Welcome to Grower's Edge

Grower’s Edge aims to help growers achieve best practice and maximise returns through crop based solutions, services and information that add value to your business and give you an edge.

Australian growers have a long standing reputation for producing some of the best fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables in the world. To sustain this reputation for delivering premium produce, Grower’s Edge, with our industry partners, will bring to you the latest trial data, best use guides, product updates, new releases and industry information to help you grow better.

Latest Videos

Faster is not better when it comes to spraying. Understand the impacts of travel speed on coverage and penetration, with Grower’s Edge by Bayer

The faster you can go, the faster you can get around the blocks when spraying. However, if you go too fast, you risk having the canopy not being properly penetrated by the sprayer, explains David Manktelow.

Understanding nozzle choice when spraying to improve performance, from Grower’s Edge by Bayer

Nozzle selection is based on delivering the appropriate spray volume and maximising coverage whilst minimising drift. There's a whole range of nozzles available for use, with a few important points about each type that can improve their performance, explains David Manktelow.

Discover how driving direction is one of the biggest factors affecting spray quality. Spraying tips from Grower’s Edge by Bayer

Simple things such as driving direction have big impacts when spraying. David Manktelow explains how, and why, you need to vary your driving direction to avoid dead spots in the spray deposit of the canopy.

Simple visual inspection of a sprayer is critical for optimal set-up. Spraying tips and checklist from Grower’s Edge by Bayer

David Manktelow outlines why, before you even turn on a sprayer, a critical step in setting up a sprayer is to park it in a row and have a look at how it’s set-up. Including, providing a simple checklist for assessing sprayer symmetry.

Optimal sprayer set-up tips to achieve good deposits and minimise off target losses from Grower’s Edge by Bayer.

Proper sprayer set-up can achieve gains in spray deposits of up to 20 percent. David Manktelow gives some tips on how to achieve optimal results with some simple adjustments.

An introduction to visualising and optimising your spray coverage performance from Grower’s Edge by Bayer

avid Manktelow explains why one of the final parts of setting up a correctly is visualising the coverage that you're actually achieving in the canopy. Especially prior to critical growth stages, such as flowering and prior to pre-bunch closure.

Simple tips for adjusting your sprayer to match seasonal growth from Grower’s Edge by Bayer

It’s critical to get the application rates right for different canopies, so David Manktelow outlines how to adjust your sprayer for seasonal growth variation.

Fine-tune the crop protection spray application for your vines over Summer

“It’s the most expensive spray you’ve just wasted if you’re putting out the wrong amount of chemical for the size of the canopy”. See how you can fine-tune your spray application and maximise efficacy for your crop protection program

Before you start your spraying programme this season, it's critical to do some pre-season maintenance.

Alison MacGregor runs through some of the basic steps you should be doing on your machine, before you start your spraying season.

Sprayer calibration is more complex than just liquid, it's about configuring all of your machine.

It's important to consider what your target is and manage the air optimally. Only then can you properly assess the liquid required to ensure good coverage.

Grower’s Edge teams up with Silvan Sprayers to provide insight on techniques to get the best out of your sprayer and spray application.

See how spray dye nights could help you fine-tune your spray application and maximise efficacy for your crop protection program.

Introducing Grower’s Edge from Bayer. Information designed to help all Australian horticultural growers.

Grower’s Edge is geared to providing you information to help you reach best-practice and maximise returns through, crop based solutions and services that add value to your business.

Vintage 2018 EU regulatory announcement and a new biological botryticide.

Disease pressure during 2018 Vintage, the iprodione EU regulatory announcement and Serenade Opti Biofungicide.

Movento Trial - Controlling mealybugs in table grapes

Find out more about our trial results for the use of Movento to control mealybugs in table grapes.

Grower stories

Insect control vital for grape growers

Escalating mealybug and scale populations and presented winegrape growers with a real challenge in recent seasons. Read about the range of strategies they have been using to meet this challenge.

Scale & sooty mould posing challenges for grapegrowers

Increased infestations of scale and the related sooty mould have been growing problems for South Australian winegrape growers in recent seasons

Movento takes pest control to new level for wine industry

Viticulturists across Australia have a new tool at their disposal to tackle serious pests following the recent registration of Movento® 240 SC Insecticide for wine grapes.

Mount Benson grape grower ready to move on, fight scale

There are some years in the game you just want to put behind you and move on, and 2016-17 was one of those for South Australian winegrape grower Andy Murdock, when winds and scale “hammered’’ a lot of the vines.

Protecting grape quality

Faulty sprayers can be the cause of disease and lost crop, which makes the time spent on sprayer maintenance, time well spent.

Download this checklist for regular maintenance requirements and tick off the tasks that can make a big difference to the way your sprayer delivers spray to the vine canopy.

Insect pressure at Christmas time

It’s not only powdery mildew and botrytis which can arrive as unwanted guests around Christmas time - insects can also join in on the vineyard festivities!

Managing the threat of botrytis over summer

Flowering occurs from late October to late December, depending on variety and location, and it is arguably the most important time to protect and maintain vine health.

Bayfidan® tips

Effective spray coverage is essential - this can be achieved by adjusting sprayer set up to target the canopy and bunches

Powdery mildew does not shut down for Christmas

Weather conditions over the festive season can be very favourable for the spread of powdery mildew, often referred to as the ‘dry weather disease’, with young berries particularly susceptible to infection.

Disease control vital for optimum grape production

Getting disease control right in vineyards is vital not only to maximise input efficiency and effectiveness, but also to optimise production and fruit quality. Viticulturists have plenty of things to consider when it comes to disease control, from chemical selection and rotation to spray interval management and application techniques.