the Murrumbidgee catchment have been developed to explore dryland cropping practices and provide landholders with ideas for managing weeds.
The project examines efficient use of water, weed and disease management and conservation farming. It provides resources to landholders to help them make the best use of water for dryland crops and pastures.
Funding
The Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has received $739,000 towards the initiative from the Australian and State Governments.
Activities
Five farms across the mid and lower Murrumbidgee catchment were the focus of the project. Monthly monitoring of water-use efficiency, groundcover, feed quality, perennial pasture composition and growth has occurred on each farm.
Data collected from the farms has been used in fodder budgeting workshops and is also being used in water-use efficiency workshops for landholders and agribusiness.
The weed and disease management part of the project involves farm demonstrations to showcase management options. The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries has been contracted by the Murrumbidgee CMA to undertake this work.
Project Officer Cynthia Griffiths said severe drought has meant some of the weed management trials had to be aborted this year.
“Unfortunately, we weren't able to gather as many results as we would have liked because of the drought,” Cynthia said.
“Only the plants under irrigation gave results. But we'll do different demonstrations next year.”
There is, however, one thing Cynthia knows for certain, the emerging problem weed star of Bethlehem is very hard to destroy.
“No herbicides will kill it. We sprayed it with three litres of herbicide and it didn't kill it. We were supposed to spray it again when it flowered to see what happened. But it's so dry that it hasn't flowered,” she said.
Other demonstrations have included the a comparison of post-emergent herbicides for the control of fumitory and great brome, and the impact of stubble burning on weed populations.
Achievements
Another part of the project was a benchmarking survey of landholder practices. Murrumbidgee CMA Catchment Officer Rachel Eats said the survey provides a snapshot of current dryland cropping practices. Results will be used to provide directions for future research, funding and continuing work.
Conservation farming demonstrations are taking place across the Murrumbidgee catchment.
More Information
- Rob Scriven, Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority: (02) 6932 3232
- Murrumbidgee CMA
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