Effective control of brome grass in the southern and western cropping zones

Brome grass is a highly competitive weed that can cause significant yield losses. Through experimentation, a dense infestation can reduce wheat yield by 95 per cent and lupin yield by 60 per cent, but a sparse field infestation will still cause yield loss. The seeds contaminate grain, leading to a financial penalty if the level of contamination exceeds the prescribed limit. Practical farm management relies heavily on Clearfield technology, which can be very effective. However, reliance on this chemistry is not sustainable from a resistance management standpoint, imparts potential rotational restrictions, has caused market access concerns for barley and therefore alternative multi-faceted management strategies need to be proven at a local level. It is expected that this investment will motivate, enable and support growers to implement IWM strategies which incorporate cultural control tactics to abate and manage herbicide resistance and ensure that brome grass can be cost-effectively controlled.