MICE are crucifying crops of wheat, barley, canola and lupins around Ardlethan, Lake Cargellico and out to Hillston, says Aggrow Agronomist at Griffith, Barry Hoskins.
“Some crops have been baited up to four times already,” he said. “The mice now prefer the flowering heads of the canola and the tillers on the wheat and barley plants to bait and I estimate that already, up to 120,000 hectares of our client’s crops alone have been very adversely affected.
“I’d say between 30 to 50 per cent of crops I deal with have been affected and there’s no plan B to stop them as they get into their reproductive stage of growth.”
Half way between Rankin Springs and Hillston, Josh Jager’s conglomerate of dryland properties totalling nearly 12,000 hectares has 7000 hectares sown to three varieties of wheat (Lancer, Suntop and Elmore), 1000ha to Mandalup and Kayla lupins, 1000ha sown to ACE lentils, 700ha sown to Triazine Tolerant (TT) Bonitto and 44Y89 canola and 350ha sown to field peas.
“At this stage the lupins and canola have been worst hit,” he said. “As the plants were emerging the mice bit the juicy tops (cotyledons) off and they’ve been struggling ever since. As there’s been so little rain over the past few months, I think they are thirsty rather than hungry, which is why they are going for the juicy canola flower heads and tillers on the wheat.
“The longer-growing variety Lancer wheat is looking the best as it was sown earlier and had a chance to establish before the mice really moved in. Because we baited the field peas before sowing and sowed later, mouse damage isn’t as bad as in some of the other crops.”
Almost 8000ha has now been baited – half by air and the rest by ground. At $7 per hectare the cost of growing the crops continues to increase.
“We use variable rate technology on ‘Mallee Ridge’ and a month ago, spread urea at rates between 60 kilograms and 180kg per ha according to the records from last year. We plan to spread urea over another 3000ha before the next rain, whenever that might be.”
Mr Jager said although there has only been eight millimetres rain in the past three months, the soil moisture profile is still quite good. “This is why we really need winter rains to ensure there’s enough moisture available during spring,” he said.
“As the organic matter in this country is low, we’ve been retaining stubble but it’s been the perfect habitat for the mice. Earlier in the season we were looking at an average to above average year for yields. I am still optimistic all will be okay however, regular rain over the next 10 weeks or even minor flooding to drown the mice out would be perfect.”
Pennie Scott
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
