To help growers obtain a better understanding of how resistance develops and what can be done about it, an Integrated Weed Management (IWM) workshop is being held in Dalby on 18 March.

Funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) with local support for the Dalby workshop from Syngenta Crop Protection, Dalby Rural Services and DEEDI, the workshop is one in a series being held across the country. More are planned for Queensland later in the year.

Convenor and presenter John Cameron said it was time to do things differently.

“We are lucky to have a climate that allows a variety of crops rather than regular wheat on wheat, so resistance has not developed here as fast as it has further south,” Mr Cameron said.

“However, barnyard grass and milk thistles are getting harder to kill, and fleabane can be near impossible.

“While it’s easy to put it down to low rain, stress or poor applications, poor control of some weed populations could also be the first signs of resistance, so we have to be pro-active.

“When glyphosate prices went through the roof a while back, growers were forced into thinking about and using alternatives. On top of that, double-knock tactics for fleabane are introducing new chemicals.

“Growers are starting to use IWM tools by default, and it’s important to continue down that path,” Mr Cameron said.

Growers attending the IWM workshops will take away a clearer understanding of the mechanics of herbicide resistance and why different management options are recommended in various circumstances.

The key is to drive down the weed seed bank by monitoring re-growth after spraying and using another control tactic if necessary. Long fallows, break crops and other non-herbicide options are also part of the toolkit.

For more details or bookings for the Dalby workshop, or to find out where more are likely to be held, contact Mr Cameron on 02 9482 4930 or www.icanrural.com.au