Optimism high as season defies dry predictions

Much of the state has easily surpassed June rainfall averages, with the Far West and parts of the Riverland the only exceptions.

As of Wednesday, monthly records had been set at Naracoorte, Mount Gambier, Bordertown, Padthaway, Cape Jaffa in the South East, Lameroo in the Mallee, Yunta in the North East pastoral district, Kingscote and Cape Borda on Kangaroo Island, and Stenhouse Bay on the Yorke Peninsula.

While residual moisture and good rainfall have the season shaping nicely, there have been some pest issues and urea shortfalls causing headaches.

At Cannawigara, near Bordertown, grower Josh Hunt said the season had started out as well as they could have hoped for and they were well set up for another good year.

Cropping 1400 hectares and running 1300 Poll Merino ewes with wife Sammy and his parents, Mr Hunt said they'd had well over 100 millimetres of rain for the month.

"Most of our rain has been in-crop too," he said.

"All of our beans are booming away. Some of the early barley, if you wanted to graze it, it'd nearly be too late."

The Hunts are growing canola, beans, wheat, durum, lentils, oats and lucerne.

They have baited twice for slugs in canola lentils and barley, and also seen some millipedes and snails.

There has been higher than usual slug activity reported across the state, including the Lower and Mid North where independent agronomist Craig Davis said they'd caused some establishment issues in canola.

Mr Davis said a heavy stubble load from last season had also caused some issues, with some residual straw causing headaches.

"Otherwise, farmers are busy getting some early nitrogen and crop protection products out amongst windy weather," he said.

Mr Davis said moisture levels were excellent across the districts.

"In some areas that moisture might not have met up yet with the subsoil moisture, but it's getting very close," he said.

"For most people, they'd be confident they'll be able to tap into the moisture left over from last year.

"We've seen an improvement in grain prices recently, which has also given some optimism."

Working out of Ardrossan, Team Wiss Agronomy's Craig Wissell covers much of the Yorke Peninsula.

He said there wasn't waterlogging yet but the soil profile was full, which would be ideal heading into spring.

"We're finding that crops are two to three weeks ahead in growth stage than what they would be in traditional years," he said.

"We've had mild growing conditions, warm soil and moisture, so crops are booming out of the ground at the moment."

Mr Wissell said canola crops were cabbaging well, while lentils were "booming" and had not yet been hit by any disease.

"Some early-sown barley has spot form net blotch, so fungicide has been applied on that now," he said.

"Early wheat is at growth stage 28 so fungicide is starting to go on that for septoria, eyespot and early leaf rust."

While Mr Wissell had found some slugs down at Warooka, he said snails were the pest causing the most damage on the YP.

"Because of summer rain, the conical snails built up and they're quite hard to control," he said.

"A lot of farmers have baited three or four times."

On the Eyre Peninsula, Elders Cummins agronomist Luke Nettle covers a triangle from Cummins to Wudinna and Elliston.

He said there had been near perfect sowing conditions and great crop germination, and rain of 30-100mm across his area in the past ten days.

"In-crop spraying has started, but has been held up due to a lot of water being on paddocks, especially on the Lower EP," he said.

Mr Nettle said farmers had baited for slugs on the lower EP, and mice on the upper EP, but generally confidence was very high.

"The season is shaping up really well. We've got great moisture, great crop establishment, the first round of urea has been put on in most areas with good moisture and follow up rain," he said.

"Those critical jobs have been done so I think everyone is feeling positive."

In the South East, Nutrien Naracoorte agronomist James Heffernan said there had been extremely heavy June rainfall, which would take its toll on susceptible crops.

"There are some soil types locally that are better draining and faring ok although the soil profile is rapidly filling up, but we are seeing the real damage on the sodic clays north of Naracoorte towards Frances and over the border into the south-west Wimmera," he said.

Mr Heffernan said some parts of the south-east, near Millicent had recorded a staggering 200mm for June.

"Most areas have had well in excess of 100mm and we'd like some drying conditions to allow us to get out on the paddock for spreading and spraying," he said.

"It has been one of the wettest Junes in recent memory - anything that was late sown or late germinating is doing it very tough especially with the short days meaning there is not much evaporation."

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