This program of work delivered by Elders in partnership with Adelaide University is improving cereal establishment under dry and variable seasonal conditions by investigating practical strategies that reduce the risks associated with dry and early sowing. Through a series of SA Drought Hub projects the work is exploring how herbicide choice, application timing, sowing depth and soil moisture interact to influence crop establishment, crop safety and weed control. Together, these projects are providing practical, locally relevant information that helps growers make more confident sowing and weed management decisions under increasingly challenging seasonal conditions.
Project description:
This webpage brings together two linked SA Drought Hub projects delivered by Elders that investigate cereal establishment and herbicide safety under dry and variable seasonal conditions. While each project has a different focus, both contribute to improving grower confidence in crop establishment and weed management under increasingly challenging seasonal conditions.
The first project, Optimising Cereal Establishment in Challenging Environments: Advancing Knowledge of Pre- and Early Post-emergent Herbicide Safety after Low Rainfall 2024, responded to the exceptionally dry conditions experienced during the 2024 season. Building on research led by Professor Chris Preston investigating farming without glyphosate, along with previous Elders and Hart demonstrations of pre-emergent herbicides under dry sowing conditions, the project investigated how sowing depth, soil moisture, herbicide choice and soil deposition aids influence crop establishment and herbicide safety in wheat. It also examined the effect of residual herbicides following the 2024 season, helping growers better understand crop establishment and herbicide performance under challenging sowing conditions. Demonstration trials at Roseworthy compared herbicide strategies across different sowing depths, with findings shared through field days, grower visits and extension activities.
Building on this work, the second project, Advancing Knowledge of Pre and Early Post-emergent Herbicide Safety when Dry and Early Seeding in the Lower North, commenced in 2026. The project expands the previous research by investigating a broader range of pre-emergent and early post-emergent herbicide application timings under dry and early sowing conditions, while continuing to assess crop safety, weed control efficacy and the influence of residual herbicides following consecutive dry seasons. Demonstration trials continue to provide growers with practical, locally relevant information to support herbicide selection, application timing and cereal establishment decisions under variable seasonal conditions.
Together, these projects are building a long-term body of locally relevant knowledge that helps growers optimise cereal establishment while maintaining effective weed control under increasingly variable seasonal conditions.
Key achievements and results:
The first project, Optimising Cereal Establishment in Challenging Environments: Advancing Knowledge of Pre- and Early Post-emergent Herbicide Safety after Low Rainfall 2024, established a demonstration trial at Kangaroo Flat to assess a range of incorporated-by-sowing (IBS) and early post-emergent (EPE) herbicide programs, including commonly used and newer chemistry options. Measurements included wheat establishment, crop safety assessments, ryegrass counts and grain yield.
Key findings from the project included:
- Under the seasonal conditions experienced, IBS and EPE herbicide treatments had minimal impact on wheat establishment and produced comparable grain yield outcomes, largely due to low weed pressure across the trial.
- Low-intensity opening rainfall supported crop emergence and reduced the risk of herbicide movement into the seed zone, influencing crop safety outcomes across treatments.
- The project improved understanding of how seasonal conditions, sowing depth and herbicide selection interact to influence crop establishment and herbicide safety under dry sowing conditions.
- Demonstration trials provided growers and advisers with greater confidence in assessing herbicide options and managing crop establishment risks under challenging seasonal conditions.
Building on these outcomes, the second project, Advancing Knowledge of Pre and Early Post-emergent Herbicide Safety when Dry and Early Seeding in the Lower North, commenced in 2026. The current project is expanding the previous work by investigating additional pre-emergent and early post-emergent herbicide application timings and crop safety under dry sowing conditions.
Current project progress includes:
- Established a demonstration trial at Kangaroo Flat investigating a broader range of herbicide strategies under dry and early sowing conditions.
- Trial treatments include multiple pre-emergent and early post-emergent herbicide timings to further improve understanding of crop safety, weed control efficacy and herbicide performance.
- Crop establishment assessments and herbicide monitoring are underway, with results to be shared through field days, grower visits and extension activities as the project progresses.
Further information: