Growers can manage stubble without compromising weed, disease and pest management or the timeliness of the seeding operation, according to CSIRO Agriculture and Food senior experimental scientist, Tony Swan.

In this article, Tony presents rules of thumb and findings from trial results. He investigates the following questions:

Does choice of seeder type influence weed control?

What options do I have if stubble is too thick to sow through?

Key quotes:

• “Decisions at harvest, post-harvest/pre-sowing and at sowing influence the success of a seeding operation into stubble,” he said.
• “With a flexible approach, growers can manage stubble loads to suit their seeding operations, weed control tactics, herbicide choice and profit.
• “As a rule of thumb, the stubble load after harvest is 1.5 to 2 times the grain yield for wheat and 2 to 3 times the grain yield for canola.