After a number of frost events, some severe, we’re seeing the impacts of these events in crops. Frost is a serious risk for cereal growers, especially in regions like ours where the combination of cold nights and clear skies can cause temperatures to drop quickly. Combined with a relatively dry season, it feels a bit like one thing after another this year!

Frost can affect different stages of cereal development, but it’s particularly damaging when it hits during flowering or grain filling. For many Victorian growers, this year’s frost events have hit just as crops like wheat, barley, and oats at these vulnerable stages. The damage can range from reduced grain set to significant yield losses in severe cases.  Unfortunately, frost damage isn’t always immediately visible, and it can take a couple of weeks for the full effects to become apparent.

In the High Rainfall Zone (HRZ), many growers are noticing patchy areas in paddocks where heads have been frosted, leading to uneven ripening. This makes harvest timing tricky, as some areas mature earlier while others lag behind. In lower-lying areas, we’re hearing reports of greater frost impact due to the cold air settling in dips and valleys.

For those affected, the key now is to monitor crops closely, assess frost damage, and make adjustments where possible. Depending on the extent of the damage, some growers may opt for grazing frosted crops or using them for hay if grain yield is too severely affected.

Across the district, some growers have already started cutting their cereal crops for hay, recognising that yields have been severely compromised by frost. While it’s not the ideal outcome, cutting for hay provides a salvage option and can help recoup some of the costs from a damaged crop.

SFS has been apart of the Better Frost Decisions project from 2020-2022, this page provides resources for growers about making decisions around frost and the impacts on crops check it out here.

 By Greta Duff,  Senior Research & Extension Officer