• In the past four (dry) years on this demonstration farm the fallow/wheat/oats/lucerne (Phase farming) and wheat/fallow rotations have proved the most financially rewarding, probably due to the moisture storing benefits of fallow.
• Urea seems both less risky and more reliable than the pulse or ley in increasing wheat yield.
• The extreme dryness has caused problems with weed control (chemicals not effective) and with growth of pulse crops and subclover leys.

• Growing wheat in an area with a growing season of 140-175 days and only 220 mm of incrop rainfall, benefits from at least one deep cultivation (15-20cm) prior to sowing.
• The timing of cultivation of a chemically fallowed pasture is probably unimportant. If an erosion risk is present then cultivation should be delayed as late as practical.
• Reduced tillage systems are becoming more widely adopted by central western wheat farmers. It is suggested that most farmers could increase their average yield by 10% if they modify their chisel plough to a one pass plough. For design modification contact Alan Palmer at Trangie Agricultural Research Centre.

• Yield was higher on 220 mm row spacings compared to 440 mm and 660 mm.
• Reducing sowing rates to 40 kg/ha from 60 kg/ha produced the same yields.

Sowing cereals in early April on a soil profile full of water is possible if:

• long season varieties are planted to ensure that the crop does not flower before the high-risk frost period has passed,
• the topsoil is moist at seeding to ensure that the crop germinates and allows for early root growth down into the stored water in the subsoil, and
• weeds can be controlled.

The sites were much lower yielding and produced poorer quality grain compared to the four sites evaluated in 2003. Yields over the three 2004 sites ranged from 1.4- 2.3t/ha compared to a mean yield across the 2003 sites of 4.4t/ha. Quality was also much poorer with only one of the three sites, Lubeck, producing malt grade barley. This site received more rainfall throughout the growing season than the other two sites and all varieties performed the best here, producing higher yields and better quality.

In terms of AH quality varieties Yitpi, Mitre and Annuello are the best bets for the Wimmera. Be mindful of Yitpi’s weakness for stem rust resistance and the marginal stripe rust resistance of Mitre and Annuello.

• Soil acidity cost $170/ha to $228/ha alone in yield penalties in 2015
• Keeping pH at good levels by liming prevents yield penalties
• Increasing soil aluminium levels caused by pH falling below 4.8, provides a good guide to the likely yield penalties incurred 

Of the paddocks investigated in the Southern Mallee, water was severely limiting in 1994, and the amount of water that could be supplied to crop from the soil was very small.

• On average sown species provided the majority of feed available (>62%) within a paddock but there was very large variation from paddock to paddock.
• Most species used in the pasture mixes can be productive but mixes need not contain more than three different species.
• Pasture species need to have greater than 50% frequency to be a productive component of the pasture.
• Each species in the mix needs to be included for a purpose and managed accordingly rather than a “shotgun” approach hoping that one species will work.
• Grazing management of lucerne needs to consider periods of rest to ensure productivity and persistence.

• Sowing date combined with appropriate variety selection and adequate nitrogen supply was key to increasing grain yields.
• Nitrogen fertiliser decision needs to consider the maximum attainable yield and be adjusted for the seasonal conditions and initial available soil nitrogen.

• Early to mid season wheat varieties (Axe, Gladius and Wyalkatchem) sown in March yielded less than May and June sown crops.
• A mid to late season wheat variety (Yitpi) and two barley varieties (Barque and Maritime) produced similar yields from a March and April sowing.
• The earlier the sowing the later maturing variety and vica versa.

There are still many answers required before we can be confident on how to manage this important and expensive input to our farming systems.

• There are still many answers required before we can be confident on how to manage this important and expensive input to our farming systems.
• There is little chance that we can work out a profitable N management system if we do not know what happens to applied nitrogen in our cropping soils.

• Wheat yields were relatively good at all three sites considering the season.
• There were yield responses from the N topdressed fertiliser at the N response sites, Birchip and Charlton.

• The 1999 season was fairly average with a dry spring reducing potential yields.
• Nitrogen responses were marginal due to already high levels of nitrogen in the soil.
• Topdressing nitrogen on wheat increased yields at all sites to some extent.

• If you are a productive farmer, you will be acidifying your soils.
• Use the tools – they are easy to use and provide valuable information on what is driving acidity and what it is costing you and your property.
• Liming will save you money – it’s cheaper to lime than wear the cost of lost production . 
   

May 4th sown Mackellar wheat produced yields in the range of 4.74 – 5.99 t/ha following canola stubble. With high soil nitrogen reserves (176 kg/ha N, 0‐90cm) recorded 2 days pre sowing, there was a small but significant response to applied nitrogen (0.43 t/ha at 50kg/ha N & 0.58 t/ha at 100kg/ha N). There was a significant advantage to nitrogen timed during stem elongation (GS30‐39) over nitrogen applied in the seedbed. This advantage was evident in both single and split applications between which there was
no difference.

Thirsty, the dog, was parched. It had been a long, dry year even for him! He went looking for a drink a few days after the recent storm that dropped more than 50mm on some parts of the Mallee. Wherever he went, the water supply seemed to vary. "What's going on here?" he barked.

• Our standard package of 100 kg 18:20/ha at seeding under the seed row (to avoid fertiliser toxicity), Jockey-treated seed, endosulfan and simazine pre-seeding, a follow up spray of atrazine and a grass herbicide mid-season, and two top-ups of nitrogen during the season (50 kg N/ha as broadcast urea each time) gave us a clean, high yielding and good quality crop with no pests or diseases.
• There was no evidence that extra management options provided any further benefits to canola performance (ie a fungicide spray, B fertiliser or use of a growth regulant) under the conditions of last year’s trial.
• However, it would appear that we may have been a bit generous with our N and P inputs in the standard package because we could halve the mid-season N rate and not suffer any yield or quality loss. Additionally, leaving out P altogether had little impact so a rate lower than 20 kg P/ha may have been the best compromise last year.
• There seems little reason to change from a management strategy of plenty of N at seeding (providing you can avoid seedling toxicity by separating the N and the seed) followed up by an early season top-up. Delayed aapplications of N produced yields or quality no better than our standard.

The trial demonstrated clearly that late May sowing gave higher wheat yields and better grain quality than late April and early July sowing. Some varieties such as the winter wheat MacKellar went against this trend, with higher yields being achieved with the late April sowing.

Although only a demonstration, the various treatments within the later sown trial showed that small yield differences between the various row spacing treatments. With the earlier sown trial, narrow row spacing gave higher yields, however there were some deficiencies with the trial design which means that a confident conclusion can’t be reached.

• Wheat yields and quality did not differ after field peas, lupins and vetch in 2003.
• Based on this year's results and the 2003 pulse trial results, the pulse crop more likely tov be suited to the Tottenham cropping rotation is field peas.
• Based on research conducted by Fettell (2003) in Condobolin, wheat yields and protein levels were higher after field peas compared to cereals.

• In high rainfall areas, the inclusion of an insecticide to control aphids, and therefore reducing the incidence of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) should becoming common practice.
• Yield responses continue to be seen by controlling BYDC (particularly in susceptible varieties).
• In  2011, the control of BYDV also appeared to  improve the response to later applied nitrogen. 

• In high rainfall areas, the inclusion of an insecticide to control aphids, and therefore reducing the incidence of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) should becoming common practice.
• Yield responses continue to be seen by controlling BYDC (particularly in susceptible varieties).
• In  2011, the control of BYDV also appeared to  improve the response to later applied nitrogen. 

• This trial showed that under the extremely dry conditions of 2006, wheat yield at this site was largely determined by water supply because major diseases were absent and the soil had abundant nutrients in reserve for the small demands of such a low yielding crop.

Funded by DAFWA and GRDC through DAW00204 ‘Delivering agronomic strategies for water repellent soils in WA’ and DAW00218 ‘Wheat agronomy systems profitability’. Thanks to LivingFarm for management of sites at Wickepin and Cranbrook. The provision of sites and support of growers Ray Falconer, Kyle Carson, David Stacey, and Kim Oliver is greatly appreciated. Thanks to Trevor Bell, Anne Smith, Stephanie Boyce, Paul Bartlett, Virginia Smee and Greg Brown for technical support. Thanks to West Midlands Group, Northern Agri Group, Facey Group, Gillami Centre and the soil wetter product manufacturers for ongoing support.

• Seeding rate had a bigger impact on wheat establishment than soil wetting agents
• High seeding rates on soils with low yield potential were sometimes a disadvantage; optimal seeding rates would need to account for yield potential as well as the degree of soil water repellence.
• Delaying sowing providing an opportunity to get a knockdown of weeds was important on water repellent soils where staggered weed germination, and reduced herbicide activity, reduces efficacy of in-crop and pre-emergent applications.
• In these trials soil wetting agents did not consistently improve wheat establishment and despite some evidence of benefits to vegetative growth this generally did not translate into a grain yield benefit.

• In 2010 we saw little effect of varying nitrogen rates on grain yield at Conmurra or Frances.
• Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus decreased grain yield by about 1 t/ha at both sites in 2010.
• Highest grain yield was achieved by the earlier sowing dates but very good disease control was required to achieve this.

• In 2010 we saw little effect of varying nitrogen rates on grain yield at Conmurra or Frances .
• Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus decreased grain yield by about 1 t/ha at both sites in 2010.
• Highest grain yield was achieved by the earlier sowing dates but very good disease control was required to achieve this.

• In high rainfall areas, the inclusion of an insecticide to control aphids, and therefore reducing the incidence of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) should becoming common practice.
• Yield responses continue to be seen by controlling BYDC (particularly in susceptible varieties).
• In 2011, the control of BYDV also appeared to improve the response to later applied nitrogen.

• In 2010 we saw little effect of varying nitrogen rates on grain yield at Conmurra and Frances
• Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus decreased grain yield by about 1t/ha at both sites in 2010.
• Highest grain yield was achieved by the earlier sowing dates but very good disease control was required to achieve this. 

• The first sowing date produced the highest grain yields but there was a significant interaction between varieties and sowing date at each site.
• Nitrogen application rate had large effects at both sites while application time had small effects on yield and quality.
• Due to the heat wave in early November, longer season wheat varieties produced lower grain yields than earlier maturing varieties
• Control of BYDV had less effect on grain yield than in previous years.

• Growing conditions in 2016 were very wet and mild, with rainfall from May to September one of
  the wettest on record.
• Growing season rainfall was well above average with 525mm recorded for Rankins Springs and
  532mm for Hillston. There was some waterlogging at the Rankins Springs site due to flooding, which impacted on yield.
• Durum wheat varieties did not perform as well in 2016 at both Rankins Springs and Hillston. 
• Lodging was observed at the dryland site at Rankins Springs, with barley varieties the worst for
  lodging. Compared to 2015, lodging at the irrigated site at Hillston was not as widespread with only a few varieties having lodging scores greater than 5.
• Given the 2016 season, which strongly favoured the performance of longer season varieties, it is important to look at variety performance of this trial, alongside long term NVT results.

• The yield of wheat and barley was double on cultivated fallow compared to chemical fallow medic pasture.
• Cultivation is also known to reduce the numbers of nematodes.

It appears from limited data that in the southern Mallee most of the P. neglectus population is found in the topsoil.

• Across all sites, barley was more productive than wheat on both wheat and canola stubble. However in the binnu trial wheat yields were significantly higher than barley at all nitrogen treatments except the control.  
• Nitrogen is an important component of agronomy of wheat and barley in both canola and wheat rotations. Yields did respond to nitrogen. 

• Commercial viability has been difficult to demonstrate.
• Field trials demonstrated that the H Senor was able to accurately classify annual ryegrass in several broadleaf crops, including canola, faba bean, lentil and field pea.
• Other grass weeds such as brome grass and wild oats were also correctly identified as grasses in these crops.
• Broad leaf weeds were accurately classified in cereal crops, however this was more difficult due to the overlapping nature of the cereal crops at the time when the broadleaf weeds had emerged.
• Classification accuracy was lower for detection of grass weeds in cereal crops and broadleaf weeds in broadleaf crops, and these scenarios were not pursued for that reason.  

• In 2010 we saw little effect of varying nitrogen rates on grain yield at Conmurra or Frances.
• Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus decreased grain yield by about 1 t/ha at both sites in 2010.
• Highest grain yield was achieved by the earlier sowing dates but very good disease control was required to achieve this.

This is the first experiment to evaluate the effect of canopy architecture on wheat yield in Australia. The results show that leaf erectness appears to be an important trait for wheat in Western Australia. Erect leaves allow greater light penetration into the lower canopy.  As a result a larger leaf area and longer duration of greenness is maintained in the canopy over time (Fig. 2), both of which could increase photosynthesis and improve yield (Fig. 3). More data across a wide range of environments are needed to prove the hypothesis, and test other effects on weed competition and disease incidence. We will continue to evaluate this hypothesis with WMG in 2017, and look to broaden our evaluation with future projects beyond that.

• Despite high levels of available soil nitrogen at the start of the season (113 kg/ha N, 0 – 100 cm), there was a significant yield response to applied nitrogen. There was no yield advantage of 100kg/ha N over 50kg/ha N.
• At 50kg/ha N, there was a significant yield advantage (0.47t/ha) from application at GS33 (third node) compared to application pre-sowing.
• At 100kg/ha N, there was a significant yield advantage (0.55t/ha) from application at GS30 above seedbed application. Differences at 50kg/ha were not significant.

• With very low levels of available soil nitrogen and rooting limitations due to salinity at 70cm, there was a significant response to applied nitrogen over the zero N control, but was statistically significant only in treatments that received nitrogen in the seedbed.
• Where nitrogen was applied in-crop at GS31 (14 August) and GS39 (14 September), there was no significant yield response above the control (a result attributed to limited uptake 3.25mm of rain in August, 8.5mm in September).
• While grain protein content increased after seedbed nitrogen applications, there was no protein response to in-crop applications, confirming a lack of nitrogen uptake as a result of limited follow up rainfall.

• In this water-limited scenario, with 70 kg/ha N available in the soil at the start of the season, in-crop nitrogen application served to significantly reduce yield relative to the zero N control.
• Yield depression was strongly significant (p=0.001) when nitrogen was applied at GS30 (start of stem elongation) but was less evident when applied at GS37 (flag leaf first visible).
• Unusually, the yield reduction from GS30 nitrogen timing was associated with higher grain protein than the later flag leaf first visible (GS37) timing. This result looks likely to have been influenced by protein concentration effect accompanying the stronger yield reduction at GS30.

• Grain yields increased with the addition of nitrogen, producing a maximum of 4.64 t/ha, with 75 kg N/ha.
• Nitrogen application timing produced no significant differences to grain yield.
• Crop sensors used at early stem elongation, were able to accurately measure crop nitrogen uptake and tiller number.

• Nitrogen application timing produced no significant differences to grain yield.
• Grain yield was reduced by 12% with the presence of ryegrass.
• Crop sensors were able to accurately measure crop dry matter.

At yield levels just under 1t/ha there was no yield response to applied nitrogen in this trial at either plant population.

If measured purely in terms of yield, nitrogen (N) application was not cost effective in this trial, with 50kg/ha N producing an average yield increase of approximately 0.2t/ha.

On a site with high N at sowing, yields of 2.0-205t/ha were achieved and there was no apparent benefit from N applications of 30 and 60kg N/ha, thus all applied nitrogen treatments lost money relative to the zero nitrogen plots.

Results on a Wimmera clay illustrate that nitrogen application gave a yield increase of 0.82t/ha at 50kg/ha N and 1.13t/ha at 100kg/ha N over the zero N yields of 2.86t/ha.

The slower development of MacKellar compared to Kellalac was associated with a higher tiller count in spring. However this did not translate to higher ear numbers, since with Kellalac 75% of tillers produced an ear, compared to 65% with
MacKellar (in Hamilton the opposite occurred).g/ha Sulphur.

• Bonnie Rock is showing promise as a new high yielding variety for the medium to low rainfall zones.
• As with 2000 and 2001 seasons, the results of this CVT are data for an unusually dry year, and should be treated as such.
• In an average season, the results between varieties would be more than likley to be very different.

• It was a relatively low yielding site, perhaps reflecting the fact that the site was in cereal in 2001 and the soil nitrogen status at planting was very low. Protein figures certainly indicate the fact that soil nitrogen was low 
• All varieties performed equally, although the winter wheat types had slightly lower grain protein than the spring wheat types. 
• The season tended to favour the earlier maturity types such as Chara, although given this, the performance of MacKellar and Brennan was quite acceptable. 

Chara was the top yielding variety in the milling wheat demo site and Brennan was the highest yielder of the winter wheat varieties.

It is important to consider the seasonal risk posed by diseases when developing an appropriate disease management strategy. Avoiding susceptible barley and wheat varieties will significantly reduce the risk of grain yield and quality loss due to disease Both foliar and fertiliser fungicides can both provide effective disease management when applied to coincide with the critical development stages of disease epidemics.

Fungicides had no effect on grain yield.

Under low yield conditions Silverstar is likely to be the highest yielding variety in the Mallee.

Seed and fertiliser dresings and in-crop fungicides did not give a response in wheat in a drought year. Ventura and H45 yielded better than Diamondbird.

• Seed and fertiliser dresings and in-crop fungicides gave responses in wheat that were inconsistant.
• Stripe rust varieties gave less reponse.
• Generally the best response came from spraying at full tillering (Z31).

• Fertiliser dressings gave responses in wheat during 2008.
• There were no responses to in-crop fungicides.
• During the four year of the experiment, the best fungicide treametns have benn the seed and fertiliser treatments and the in-crop fungicide sprays at growth stage Z 39 (flag leaf emergence).

Fungicide strategies are an important component in the fight against stripe rust. Determining the most profitable strategy is paramount for farmers in a year of high input costs. Applying fungicide at critical development stages in this trial showed no significant yield or quality benefits.

No treatment resulted in any yield effects. No disease was detected on the controls throughout the season.

Both cultivar and N fertilizer had significant effects on grain yield. Cultivar Chara, yielded higher (3.83 t/ha) than Wylah (3.34 t/ha). Yields were related to the number of spikelets per head, stem biomass in October plus total and head biomass in November. N fertilizer also increased yields (3.75 t/ha for 175 kg/ha compared with 3.42 t/ha for Nil N applied) by increasing biomass and green area later into the season and by producing more spikelets

• Grain yield responded to the interaction between season, variety, N rate and sowing date.
• The dry finish to the 2015 season meant sowing later reduced yield. Nitrogen application did not affect yield regardless of sowing time.
• The end of 2016 was characterised by a wet and cool finish and yield increased with N, but there was no sowing time effect.
• Nitrogen application generally increased protein. Only in 2015 did late sowing increase protein further.

• Elevated temperature reduced yield by 0.3 – 0.4 t/ha per degree (°C) higher during pre- and post-flowering. •
• The effect of temperature was offset by grain number per m2 .
• Higher N rates may partially mitigate the effect of elevated temperature..

• Pre-sowing: dry seeded some moisture below seeding depth.
• Early season and pre-harvest: dry and hot days caused tipping.

• With an increase in the number of wheat varieties on the market, the issue of varietal tolerance to registered herbicide mixes is increasing.
• Year to year variation can be great, so comments and summary tables are generally based on two or more season’s experimental results

• With an increase in the number of wheat varieties on the market, the issue of varietal tolerance to registered herbicide mixes is increasing.
• Year to year variation can be great, so comments and summary tables are generally based on two or more season’s experimental results

• Previous crop (legume, oaten hay, cereal or fallow) had no effect on wheat grain yield in 2014.
• Grain protein values were lower following a cereal where there was less available soil N at the start of the season.

• Similar yields can be obtained using a number of combinations of seed and fertiliser.
• Low tiller numbers can be recovered by using light amounts of nitrogen.
• There may be opportunities to use much lower inputs and still produce high-yielding and profitable crops.

• Trial reveals that 70 plants per square metre (about 35kg seed) and 5-10 kilograms per hectare of phophorus represent the optimal target plant density and phosphorous input level for wheat.
• Similar yeild results can be obatained using a number of combinations of seed and fertiliser.
• Low tiller numbers can be recovered by using light amounts of nitrogen.

• In high rainfall years, 70 plants /m2 will produce lower yields than crops with higher plant numbers, unless some nitrogen is applied at the five-leaf stage (GS 15).
• If nitrogen is applied at GS 15, similar yields can be obtained.
• There may be opportunities to use phosphours in crop to maximise yields.
• More work needs to be carried out to confirm this.
• Lower than optimal tiller numbers can still produce acceptable yields and water use efficiencies (WUE) in wet years.

• Wheat on wheat uses high inputs.
• Wheat requires a high amount of nitrogen input to yield near its potential in a good year.

• In dry years wheat has little response to extra inputs.
• Avoid using unneessary inputs early to maximise income.

• Wheat repsonds to up to 40 kg of nitrogen (N) even in dry conditions.
• In dry years wheat has not significantly responded to fungicides.
• On average MS susceptible varieties have responded to fungicides.

• Wheat responded to up to 20 kilograms per hectare of nitrogen (N) during 2008.
• Wheat has not significantly responded to fungicides in 2008 or the other dry years.
• Over the full term of the experiment (2005 - 2008), wheat responded significantly to both fungicide and an average of 40kg/ha/yr of nitrogen (range 20 - 80 kg/ha/yr).

• There was significatn rain in early April.
• Main weed problem was radish.

Traditionally sowing wheat in Western Australia was not recommended until after Anzac Day.  A date based on the yield performance and maturities of commercially available wheat varieties in the 1990s. Since then growers have seen the release of Mace, a high yielding and very adaptable variety which at 67% dominates the area sown to wheat in WA in 2015 (Data courtesy of CBH group). Growers are now set up and keen to take advantage of any summer rainfall, but there is limited information on which wheat varieties to grow with a very early sowing opportunity.

Research carried out by James Hunt et al. (2014) suggested that the faster maturing winter wheat Whistler appeared well adapted to WA. When sown in mid-April Whistler was able to yield equivalent or better than Mace planted in late May (Crop Updates 2015). Results from Dandaragan and Katanning trials do support this suggestion but this research also suggests there are commercial varieties currently available in WA which can yield similar or higher and have a superior grain quality classification compared to Whistler. However these varieties can still be at the risk of frost and grain quality problems associated with very early sowings.

At all three sites in this trial series, barley out yielded wheat with both the mid-April and the early May planting (note we have included the predicted yield for barley with mid-April planting at Dandaragan of 7t/ha in this assessment). Barley was over 1.5t/ha better than wheat with both mid-April and early May planting. Whilst this research continues to highlight the need for a wheat variety which is more suitable for early sowing opportunities in Western Australia, growers looking for a cereal to sow in April could consider barley as being their new wheat variety until such wheats are released. Whilst this is only one year of observations there are many reasons to consider barley particularly with mid-April planting ahead of planting a wheat variety, including reduced (but still possible) frost risk.

The feed barley varieties Lockyer, Oxford, Rosalind and Urambie did not provide any yield advantage over those with a ‘malt’ classification at Dandaragan in 2015. The ‘malt’ varieties would therefore have been more profitable than the feed varieties as they were received with a premium over the feed barley varieties (either Malt 1 or Malt 2) at a similar grain yield.

With any early planting opportunity growers need to factor in increased fungicide costs. At Dandaragan powdery mildew and barley leaf rust in the barley plots and yellow spot in the wheat plots had to be controlled, particularly in the mid-April planting.

 

Pre sowing comment: good moisture. Small amount of capeweed and lupins.

Early season comment: dry period after emergence. Some lupins present and a small amount of radish.

Mid season comment: dry periods after frost.

Pre harvest comment: severe frosts during grain fill effected earlier maturing lines.

• Phenology and grain yield responses were significantly influenced by seasonal conditions in 2019.
• Severe heat stress and terminal drought conditions favoured faster developing spring genotypes, which achieved the highest grain yields in 2019.
• Grain yield responses varied in response to sowing date, and highest yields occurred when phenology was matched with recommended sowing windows.

• Wheat responded to up to 12 kilograms per hectare of phrosphorus (P) without added nitrogen (N) and to 6kg/ha of phosphorus with added nitrogen.
• Higher fertiliser rates did not improve yield or tiller numbers.

Increasing inputs significantly increased crop emergency for all four varieties, setting up the highest yield potential for the high input treatments, but also increasing the risk of drought stress early in the season.

• Both N and K have influenced wheat growth at the site, to varying degrees.
• Summit’s complex soil test interpretation model recommended 90 kg N for a 3 T/ha wheat crop based on the soil sample analyses at this site. With a growing season rainfall of 300 mm and the responses in this trial, an N recommendation of 80 kg/ha appears appropriate.
• Potassium recommendations from the Summit model were 20 kg K for a 3 T/ha wheat crop. Potassium recommendations will be much more dependent on soil characteristics and laboratory test results, but even on the duplex soil at the site, 10 to 20 kg K/ha looks to be of benefit in helping plants to maximise the potential growth benefits from top-up nitrogen applications.
• Mace wheat utilises N nutrition for yield, on the whole, but protein does increase somewhat with increasing N application and targeting higher delivery grades is possible if desired.