Stacked in your favour

Why herbicide-tolerance-stacking technology is a gamechanger for the canola industry.

As environmental challenges emerge across Australia’s agricultural sector, research and technology continue to open new doors.

One of the most recent instances of this is herbicide-tolerance stacking in canola hybrids.

Justin Kudnig, Pacific Seeds national canola technical manager, is confident that these dual-stacked hybrids will deliver notable benefits to Australian canola growers.

“Our three new canola hybrids have been adapted to grow across all states, and with high yields, high oils and an excellent tri-gene blackleg rating of R, these hybrids will be a strong addition to any farmer’s rotations.”

He notes that these hybrids provide enhanced solutions by taking integrated weed management programs to the next level, adding protection against chemical carryover from previous crops – and have also proven to deliver competitive financial returns per hectare.

“As Aussie canola growers experience the full commercial value and agronomic protection provided by dual-stacked technologies, they will be able to see the advantage firsthand of adding products like Hyola Enforcer CT and Hyola Garrison XC to their program.”

And he isn’t alone in this assessment. Agronomists and growers are all seeing favourable results.

Craig Farlow, tech services manager for Victoria and the Riverina at Elders Rural, works with an agronomy team to run trials.

“We work very closely with our key partners, such as Pacific Seeds, to demonstrate in the field, in the local environments, in the different seasons,” he said. “Because it’s really important for growers to see how these technologies perform in the good seasons, as well as the marginal seasons.”

Craig noted several benefits from hybrids with dual-herbicide tolerance, particularly when it came to managing hard-to-kill weeds.

“With dual-technology varieties, we’ve got multiple modes of action, and we can ensure that we’ve got a clean paddock. And coming into harvest, we’ve got the opportunity to make sure that there’s no weed seed set for the following season.

“We’ve also got more flexibility in terms of managing weeds and managing resistant weeds.”

Gerard Bardwell, from Vectis – ten-kilometres west of Horsham – grows wheat, barley, canola and pulses.

“We’ve chosen the [Hyola] Enforcer CT in this situation for a couple of reasons,” Gerard stated. “It enables us to get some IMI chemistry onto the canola. We use a high rate of Sentry as an IBS-type situation. That does a really good job at controlling a whole range of broadleaf weeds – but also gives us some really good residual control.

“The other important part is making sure we get that full rate of triazine onto the canola as well. So we’re using that as an early post-emergent option and giving it the best possible chance to control any escaping ryegrass from our pre-em.

“The canola’s doing a great job in setting up the rest of the rotation for us. It’s getting good weed control in that particular year, but it’s also handling any potential residual constraints that may be there as well.”

There are others who have seen the benefits of stacked technology, and are looking at integrating it into future seasons. Ash and Brad are agronomists for Tylers Rural, in Stawell and Rupanyup respectively. With a history of annual ryegrass issues in their area, they see double-stacked canola as an ideal solution.

“Traditionally in Rupanyup we’ve always been a Clearfield^® area – but also triazines and Roundup Ready,” Brad said. “And now that we have the ability to have the stacked technology traits, using all in combination.”

Ash agreed, noting the potential for more versatile and effective weed control. “The Clearfield-Triazine [tolerant] canola allows us to use a different chemistry to control differing populations of resistant weeds within a paddock on a specific farm.”

To find out more about the dual-herbicide-stacked hybrids, visit pacificseeds.com.au/canola-stacked.