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For the next three months, we will look at the following: autumn sown arable crops, barley grass control in pasture and weed control in lucerne.

‘Dry’ has been and remains a commonly used term when describing weather and soil conditions for the first half of 2024. That’s meant favourable conditions for cultivation and drilling post-harvest, however low commodity prices, reduced seed contracts, and high input prices appear to be keeping optimism low among the arable industry.

North Otago mixed arable farmer Peter Mitchell says he is reconsidering where ryegrass fits in his rotation and is looking for ways to extract more value from the crop. 

Manta Italian ryegrass is the latest diploid Italian ryegrass from Agricom. Manta has an explosive establishment speed being the fastest starting genetics we have seen to date.

Ryegrass seed crops are commonly followed in the rotation by an autumn cereal such as wheat. 

Look back and plan ahead to get the most from your autumn sown cereal crops.

Jason and Clare Nish have successfully grown maize in Mid Canterbury over the past ten years. 

For the next three months we will look at the following: fodder crops, pre-emergence sprays on autumn sown crops, grass grub control in pasture, and use of gibberellic acid to increase pasture growth.

Look back and plan ahead to get the most from your autumn sown cereal crops.

In 2022/23, FAR investigated the viability of sowing legumes into ryegrass re-growth to a) extend the value of the crop by providing high quality feed, and b) reduce the N fertiliser spend for the next year (nitrogen fertiliser costs frequently make up more than half of farm expenses).