Contract Broadacre and Horticultural R&D trials
Australian based company specialising in the conduct of efficacy and residue trials.
Principal Director - Ross Holding
Trials associated with the development of crop protection chemicals and other inputs into horticulture and broadacre eg:-

Site Index
Location
Photos of recent projects
Projects completed
Map indicating areas of major agricultural crops in Victoria.
Weeds , Pests , Diseases and associated Crops
Soil Water Monitoring Service and Irrigation
Contact

Location
Small and large plot trials can be conducted in the South, Central or Western part of the state of Victoria, Australia. Based in the regional city of Ballarat in the state of Victoria.

Most major broadacre and horticultural areas are within easy reach. Trials evaluating all types of crop protection chemicals can be completed with the following benefits:-

• Full confidentiality
  
• Customised trials at an equitable price- completed on time.
  
• High level of communication to customer via phone, fax or e-mail.
  
• Mid project report guaranteed.
  
• Discounts for multiple trials
  
• Final report within one month of completion of field work.
  
• Residue trial work completed under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) guidelines
  
  

Photos of recent projects

Cereal fungicide trials- photo depicting barley just prior to application of trial treatments for net blotch control.

Grape trials- bunch closure during a Botrytis trial in grapes.


Potato trials- Photo showing trial evaluating new fungicides for Alternaria control.

Pasture Trials- photo showing herbicide tolerance trial in pasture

Harvesting cereal trials

Weed control in turf

Cereal seed dressing for disease control in cereals- stripe rust

Brush weed control- blackberries

Ragwort control in pasture

Aerial applicatin of fungicides in potatoes- helicopter

Growth regulator in pasture- measuring dry weight yields.

Over the last 6 years, projects have been completed in the following areas.

• Weed control in cereals- Wild oats, Wild Radish, Annual ryegrass
  
• Herbicide tolerance in cereals- Wheat
  
• Weed control in pome fruit and grapes.
  
• Growth regulators in grapes
  
• Pasture insect control- Red legged earthmite
  
• Disease control in pome fruit- Apple scab & Powdery mildew
  
• Disease control in grapes- Powdery mildew, Botrytis
  
• Insect control in tomatoes- Heliothis
  
• Disease control in potatoes- Irish blight & Alternaria
  
• Aerial insecticide trials
  
• Crop monitoring for pest and diseases.
  
• Residue trials in vegetable crops to GLP standard.
  
• Herbicide carryover
  
• Disease control in cereals- Barley net blotch, Wheat/ Leaf rust
  
• Armyworm control in cereals
  
• Insect and disease control in legume crops- Heliothis, Pea weevil and Lentil diseases
  
• Weed control in Forestry
  
• Insect control in grapes- Light Brown Apple Moth ( LBAM) & Grapevine moth
  
• Weed control in broadacre legume crops
  
• Growth regulators in pasture
  
• Brush weed control- blackberries and gorse
  
• Weed control in potatoes
  
• Cereal seed dressing disease control- Stripe rust in wheat, powdery mildew in barley
  
• Fungicide compatibility in grapes and cereals
  
• Mite control in horticulture
  
• Weed control in turf
  
  

The following tables indicate the major crops and associated weeds, pests , diseases where efficacy or residue trial work can be most easily completed.
Broadacre

Crop	Weeds	Insects pests	Diseases	Other
Cereals (Wheat Barley Oats Triticale)	Annual ryegrass (Lolium ) Wild oats( Avena ) Wild radish (Raphanus ) Toadrush (Juncus) Wild mustard (Sinapis ) Indian Hedge Mustard Brome grass (Bromus ) Barley grass (Hordeum ) Phalaris (Phalaris ) Silver grass (Vulpia ) Thistles Capeweed (Arctotheca ) Skeleton Weed (Chondrilla ) Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca ) Amsinckia White Iron Weed (Buglossoides) Paterson’c curse (Echium ) Heliotrope Wild turnip ( Brassica) Hoary cress (Cardaria ) Medics (Medicago) Clovers ( Trifolium) Vetches (Vicia) Fumitory (Fumaria) Erodium Deadnettle ( Lamium) Loosestrife (Lythrum) Oxalis/Soursob Wireweed (Polygonum) Volunteer crops	Redlegged Earthmite Armyworm Cockchafer	Take all Rhizoctonia Rusts Yellow leaf spot Septoria Net blotch	Growth regulation Nutrient deficiencies
Legumes (Fieldpeas Chickpeas Lentils Vetch Faba beans)	As above + Volunteer cereals	Redlegged Earthmite Lucerne flea Aphids Pea Weevil Budworm ( Heliothis)	Downy Mildew Ascochyta Chocolate spot Botrytis Phytophthora Pythium	Nutrient deficiencies
Oilseeds ( Canola)	As above + Volunteer cereals	Redlegged Earthmite Aphids Plutella	Blackleg	Nutrient deficiencies
Pasture ( Clover medic, Lucerne)	As above + Volunteer cereals Bentgrass Serrated tussock	Redlegged Earthmite Armyworm Cockchafer Lucerne flea Aphids	Pythium Phytopthora Damping off	Nutrient deficiencies

Do you require accurate and reliable soil water information to time irrigation for your crop? How about for yield estimation in broadacre crops and for supporting fertiliser application?

Would you like this information provided to you as a regular service with timely reports?

It can be done !

“G opher ® ” Soil Moisture Profiler accurately measures the vertical soil moisture profile underneath crops as mm water. This information can be used to support decisions on irrigation and post em fertiliser application and yield estimation in broadacre crops. Soil water is determined using the proven and sensitive technique of measurement of the dielectric constant of the soil + water

This photo shows the “Gopher” measuring soil water via the access tube. The hand held Gopher unit (on the left) is attached to a staff. This is then lowered into the access tube (PVC) which has been pre installed in a typical situation in the crop. Soil water can be measured at 100 mm intervals down to 1 .1 metres.
® Registered trade mark of Soil Moisture Technology P/L Cooroy, Qld, Australia

Microgopher in 15 mm Access Tube

Close up of datalogger showing typical output

Close up and size reference of access tube with cap on.

17-3-08