Dumbleyung crop trial field day attracts big crowd to WA’s Wheatbelt

About 200 people attended a farm field day at Dumbleyung to inspect some of the latest crop trials led by a team of research agronomists from Delta Agribusiness. The rural inputs and advisory services provider is running 60 trials across WA on crops including canola, oats, wheat and barley. Delta Agribusiness head of research John McBride said the annual event on August 22 was a “huge success”. “The Dumbleyung trial site looked like never before and we were able to show 22 different trials, composed of different topics of interest,” he said. “These included soil wetters, weed management, effects of sowing speed and depth on crops using different herbicides and effect of rotations with legumes. “In addition to canola variety trials, this year we tried to compare each herbicide system in canola in terms of weed control it generates and the yield they produce.” The research team works closely with leading industry suppliers and graduates to conduct comprehensive testing and trials which accurately represent real growing conditions. The trials enable the assessment of the performance and adaptability of broadacre products and practices, providing detailed reports to the company’s suppliers and customers. Attendees at the Dumbelyung event included farmers, advisors and suppliers that rely on Delta to trial and test products and provide feedback. Guest speakers included Intergrain senior wheat breeder David Tabah, and UWA School of Agriculture and Environment senior research fellow Roberto Busi. Dr Busi, who is renowned for his research on herbicide resistant ryegrass, shared his recent findings and discussed future concerns around glyphosate resistance in broadacre farming. Other trials are being held at Perenjori, Badgingarra, Moora, Brookton, Lake Grace, Narrogin, Karlgarin, Wagin and Gairdner. Delta will host an upcoming field day at Brookton on September 19 and a follow-up field day at Dumbleyung on September 26.