From the Ground Up, Issue 83

This Arable Update describes the biology of small broomrape and initial data on control options including herbicides and their application timing.

This Herbage Update summarises three seasons of irrigation experiments investigating yield penalties from early versus late-season drought and identifying mechanisms to guide irrigation strategies for improved water-use efficiency.

Maize is one of the easiest crops to mechanically weed and levels of weed control comparable to herbicides can be achieved. Find out more about the options available and how they work in this maize update.

Weed related yield losses ranging from 15% to 56% for silage and 15% to 61% for grain have been observed in New Zealand maize systems. In this maize update find out management strategies for a number of common annual and perennial weeds of maize.

The Environmental Protection Authority (“EPA”) published a Notice of Direction Prohibiting the Use and Requiring Disposal of Chlorpyrifos Containing Substances in the New Zealand Gazette on 1 September 2025.

Growers are reminded to report any grass weeds that appear unfamiliar or could resemble black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides). Early reporting remains one of our strongest tools for protecting the industry.

Pre-emergence herbicides have been the mainstay of maize weed management. This Maize Update discusses factors affecting pre-emergence herbicide success including application timing, modes of action and soil interactions. 

Following a very wet winter, FAR has received a number of requests for information around managing yellow autumn sown crops. This Arable Extra outlines ways to distinguish between nitrogen and sulphur deficiencies and provides some information to support decision making around crop management.

Farmers face three levels of biosecurity risk; regional biosecurity incursion risk; border biosecurity, regional biosecurity and on-farm biosecurity. This Maize update discusses the importance of on-farm biosecurity, the one factor you have control over.

This FAR Focus outlines the key practices required to grow cocksfoot seed crops, covering topics such as crop establishment, nutrient requirements, crop management and harvesting. Topics outside the scope of this booklet include emissions profiles and off-farm considerations such as seed cleaning etc.