THIS year's trial program is a busy one for the Mingenew Irwin Group (MIG) with trials covering a range of nutrients and crops, scattered from Yuna to Three Springs and out to Canna.
In addition to planned spray trials, MIG has been implementing some others, based on feedback given at the MIG Beers and Ideas sessions, that utilise spray equipment:
- Pre-emergent herbicides in wheat;
- Pre-emergent herbicides in lupins;
- Canola phenology - Liquid N application; and
- Wheat phenology - Liquid N application.
This year, together with various grower groups from around the State, MIG will continue to deliver on existing Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) projects.
In collaboration with the West Midlands Group, the Ripper Gauge trial looks at a number of ripping treatments which are then compared and evaluated by measuring grain yield and economic benefit of soil amelioration and controlled traffic practices.
The trials consider a broad range of soil types across sites at Mingenew, Morawa, Yuna and Three Springs.
In 2019 MIG began working on a project with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) with 16 trial sites located in the Mingenew/Arrino area about invertebrates.
The outcome of the project is to have a greater understanding of the invertebrates associated with chaff so that growers and advisors will have increased confidence of implementing non-burning, low-cost harvest weed seed control techniques to manage weeds.
The project will look at what invertebrates are associated with chaff dumps, chaff tramlines and chaff lines.
The site for the Barley Grass trial is at Yandanooka.
Collaborating with DPIRD, this systems trial assesses various barley grass management strategies, with the overall project aim being to achieve practice change in barley grass management.
MIG has 17 demonstrations located in the Mingenew and Irwin shires this year.
These are farmer hosted and include wheat, barley, lupins, canola and pasture.
The group also has demonstrations looking at re-seeding canola after the strong wind events back in May, as well as a wheat seeding rate demo.
MIG thanked its members and sponsors who have given up their time, land and resources to get the trials program going this year.
