Two new winter cropping guides soon to be released will prove invaluable to the State’s cropping industries this season.

Seasonal conditions are the best for at least seven years for this time of the year, with rain in December and January restoring moisture profiles in many parts of the State.

Unfortunately input costs are at an all-time high with prices for glyphosate and starter fertilisers "through the roof".

Two of NSW DPI’s most sought after publications will be available from mid-March.

The Winter Crop Variety Sowing Guide 2008 will be available first, followed shortly after by Weed Control in Winter Crops 2008.

These two guides provide much of the information needed to grow a profitable winter crop this year.

Some of the new features in the presentation of recommendations in the Winter Crop Variety Sowing Guide 2008 include the mostup-to-date long-term yield analysis which includes 2007 trial data; changes to the wheat disease scoring system from numerical to an alpha system which will be consistent across all of Australia and the listing of foliar fungicides for canola and pulses.

Other important areas covered are varietal characteristics, grain quality, grazing management and storage pests, along with improvements to the agronomy recommendations for all major winter crops.

The companion publication Weed Control in Winter Crops 2008 includes all the registered herbicides used in winter crops in NSW and their approximate cost. This makes for easier decision making.

Other areas covered include procedures for the correct decontamination of boomsprays, tips on application techniques, and plant-back periods and crop rotation guidelines for individual herbicides.

Recognising that farm finances are low, the Grains Research and Development Corporation has launched a new guide, GRDC 2008 Planning Guide for Low-Risk Farming, targeted primarily at southern and central NSW but containing principles for all cropping regions.

This publication is available now. Copies of the NSW DPI guides should be available from mid-March.

Contact your local NSW DPI district agronomist or farm adviser.