Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
March 26, 2013

Profitable weed control, diminishing premiums for non-GM canola and access to high performing varieties attracted the highest number of growers yet to plant Roundup Ready canola in 2012.

In just three years, Roundup Ready canola harvests have more than doubled and accounted for 11 per cent of the 1.5 million hectares of canola harvested in Australia last season.

Monsanto’s Australia Managing Director, Daniel Kruithoff, said Roundup Ready canola is fast becoming a mainstream crop in Australia.

“Weeds cost Australian agriculture an estimated $4 billion each year so it is no surprise that an increasing number of growers are turning to Roundup Ready canola for the profitable weed control that it offers.

“Roundup Ready canola growers also benefited from more favourable market conditions that saw most growers receiving prices within $10 of those for non-GM canola for their last harvest.

“We are expecting an even better season in 2013 on the back of growing momentum in the marketplace towards Roundup Ready canola such as China reopening its market to Australian canola after resolving Blackleg import restrictions.

“China, along with other major markets in Asia, accepts GM canola so Roundup Ready canola growers stand to benefit from regaining access to this important market,” Mr Kruithoff said.

Recent National Variety Trials (NVT) also revealed that Roundup Ready canola varieties are higher yielding than other herbicide tolerant varieties.

NVT data shows Roundup Ready canola is on average yielding 12 per cent higher than Triazine Tolerant canola and 6 per cent higher than Clearfield over the last three years.

“Along with superior weed control and favourable market conditions, Roundup Ready canola growers are also benefiting from higher yields. Roundup Ready canola is simply delivering increasing value to growers,” Mr Kruithoff said.

Daniel also said that Monsanto had simplified licensing arrangements to make it as easy for growers to purchase Roundup Ready canola as any other canola.

The area planted to Roundup Ready canola last year was 176,000, up from around 140,000 in 2011 and 85,000 in 2010.

For further information about Roundup Ready canola visit www.roundupreadycanola.com.au

Neil Westcott – Roundup Ready Canola case study, New South Wales

Location: Alectown, NSW
Property/system: 2400ha. Grows a rotation of canola, wheat and barley (growing RRC on-off for around five years)
Varieties: Need to confirm with supplier
Harvest: between 800kg up to 1.8 t p/ha (good considering tough year) (TT .3 to .9/ha) (no-til, direct drill)
Other advantages: oil content was down for all varieties but Roundup Ready was still higher than average at 41-42%

“The main limiting factor with all my canola varieties over the years has been dry weather and frosting. We do get some frost events that affect all varieties – that was the case four years ago and last year too.

“We had a huge amount of frost last season, coupled with a very dry winter. It was pretty tough conditions for everything. We probably only had about six inches in-crop rainfall and anything up to 60 frosts, and a few of them were quite late and quite severe.

“I always grow Triazine Tolerant (TT) varieties in conjunction with GM so a comparison can be made. “What you do notice about the Roundup Ready varieties is their ‘get up and go’, their vigour growing through the season, their ability to compensate and late flowering.

“Comparatively with the TTs under those very tough conditions, the Roundup Ready is a very solid, tall plant with plenty of branching under fairly hostile conditions.

“I ended up with an average of around a ton per hectare. With the damage that was done, I wouldn’t have believed that could be achieved. I was pleasantly surprised.

“I’m only growing Roundup Ready this year. I’ve decided to simplify everything down to just growing Roundup Ready, and I’ll be using things like Sakura on my canola stubbles to control ryegrass.

“The ability to have two applications of Roundup in crop if necessary, coupled with the vigour of the Roundup Ready, gives me the confidence that I can have a clean stubble when I enter the cereal stage of my rotation.

“The Roundup Ready, compared to using the more expensive in-crop herbicides, is just chalk and cheese.

“It’s a strong and vigorous plant.”

Website: http://www.monsanto.com.au

Published: March 26, 2013