Australia
September 13, 2007
Frost damage in cereals can cost
Australian graingrowers up to $100 million annually.
But help is at hand, with the release of the first comprehensive
practical guide to frost risk management that will help growers
minimise and manage frost risk.
‘Managing Frost Risk’, a joint publication between ConsultAg in
WA and the South Australian Research and Development Institute,
is the outcome of five years of
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) funded
frost agronomy research.
The GRDC supported guide will help growers make frost management
decisions on high risk paddocks, especially in the southern and
central wheatbelt.
WA cereal growers lost 700,000 tonnes to frost in 2005, costing
them around $90 million.
Co-author Garren Knell of ConsultAg, WA, said the frost booklet
discussed the economic impact of frost for growers, focusing
heavily on maximising returns and minimising risk.
“Growers face sudden crop death with frost, compared to drought,
which they can see develop and put plans in place,” he said.
“With frost, crops can make it all the way through the growing
season when all the inputs have been invested, but one or two
cold spring nights can wipe a million dollars off a grower’s
potential income.”
The booklet details how to avoid or minimise frost and assess
damage, explaining what growers can do with frosted crops to
maximise returns that year or beyond.
It also explores options for frost management, highlighting crop
choice, sowing time and variety selection as the most important
management factors.
Mr Knell said varying sowing times and variety maturities across
frost prone paddocks was a useful strategy to fight early or
late frost risks.
“On frost prone sites in WA, later sown wheat crops can avoid
frost and out yield early sown frosted wheat,” he said.
“Long season wheat varieties are better at avoiding frost
damage, generating comparable returns to short season varieties,
especially if sowing is delayed.
“Frost prone soils are usually more forgiving of delayed sowing
and longer season varieties because of their ability to store
soil moisture.
“However, it’s important to only delay sowing on paddocks
identified as high frost risk, since the opportunity cost of
delaying sowing on low frost risk sites can be prohibitive,” Mr
Knell said.
Manipulating soil heat and crop canopy could also reduce frost
risk.
“In the trials documented in the guide, delving subsoil clay
into sandy soils reduced frost damage and increased crop yields
by up to 80 per cent because temperatures were two degrees
warmer at canopy height,” he said.
“Although there’s no 100 per cent protection against frost, the
booklet provides WA growers with support, guidance and comfort
to reduce frost’s impact,” Mr Knell said.
To purchase a copy for $20, contact
ground-cover-direct@canprint.com.au or Freecall 1800 110
044.
ConsultAg is organising a frost risk management training course
to complement the book. Interested growers can contact
ConsultAg, Tel 08 94750311
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