This longer-term program of work is helping Upper North growers reduce the risks associated with dry and early sowing by investigating practical management strategies that improve crop establishment, optimise seeding systems and support more confident decision-making under increasingly variable seasonal conditions.

Building on several years of research, demonstration and extension, the program continues to investigate the agronomic, machinery and management factors that influence successful crop establishment while translating research into practical, regionally relevant information for growers.

Project description: 

Dry and early sowing has become an increasingly important strategy for managing delayed and unreliable seasonal breaks across the Upper North. In response, Upper North Farming Systems has led a series of connected projects investigating practical management strategies that improve crop establishment and reduce production risks under increasingly variable seasonal conditions.

The program has progressively evolved over several years, with each project building on previous findings while investigating different aspects of crop establishment and dry sowing:

• De-risking the seeding program project (2024), led by Ag Excellence Alliance, expanded grower engagement and demonstrated practical strategies to improve crop establishment under challenging seasonal conditions.
• De-risking the Seeding Program in the Upper North (2025/26) built on this work through locally relevant demonstration trials and extension activities, investigating crop establishment, machinery performance and management practices that influence successful dry sowing.
• De-risking the Seeding Program in the Upper North (2026/27) continues this body of work by consolidating previous research and regional experience while translating current research into practical, regionally relevant management strategies. Demonstration trials are investigating seeding point and pre-emergent herbicide interactions in barley, row orientation, seeding depth and point type on saline soils, and barley time of sowing to improve crop establishment under marginal soil moisture conditions.

Together, these projects are building a long-term body of locally relevant knowledge that supports confident seeding decisions and improves drought resilience across Upper North cropping systems.

Key achievements and results: 

The 2025/26 De-risking the Seeding Program in the Upper North project improved understanding of how seeding systems, sowing practices and pre-emergent herbicide use influence crop establishment under Upper North conditions. By testing common grower questions in local paddocks, the demonstrations provided practical evidence to help reduce establishment risk while maintaining effective weed control in dry and variable seasons.

The findings reinforced that successful crop establishment depends on the interaction between machinery setup, sowing conditions and herbicide choice, rather than any single management practice. The project also highlighted that responses can vary depending on soil type and seasonal conditions, reinforcing the importance of local demonstrations.

Key findings from the 2025/26 project included:

• Hybrid disc seeders achieved improved crop emergence under the late, dry sowing conditions experienced at the Booleroo demonstration.
• No phytotoxicity was observed across the pre-emergent herbicide treatments evaluated, demonstrating that effective weed control can be achieved without compromising crop establishment when herbicides are used appropriately.
• Row orientation and seeding system influenced crop establishment, highlighting the importance of machinery setup and consistent seed placement under challenging sowing conditions.
• Saline and variable soil types responded differently to establishment practices, reinforcing the need to tailor seeding decisions to local paddock conditions rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
• The demonstrations provided growers with greater confidence in integrating pre-emergent herbicides, seeding equipment and sowing practices to reduce establishment risk while maintaining productivity under dry sowing conditions.

Building on these outcomes, a new phase of the program commenced in 2026 and will continue into 2027. Trial treatments were developed in collaboration with the Nelshaby Ag Bureau to ensure they address current grower priorities, with demonstrations now underway investigating barley time of sowing, seed dressings and crown rot management in wheat and barley. Project findings will be shared through crop walks, the UNFS Expo and regional extension activities as the trials progress.

Further information:

Access the 2025/26 technical report here: De-risking the seeding program in the Upper North

Learn more and stay updated with this project via the UNFS website.