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Alternative weed control in lupins
South Perth, Western Australia
February 3, 2006

Increasing herbicide resistance in grass weeds will push growers to adopt alternative strategies of weed control, especially in lupin crops.

Department of Agriculture, Western Australia research officer Bob French said greater levels of herbicide resistance, particularly in annual ryegrass, and a tendency to sow lupin crops in wider rows, mean’t growers needed to investigate different weed control strategies.

Herbicide resistance will be a major topic at the Department’s Agribusiness Crop Updates, supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, and at the Merredin Crop Updates on 20 February and in Northam on 23 February.

“Greater levels of herbicide resistance means that weeds cannot be so easily, or cheaply, controlled,” Dr French said.

“This can result in a reduction on return from the lupin phase in crop rotations. More importantly, it also increases the likelihood of weed build up in the lupin phase which can carry over to the cereal phases of the rotation.” 

Dr French said in the 1980s, lupins were highly valued because grass weeds could be more effectively controlled with herbicides than in other crops, which resulted in weed-free cereals. 

“To maintain sustainable lupin rotations, growers will need to look at weed control strategies which are not as dependant on selective herbicides, including ways of making lupins more competitive against weeds,” he said.

Dr French said sowing lupins in 50 to 75 cm rows instead of the traditional 18 to 25 cm rows had a number of benefits, including limiting the risk of very poor yields in dry seasons. 

However, he said weed control may not be as effective in wide rows compared with narrow rows unless extra measures were taken, such as spraying the inter-row area with non-selective herbicide.

“Crops in wide rows take longer to achieve full canopy cover than crops in narrow rows and do not compete as well with weeds,” he said.

“In dry environments, where wide rows have greatest yield benefit, they may never achieve full canopy cover and offer little competition against weeds.” 

Dr French said other research funded by the GRDC showed that low densities also reduced crop competition against weeds. 

”It is recommended that lupins be sown at rates of 40 or more plants per square metre to compete adequately against weeds, especially annual ryegrass,” Dr French said.

Information on herbicide resistance and lupin sowing rates is available in ‘Herbicide registrations The Paddock Spray Guide DAWA Bulletin 4545’. 

For more information on dates and venues for Regional Crop Updates visit www.agric.wa.gov.au/cropupdates

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