Central Queensland graingrowers haven’t had a lot of crop in recent years, but ongoing drought hasn’t stopped them looking for ways to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of their farming systems. For when it rains again.

Sorghum, and maize to a lesser extent, are major crops in Central Queensland and the residual herbicide atrazine – providing effective knockdown and residual control of broadleaf weeds plus grass weeds under certain conditions – plays an important role in cropping systems. 

As a registered agricultural chemical, atrazine is subject to ongoing review by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), the national regulator of of pesticides and veterinary medicines.

In a media release of December 8, the APVMA announced the release of, and invited public comment on – closing on February 25, 2005 –  a draft report of a review initially undertaken because of potential health concerns about atrazine, and its potential  to contaminate ground and surface water.

In the draft report, APVMA principal scientist Dr David Loschke clears atrazine of links to health problems when used according to label directions, and also finds it can be used without undue risk to the environment when managed appropriately.

According to Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (QDPI&F) Emerald technician  Maurie Conway,  the grains industry expects the community to  continue reviewing the use of agricultural pesticides such as atrazine.

“However, the industry is concerned that the possible loss of atrazine would reduce the number of herbicide options available to farmers and place more pressure on other herbicides like glyphosate,” Mr Conway said.

“Some conservation farmers say they might have to resort to conventional  cultivation  again if the Central Queensland grain industry loses the use of atrazine. This would have a disastrous impact on ground cover and increase the risk of erosion.

“The cotton industry has demonstrated that, by being proactive and responsibly managing the chemicals used in its production system, it can maintain access to important and useful chemicals. 

“Grower groups working with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) supported Central Queensland Sustainable Farming Systems project believed a similar management plan for atrazine should be developed.”

Mr Conway said Emerald extension agronomist Anne Suyllivan had facilitated a round of workshops which had input from private sector advisers Spackman Mackay Consulting, Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) soils scientists David Freebairn and Ken Rohde, and QDPI&F weeds scientist Vikki Osten.

Farmers at the workshops developed guidelines for spraying atrazine appropriate to the Central Queensland environment, with the principal focus on the importance of application timing, re-cropping after atrazine and  monitoring and understanding what  might affect atrazine movement off the paddock  and through the catchment.

Now Sustainable Farming Systems project staff and growers were collaborating to finalise  guidelines for spraying atrazine, with the results to be presented at a round of six workshops across the region during the sorghum season early in the new year.