Glasshouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of soil moisture content, irradiance, temperature and relative humidity on the efficacy of glyphosate applied to six isogenic lines of Avena fatua L. (wild oat) and four near‐isogenic lines of Urochloa panicoides Beauv. (liverseed grass). The variables examined were four soil moisture conditions (29%, 42%, 55% and 100% of field capacity), two levels of irradiance (400 and 800 μmol m−2 s−1), two levels of relative humidity (>92% and 65%) and four temperature regimes (20/15, 25/20, 30/25 and 35/30 °C: day/night), representing the environmental conditions of winter or summer fallows in the north‐east grain region of Australia. The efficacy of 360 g acid equivalent ha−1 glyphosate was greatest under well‐watered (100% of field capacity), warm (30/25 °C for A. fatua and 35/30 °C for U. panicoides) and humid (>92/90%) conditions. The efficacy was least under severe water stress (29% of field capacity), warm (30/25 °C for A. fatua and 35/30 °C for U. panicoides) and moderately humid (65/60%) conditions. Efficacy was not altered by the level of irradiance nor was it different between isogenic lines.

Glasshouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of various environmental factors on glyphosate efficacy when applied to Echinochloa colona (L.) Link (awnless barnyard grass) plants. The variables examined were 4 soil moisture conditions (29, 42, 55, and 100% of field capacity), 2 levels of irradiance (400 and 800 µmol/m2· s), 3 temperature regimes (20/15, 30/25, and 35/30°C; day/night), and 2 levels of relative humidity (92 and 65%). The efficacy of 360 g acid equivalent glyphosate/ha was greatest when applied to well-watered (field capacity) plants that were placed under cool (20/25°C) and humid (92% relative humidity) conditions. The efficacy was least when applied to plants under severe water stress (29% of field capacity) that were placed under hot (35/30°C) and less humid (65% relative humidity) conditions. In all experiments, efficacy was not altered by the level of irradiance.

Summary The resistance of weeds to triazine and sulfonylurea herbicides has been recorded in several countries. The extent of the problem in the north‐east grain region of Australia is uncertain. In an initial study, resistance to chlorsulfuron and atrazine in 15 weed species was investigated. The study showed that at least six of them have evolved resistance to one or other of these herbicides. Two collections of Rapistvum rugosum L., three of Sisymbrium orientale L., five of Sonchus oleraceus L., one of Fallopia convolvulus (L.) A. Love and one of Sisymbrium rhellungii O. Schultz were resistant to the recommended rate of chlorsulfuron (15 g a.i. ha‐1). Resistance to chlorsulfuron was not discovered in three collections of Sisymbrium L., two of Brassica tournefortii Gouan. three of Emex australis Steinh. and 11 of Phalaris paradoxa L. Two collections of Urochtoa panicoides Beauv. were resistant, and three collections possibly resistant, to the recommended rate of atrazine(1.8 kg a.i. ha‐1). Resistance to atrazine was not found in 12 collections of Hibiscus urionum L., nine of Salvia reflexa L., two of Parthenium hysterophorus L., two of Amaranthus viridis L. and 14 of Echinochloa colona (L) Link. The resistance status of four weeds (R. rugosum. F. convolvulus, S. thellungii and U. panicoides was confirmed using a multiple dose‐response screen and is the first report of resistance for these species. Herbicide usage records show that resistance has developed after 3‐10 years of selection with chlorsulfuron and 2‐15 years of selection with atrazine, with no correlation between the frequency of use and the degree of resistance for any of the species where eight or more collections were made.

Pyrogenic carbon (PyC) is an important component of the global soil carbon (C) pool, but its fate, persistence, and loss dynamics in contrasting soils and environments under planted field conditions are poorly understood. To fill this knowledge gap, a 13C-labelled biochar, as a surrogate material for PyC, produced from Eucalyptus saligna by slow pyrolysis (450°C; δ13C -36.7‰) was surface (0−10 cm) applied in C3 dominated temperate pasture systems across Arenosol, Cambisol and Ferralsol. The results show a low proportion of the applied biochar-C mineralised over 12 months in a relatively clay- and C-poor Arenosol (i.e., 2.0% loss via mineralisation), followed by a clay- and C-rich Cambisol (4.6%), and clay-, C- and earthworm-rich Ferralsol (7.0%). The biochar-C mean residence time (MRT), estimated by different models, varied between 44−1079 (Arenosol), 18−172 (Cambisol), and 11−29 (Ferralsol) years, with the shorter MRT estimated by a one-pool exponential and the longer MRT by an infinite-pool power or a two-pool exponential model. The two-pool model was best fitted to biochar-C mineralisation. The biochar-C recovery in the 12−30 cm soil layer varied from between 1.2% (Arenosol), 2.5−2.7% (Cambisol) and 13.8−15.7% (Ferralsol) of the applied biochar-C after 8−12 months. There was a further migration of biochar-C below the 50-cm depth in the Arenosol, as the combined biochar-C recovery in the mineralised pool and soil profile (up to 30 or 50 cm) was 82%, in contrast to 101% in the Cambisol and 104% in the Ferralsol after 12 months. These results indicate that the downward migration of biochar-C was greatest in the Arenosol (cf. Cambisol and Ferralsol). Cumulative CO2-C emission from native soil-plant sources was lower (p <0.10) in the biochar-amended vs. non-amended Ferralsol. This field-based study shows that the downward migration of biochar-C exceeded its loss via mineralisation in the Arenosol and Ferralsol, but not in the Cambisol. It is thus important to understand biochar-soil interactions to maximise long-term biochar C sequestration potential in planted soil systems.

Abstract. The application of biochar technology for soil amendment is largely based on evidence about soil fertility and crop productivity gains made in the Amazonian Black Earth (terra preta). However, the uncertainty of production gains at realistic application rates of biochars and lack of knowledge about other benefits and other concerns may have resulted in poor uptake of biochar technology in Australia so far. In this review, we identify important opportunities as well as challenges in the adoption of biochar technology for broadacre farming and other sectors in Australia. The paper highlights that for biochar technology to be cost-effective and successful, we need to look beyond carbon sequestration and explore other opportunities to value-add to biochar. Therefore, some emerging and novel applications of biochar are identified. We also suggest some priority research areas that need immediate attention in order to realise the full potential of biochar technology in agriculture and other sectors in Australia.