Resistant Ryegrass

[Remraf]

I’m currently doing a project on resistant ryegrass as part of my BASIS qualification, I’m doing a case study on the farm I manage (currently waiting on results for resistance type) What I’m after is some more data to compare the farm here with others with a Ryegrass problem to see if there’s any similarities. So if anyone is kind enough (particularly if you have resistant ryegrass) could you answer some or all of the following questions (truthfully!!) either on the thread or PM me, it would be most appreciated, it’s all anonymous (unless you post the answers below!).

1. Where is the farm located?
2. What size is the farm?
3. Farm enterprises?
4. Crops grown in your rotation?
5. Soil type?
6. Do you have grass leys in your arable rotation?
7. What sort of cultivations/drilling are carried out?
8. Do you have known resistant blackgrass?
9. Do you have known resistant ryegrass? If ‘yes’ go to question 10, if ‘no’ go to question 15
10. Which chemicals/products is the Ryegrass resistant to?
11. Have you had the Ryegrass resistance tested? If so what were the results?
12. What non-chemical methods have you implemented to try and control the Ryegrass and have they been successful? (eg: Stale seed bed/ploughing etc)
13. Do you spread muck with a potential Ryegrass seed return?
14. What is your opinion on the cause of the resistance?
15. Does a contractor carry out the spraying duties on the farm?
16. What water volume rate is applied when spraying your post-emergence herbicide?
17. What speed are you travelling at whilst spraying your post-emergence herbicides at?
18. Do you use resistance strategies when making decisions on herbicide applications if so which? (eg: using chemicals with different modes of action/avoiding sequential applications of the same herbicide)


As a discussion point, has anyone got on top a resistant ryegrass problem? Does anyone find it has limited germination in the spring?

 

[warksfarmer]

Broadway Star doesn’t touch it here but Axial does so we aren’t resistant yet.

Moving away from a ww/osr rotation has helped as has buying a plough.

No specific rotation but crops grown are ww, wosr, sbarley. Maize and pots on lighter soils only. Have also introduced grass and rye this last year.

Spraying is everything at 200l/ha at 9km/hr.

 

[Remraf]

Thanks warksfarmer, our neighbour is waiting on results as Axial didn't touch it this year. Atlantis/Pacifica for us but pre-em work well. Do you have blackgrass?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

It's a reasonable issue in many parts of Australia, I believe?

 

[CornishTone]

We have massive issues with resistant ryegrass here in South Australia. If it’s relevant to your work I’m happy to chat through our strategies either here or through dm’s.

 

[Farmer Roy]

not just South Australia
all cropping regions
not just ryegrass either . . .

 

[warksfarmer]

Thanks warksfarmer, our neighbour is waiting on results as Axial didn't touch it this year. Atlantis/Pacifica for us but pre-em work well. Do you have blackgrass?

Yes to BG but not in the same fields. We are using the same approach though.

We can still use Atlantis as we didn’t over do its use like many in the 00’s.

 

[JAB]

We have massive issues with resistant ryegrass here in South Australia. If it’s relevant to your work I’m happy to chat through our strategies either here or through dm’s.

I’m working on resistant ryegrass here in the states as well. I think it would be great if we all could pitch in on this thread as much as possible.

 

[warksfarmer]

I’m working on resistant ryegrass here in the states as well. I think it would be great if we all could pitch in on this thread as much as possible.

I think ryegrass is potentially worse than blackgrass.

 

[Farmer Roy]

I’m working on resistant ryegrass here in the states as well. I think it would be great if we all could pitch in on this thread as much as possible.

look at Australian research as @CornishTone says. Been a problem here 10 - 20 years ( 30 + yrs of Glyphosate use & very wide uptake of zero till cropping )
a lot of time effort & money put into research here

 

[CornishTone]

Not just Glyohosate either unfortunately. We also have resistance to fops, dims, SU’s, treflan, to name a few and in various combinations. I had a population tested last year that had cross resistance to Glyphosate, fops, dims and SU’s.[emoji33]

Fortunately it wasn’t resistant to sheep!

The upshot of what is essentially 30 years of poor management is that there is some excellent work being done here on the subject.

We are testing for resistance more than ever and turning rotations, practices and systems on their heads as a result.

There are some very interesting and exciting cultural and mechanical controls starting to be used, some of which hadn’t even occurred to me from a UK perspective.

 

[Farmer Roy]

I remember reading somewhere that in lab conditions they were able to breed ryegrass resistant to practically every chemistry available in I think 16 generations ? May have been a lot less ?

 

[CornishTone]

You don’t need a lab! You get resistance to some in less than nine generations. I was speaking to John Broster from CSU last year and he’s seen resistance to some chemistry develop in as few as three generations![emoji33]

At the end of the day, anything will become resistant if you rely on one control method, and it doesn’t take long regardless of the pest; weed, insect or disease.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

You don’t need a lab! You get resistance to some in less than nine generations. I was speaking to John Broster from CSU last year and he’s seen resistance to some chemistry develop in as few as three generations![emoji33]

At the end of the day, anything will become resistant if you rely on one control method, and it doesn’t take long regardless of the pest; weed, insect or disease.

But FA is resistant to sheep

Hard to beat a livestock deficiency any other way - I'll grab my coat

 

[CornishTone]

But FA is resistant to sheep

Hard to beat a livestock deficiency any other way - I'll grab my coat

As I alluded to with the guy and his cross resistance... 100% yes! And that’s what many are doing now in some capacity. Whether it’s running stock, cutting hay or, more often than not, both. People who have problems are realising that livestock are a huge plus in the battle against weed resistance, even the big broadacre guys will have a “pet” flock or herd for resistance management and nutrient cycling in some capacity. Just makes sense!

 

[Dry Rot]

It did occur to me that resistant ryegrass might be just what the livestock farmer wanted! But I suppose that would inevitably lead to weed grasses and others becoming resistant in time, so a non-starter! I'm assuming this resistant rye grass is both palatable and nutritious, like other varieties of rye grass?

 

[CornishTone]

It did occur to me that resistant ryegrass might be just what the livestock farmer wanted! But I suppose that would inevitably lead to weed grasses and others becoming resistant in time, so a non-starter! I'm assuming this resistant rye grass is both palatable and nutritious, like other varieties of rye grass?

The worst offender here is a variety called Wimmera Annual Ryegrass. I guess the best way to describe it is a naturalised Ryegrass. It was originally planted as livestock feed but it quickly became apparent that it’s a nightmare to control and misguided attempts at trying to control it has resulted in rampant resistance. That being said, it’s perfectly edible/palatable and, in years like this, if it’s edible it’ll get eaten down to the ground!!

 

[Dry Rot]

The worst offender here is a variety called Wimmera Annual Ryegrass. I guess the best way to describe it is a naturalised Ryegrass. It was originally planted as livestock feed but it quickly became apparent that it’s a nightmare to control and misguided attempts at trying to control it has resulted in rampant resistance. That being said, it’s perfectly edible/palatable and, in years like this, if it’s edible it’ll get eaten down to the ground!!

Sounds like I need to get some seed!

 

[CornishTone]

I wouldn’t wish the f**king stuff on my worst enemy!!!

 

[Farmer Roy]

I wouldn’t wish the fudgeing stuff on my worst enemy!!!

just another one of our unfair advantages