Waite Research Institute Webinar – Dr Navneet Aggarwal, SARDI Agronomy

Abstract: Group B (now Group 2) herbicide tolerance traits have been well adopted, with uptake of this technology across multiple crops creating a shift in herbicide usage patterns. The increasing frequency of Group B tolerant pulse crops in rotation is narrowing the diversity in herbicides used, due to limited safe options, especially for in-crop broadleaf weed control. Therefore, developing alternative methods of weed control is important for pulse-based rotations to delay the development of resistance in broadleaf weeds to imidazolinone herbicides. Research experiments were established to explore integrated weed management (IWM) strategies, including crop-weed competition in faba bean using plant densities from 12-36 plants m-2 at Turretfield (2017-2019) and Salter Springs (2019), wick wiping and clipping brassica weeds at different growth stages in lentil (2019-2020) and chickpea (2020) at Turretfield. A new mode of action (Group G/ now Group 14) herbicide was explored at multiple sites in 2020. Additionally, field experiments at Maitland (2018-2019) focused on diversifying the selection pressures from imidazolinone herbicides for common sowthistle and prickly lettuce management. IWM strategies diversifying selection pressures with emerging herbicide tolerant pulse technology and new mode of action chemistries, and improving crop-weed competition allowed greater in-crop broadleaf weed control and reduced seed set in pulses.

Navneet Aggarwal has over 20 years of experience working in Australia and India in agricultural research and teaching, extension, and conducting research trials under field and controlled environmental conditions. Navneet has research expertise in the fields of weed management, crop nutrition, tillage systems and irrigation management. In his current role, Navneet is working as Senior Research Officer (Weed Ecology) with South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) based at the Clare Research Centre. He is responsible for the management of research projects funded by GRDC, SAGIT and SARDI developing improved weed management strategies for grass and broadleaf weeds in pulse crops for South Australian growers. Navneet is also a member of the Southern Pulse Agronomy team, with his involvement including the management, delivery, and extension of various agronomy trials in Mid-North and Yorke Peninsula regions, looking at canopy management, foliar and soil disease, and response to management decisions in a diverse range of pulse species.

Register at: https://adelaide.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4zUCSUmfSj-EXVUlcqhceA