WeedSmart, the industry-led initiative to enhance on-farm weed control and manage herbicide resistance issues in Australian cropping, will hold its 11th annual 'WeedSmart Week' event at Port Lincoln, South Australia on July 29 and 30 2024.
WeedSmart Week brings together local and interstate growers, agronomists and industry experts to learn and discuss effective weed control strategies, technologies and herbicide resistance issues.
The event is presented annually in partnership with platinum partner the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), along with other sponsors that include major life science companies, spray technology and machinery dealers, state agriculture departments and university researchers.
The event focuses on the 'WeedSmart Big 6' - a suite of tactics underpinning a year-round integrated weed management strategy for cropping and mixed enterprise systems: 1) rotate crops and pastures, 2) increase crop competition, 3) mix and rotate herbicides, 4) optimise spray efficacy, 5) stop weed seed set, and 6) implement harvest weed seed control.
The first day of the 2024 event will include a series of presentations and panel discussions covering tactics and technology updates, grower experiences, along with insights into key topics such as spray efficacy and impact mills for harvest weed seed control.
Day Two will feature a farm visit at Cummins, followed by a Machinery Expo at Yeelanna.
GRDC crop protection manager - west Georgia Megirian says weeds continue to cost Australian grain producers over $3 billion per year and WeedSmart Week is an important examination of chemical, mechanical and cultural tools to drive down the weed seed bank in crop and fallow paddocks.
"WeedSmart is dedicated to sharing research and development findings, innovations from life science and machinery experts, and insights from industry leaders who have successfully tackled weed issues using multiple tactics," Ms Megirian says.
"Weedsmart Week is important because it is geared toward grower-to-grower education, focusing on sharing practical, on-farm solutions and how to implement them.
"It's an effective approach that GRDC is proud to support."
