Herbicide resistance is the inherited ability of an individual plant to survive a herbicide application that would kill a normal population of the same species. Herbicide resistance does not equate to poor performance of a herbicide.
The most accurate way to estimate the weed population of a paddock is to count the number of plants in an area of known size at a number of locations. Use a quadrant, which may be square or circular, to carry out weed plant counts.
Herbicides can be applied by a variety of means including boom sprayers, aerial spraying, misters, blanket wipers, rope wick applicators, weed seekers and back-pack sprayers.
Herbicides play a vital role in integrated weed management programs. Knowledge of the mechanisms and activity of herbicides will improve the impact and sustainability of herbicides as a weed management tactic.
In-crop weed competition causes losses costing around $1 billion per annum for Western Australia. There are very effective strategic and tactical options available to manage weed competition that will increase crop yields and profitability.
Frost occurs on clear nights in early spring when the air temperature drops to 2°C or less. Crop damage from frost may occur at any stage of development but is most damaging at or around flowering.
One method of weed control is to remove weed seeds in the fallow, stubble and pre-sowing phase. This can be achieved by encouraging the germination of weed seeds and then subsequently killing seedlings or destroying seeds and reducing seed viability.
