New South Wales and Queensland grain growers and spray operators are being encouraged to test water quality before using it for the application of herbicides and pesticides.
The advice comes in the wake of a research project by the SOS Macquarie Valley group that investigated the water quality of 180 bores and assessed its suitability for use with farm chemicals.
The project found the water quality varied significantly with 78 per cent of samples more alkaline than desired and 80 per cent recording higher than ideal levels of bicarbonate concentrate, when used to apply pesticides and herbicides.
While the samples for this research project were taken from a relatively small geographic area west of the Newell Highway and north and east of the Bogan River in central western New South Wales, the issue of water quality is relevant across all farming areas of Queensland and NSW.