In 2020 some farms around the Wimmera were hit with a rough run of invasive fugus that got into some of the grains prior to harvest.
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But in 2021, despite some wet and conducive conditions and some fungicide supply issues, farmer across the Wimmera have kept fungus growth 'under control' so far.
Tyler's Rural agronomist Ash DeClifford said late September rainfall meant farmers had been forced hit their crops with another dose of fungicide to prevent any chance of fungus growth.
"Timing is critical with fungicides and every paddock can be in a different stage and so you have to get you timing right," he said.
"We have already had protection coming through since August and now we have been topping up for hopefully that final fungicide application.
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"It would be disappointing in one way if we had to go to a third round of fungicide, but if that's what we have to do to protect yield then it means we have had a cracker season."
Mr DeClifford said in 2020 there was issues with trojan wheat, which has seen farmers switch to robust varieties in 2021.
He said in 2021, supply issues meant spring has been a tense time of the year so far.
"It has been a challenging year for the supply of fungicides. We haven't always been able to use the fungicide products as our number one options," he said.
"COVID has contributed to a lot of shipping and freight issues and that does put pressure on supply, but so much of the country is doing quite well.
"A lot of the country is having a good year at once, so seeing the yield potential across a lot of the country, there is demand for the fungicide.
"It was pretty tight for a time and we were scrambling a bit but we have most of the stuff in now.
"It was a real challenge a few weeks ago, we were tearing our hair out because we had such limited supply but we have gotten through it okay."
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Mr DeClifford said farmers had been more prepared after the challenges in 2020, a factor which was helping keep crops clean.
"I think it is in the back of a few guys minds because it got a bit ugly last year," he said.
"We are keeping it under control.
"At this stage the crops are pretty good and pretty clean, but there is conducive conditions around at the moment.
"Hopefully that will buy us four weeks protection, but we are not out of the woods yet.
"In the Stawell region there is probably six weeks where we could have issues so if it stays like this, wet and damp, we could see some more rust come back in later on."
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