A NEW extension agronomist has joined the WeedSmart team with a focus on applying the Big 6 to manage weeds in the high rainfall cropping systems of southern Australia - from Esperance in Western Australia to south-eastern South Australia, Tasmania and south-western Victoria.
The WeedSmart Big 6 approach is a practical way to ensure that an integrated weed management program is put in place that disrupts weed seed production and the evolution of herbicide resistance.
Jana Dixon started with WeedSmart earlier this month and will add to the dedicated and experienced extension agronomists on the WeedSmart team with Peter Newman in the Western region, Chris Davey in the South, Greg and Kirrily Condon in the East and Paul McIntosh in the North.
Ms Dixon hails from SA's Mid North and has been employed full-time at Pinion Advisory since January 2019 as an agribusiness consultant, based in Clare, and spends most of her time delivering agronomy and farm business advice to clients from a wide range of cropping regions.
In welcoming her to the WeedSmart team, program manager Lisa Mayer said Ms Dixon had the energy, commitment and insight to deliver communications focused on the southern region's high rainfall regions.
"Growers in the southern high rainfall zones are facing some serious issues with herbicide resistance influencing their farming decisions," Ms Mayer said.
"Jana will be engaging with agronomists, growers and researchers in each of the distinct high rainfall zones to understand the complexities and look for practical ways to apply the WeedSmart Big 6 in various cropping scenarios.
"We plan to deliver WeedSmart Week in Esperance, part of Western Australia's high rainfall cropping zone, in August and Jana will play a key role in the planning and delivering of our annual three-day flagship event."
Ms Dixon said her experience with the WeedSmart program had been positive and she was particularly impressed with the support the program had from all sectors of the grains industry.
"I have spoken to many growers and agronomists who have found real value in the information that the WeedSmart program delivers," Ms Dixon said.
"For many it is as much about considering another operator's philosophy on dealing with weeds, and taking a fresh look at their own systems, rather than just learning about a new tactic or the traits of a new herbicide in isolation from the big picture.
"The high calibre of industry people who contribute their time and expertise to the program is testament to the value WeedSmart has to agribusiness, growers, agronomists and researchers alike."
In taking on the responsibility for delivering information tailored for the high rainfall zones, Ms Dixon said she was pleased to have an extensive network of contacts through Pinion Advisory, with offices in many high rainfall areas to provide easy access to local agronomists and growers.
She is also aware that there are major differences in weed spectrums and farming systems in each high rainfall zone and plans to take full advantage of the opportunity this role presents to expand her understanding of different approaches to weed management.
"The long and favourable growing season and the associated prolonged periods of weed germination, is a key factor that I see potentially impacting on a grower's weed management strategies in these regions," Ms Dixon said.
