Lucerne Australia
INVITATION: Lucerne Australia Header Set-Up Day (w/c 21 February 2012)
Lucerne Australia will host a header set-up day in preparation for the 2012 lucerne seed harvest at Gumbowie, Willalooka, by kind invitation of Guy and Sarah Cunningham, week commencing 21 February 2012 (exact date to be confirmed). A barbecue and drinks will also be provided.
At this event, Robert Will, from Will Inspect (Bordertown, SA), and James DeBarro from Alpha Group Consulting (Keith), will present seed testing and header set-up's to members and guests. Items to be covered include basic principles with the threshing system, threshing versus separation, concave, sieve and fan settings. Also covered will be seasonal factors, weather and temperature, crop evenness, ground speed, weeds and foreign material.
Please register you interest in attending this event by calling Nicola Raymond, Executive Officer on 0439 538 332 or email info@lucerneaustralia.org.au
INVITATION: Annual Trial Site Field Day (Thursday, 1 March 2012)
We look forward to welcoming you to Lucerne Australia's independent lucerne variety trials at the annual Trial Site Field Day on Thursday, 1 March at 2:30PM at the Keith Bowling Club.
This field day will include a trip from Keith to the drop-tube centre pivot variety trials at Kinyerrie, Keith, by kind invitation of grower member Joe Sandford. There will be an extensive crop inspection, releasing of 2011 harvest yields, 2011 forage yields and updates from seed marketers involved in this trial.
It promises to be an informal, engaging afternoon where growers and marketers can discuss future seed varieties, relevant issues and the future direction of our industry.
Please register you interest in attending this event by calling Nicola Raymond, Executive Officer on 0439 538 332 or email info@lucerneaustralia.org.au
'In-field Lucerne Seed Fertiliser Trial' application is successful!
Lucerne Australia understands how lucerne seed growers are reliant on yield as the ultimate driver to generate turnover for cashflow in their businesses. Consequently, we applied, and have been successful in securing Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) funding to complete a three-year fertiliser trial on the effects of different fertiliser applications on seed yield. We are grateful for RIRDCs ongoing support and encouragement to this new trial.
This is an exciting project! It will provide the first independent, publicly available research into the effects of different fertilisers on lucerne seed for both dryland and irrigated systems, for over 40 years. There has been previous research and forage yields, but limited in the area of fertiliser and its effect of seed yield.
There are eight fertiliser companies involved in this trial, allowing a broad range of products to be researched and analysed. We would like to thank grower member Scott Campbell, Brecon Proprietors, Keith, for providing the trial sites. Peracto SA is the Project Manager for this trial.
Lucerne Australia enters into this trial with an open mind to determine if any treatments have the ability to promote a consistent yield benefit. We look forward to sharing the findings of this trial.
Lucerne Australia launches Pest and Beneficials guide to local agronomists
A sub-committee of Lucerne Australia, the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) sub-committee has been working diligently on a Pests and Beneficials Insects guide aimed at agronomists and consultants in the south-east region of SA.
This guide has been developed following the formation of the IPM Committee at the Lucerne Australia 2010 IPM Symposium. The committee is made up of local agronomists and consultants.
This guide assists to standardise lucerne seed monitoring and its purpose is to sustain our current insecticide chemistry for long-term use. Whilst this has been the main driver, we have also maintained, and greatly encouraged, the importance of identifying beneficial insects which aid in controlling and/or maintaining pest numbers in a lucerne system, hence reducing insecticide use.
This guide contains three individual charts, including 1) a list of beneficial insects that can be present in lucerne and within this, the degree of damage the various insecticides have on beneficial insects; 2) identifying insect pests, registered chemicals and comments associated with these insects and insecticides; and 3) a seasonal chart consisting of best management practice when using insecticides.
To obtain you copy contact Executive Officer Nicola Raymond: click here.
Lucerne Australia 2011 “Seed Quality” Symposium Summary
The Lucerne Australia 2011 symposium had a 'seed quality' theme, with the objective of bringing together growers and stakeholders in the lucerne seed industry to build knowledge and drive adoption of new new technology. The event was held at the Keith Institute, South Australia on Monday, 19 September.
Left Image L-R Don Cook, Sean Groth, Tony Thompson and Liam McInerny (Growers)
Right Image L-R Daryl Llewellyn, Charlie Hilton, Jamie Tidy (Naracoorte Seeds)
and Craig Myall (Seedmark)
Speakers were well received and take-home messages were transparent for the audience. For example, with Dr John Heap’s Golden Dodder project, (a leafless, parasitic weed which removes nutrients, reduces yield and even kills its host plant), DNA testing will enable the detection of Golden Dodder seed during seed cleaning and it will enable imported seed to be checked for contamination. Therefore identification of existing and new Golden Dodder paddocks is more likely, plus a reduction in export and import seed contamination, thereby reducing risk. Dr Heap also highlighted developments with aerial remote sensing of Golden Dodder, using UAV with cameras to capture images in c. 45 minutes per site, and with low running costs. Several images of this technology were shown.
Shane Oster outlined how findings from a recent Setaria Trial show the best control is achieved using a combination of both pre- and post-emergent herbicides.
Mark Kester and Peter Gibbs presented together as they had both recently returned from a visit to the USA to study Golden Dodder and seed quality. They confirmed how Golden Dodder has been an issue in the USA for decades, and how seed can remain dormant in the soil for 30-90 years. Control methods include hand-cutting and then burning of the cut foliage but this has risks due to regeneration of dodder if not followed up; destroying dodder by using flame throwers with migrant labor; the use of velvet and magnet rollers in all processing plants and finally chemical usage, which is now the most effective.
With abnormal seedlings, the LSD (Lucerne Seed Damage) kit is an outcome of a RIRDC-funded research project launched in 2009 and was featured by James DeBarro. It was stressed to the audience that the process of harvesting lucerne seed presents the most significant threat to seed quality. Robert Will also outlined issues with headers, including the thresher and concave settings, and tips including making one adjustment at a time, keeping records, not solely relying on monitors and taking responsibility for the machine and its settings.
Finally, Dr Christopher Preston highlighted the use of the Harrington Weed Destructor which effectively process’ chaff to destroy weed seeds during harvest.
Mission Statement
To be a focal point for the industry and to enhance the Australian lucerne seed industry.