When vetch is establised in March and is terminated 'early' (three to four months later, in June, July), soil water will be conserved for the subsequent wheat crop; the risk of haying off due to high nitrogen will be lower than if the vetch were terminated 'later' (August, September),

Vetch biomass production of approximately 2t/ha is unlikely to cause a subsequent wheat crop to hay off given dry seasonal conditions. 

Residual nitrogen from vetch brown manure can carry over for two years and influence cereal crop growth, but the conservation of soil water is more critical in seasons of Decile 2 or lower. 

When vetch is establised in March and is terminated 'early' (three to four months later, in June, July), soil water will be conserved for the subsequent wheat crop; the risk of haying off due to high nitrogen will be lower than if the vetch were terminated 'later' (August, September),

Vetch biomass production of approximately 2t/ha is unlikely to cause a subsequent wheat crop to hay off given dry seasonal conditions. 

Residual nitrogen from vetch brown manure can carry over for two years and influence cereal crop growth, but the conservation of soil water is more critical in seasons of Decile 2 or lower. 

Nitrogen (N) fixation by vetch was closely related to dry matter (DM) production (26kg N fixed per tonne DM accumulated). The later the termination, the higher the calculated inputs of fixed N. Both soil water reserves and mineral N were highest at the end of the 2012 growing season following the earliest (June and July) termination timings. To establish the best time to terminate a vetch crop, weigh up the benefits being delivered by vetch (biomass accumulation and N fixation), the need to conserve moisture and time required for N to mineralise for the next crop.

Early termination of vetch resulted in higher soil N and soil water at sowing the following year compared with later termination timings of vetch. Wheat yield in the year following vetch was highest for the earlier termination timings of the vetch. Brown manure vetch had higher soil N and soil water compared to vetch taken through to harvest.

Blanchefluer was the best yeilding commercially released variety.

• Returns from the production of ascochyta blight susceptible desi chickpeas in Victoria become more attractive when fungicides are applied less often. But risk of crop failure greatly increases with this practice.
• Howzat is less susceptible to ascochyta blight than current varieties and may allow good returns from a desi crop when disease pressure is low or when a limited number of fungicide applications are used.
• In the southern Wimmera ascochyta blight susceptible kabulis are still profitable, even with intensive fungicide regimes.
• Varieties with effective resistance to this disease will reduce the risk of crop loss and the costs of fungicides will be available within five years.

• Most drainage treatments did not cause a yield penalty in 2007 when waterlogging was not a constraint to cropping.
• The gravel slot treatment had the lowest yield in 2007, drained the most water, and was the most expensive to install.
• We now have a site established to evaluate a range of drainage treatments for their effect on crop yield and the amount and quality of water draining from the paddock.

• In a year where waterlogging caused yield penalties all treatments resulted in a yield increase compared to the control.
• The raised beds increased yield by almost 200% followed by gravel moles, gravel slots and conventional moles.
• On flat waterlogged land, raised beds provided the best yield result but they did have some management issues.
• Gravel slots and gravel moles also worked extremely well but the slots were too expensive to install to consider for broadacre use. No commercial scale gravel mole is available at present.
• Conventional moles are prone to collapse with Kangaroo Island’s sodic clays.

• In a year where waterlogging caused severe yield penalties, all treatments resulted in a yield increase compared to the control.
• On flat waterlogged land, raised beds provided the best yield result but they do have some
• management issues .
• The delved treatment drained a considerable amount of water, yielded equal to the other treatments (but less than the raised beds) and was more cost effective to install with fewer management issues.
• Gravel slots and gravel moles also worked extremely well but the slots were too expensive to install to consider for broadacre use. No commercial scale gravel mole is available at present.
• Conventional moles are prone to collapse with Kangaroo Island’s sodic clays.

• Several varieties including Mitre, Yitpi, and Annuello yielded well at this site.
• Of the highest yielding varieties Yitpi received the best price per tonne and return per hectare, under AWB’s Golden Rewards, due to higher protein than the other high yielding varieties.
• H45 was one of the lowest yielding varieties at this site and was also the most affected by stripe rust. However screenings were below 5% in all varieties indicating that stripe rust had a greater impact on yield than grain size.
• Wyalkatchem and AGHW 001 also yielded lower than the other varieties despite much lower stripe rust infection – in fact AGHW 001 remained free of disease all season indicating that moisture may have been a greater yield limiting factor at this site.

Sowing early gave best crop competition with brome grass. Select a variety with high early vigour to suppress brome grass seed set. Select a variety with a short growing season when crop-topping brome.

The water use efficiency concept as developed by Reg Smith and and Jeff Schultz in SA provides us with a technique for assessing the performance of a crop in terms of the quality of the grain produced per millimitre of rainfall which falls over the growing season.

• Due to extreme waterlogging at the trial site, comparison between crop growth on drained and waterlogged conditions was unable to occur.
• The trial does indicate that some varieties out-yielded the district standard Wyalkatchem.
• Some varieties warrant further investigation in a replicated trial in 2012 season.

Engineering solutions:

• On flat waterlogged land, raised beds provided the best yield result but they do have some management issues.
• Gravel slots and moles also worked well but the slots are expensive for broad acre use.
• Conventional moles are prone to collapse with Kangaroo Island’s sodic clays.
• The nature of many of our clays (sodic and poor draining) results in poor water movement from the soil into a slotted agricultural pipe.

Agronomic solutions:

• The adverse effects of waterlogging are primarily due to anoxic conditions in the soil, rather than element toxicities or deficiencies, except perhaps for aluminium.
• Liming acidic soils will reduce al toxicity.
• In waterlogged soils the application of poultry manure doesn’t appear to improve yields. But the application of lime may increase yield.
• Waterlogging may cause nitrogen (N) deficiency but high rates of N will not turn a waterlogged crop into a good crop.
• There may be some potential for varietal difference to waterlogging in wheat.
• Broad beans: improve nodulation through a combination of liming and application of molybdenum. Liming will also reduce inherent nutritional problems of low soil pH. Early tissue testing and nutrient correction with foliar applications help overcome some soil ph deficiencies

Wedgetail provided good grazing for yearling steers. The grazing effect on grain yield was not detmined, however the grazed crop recovered to yield 4t/ha.

DBA Aurora and Mace showed similar ability to compete with weeds in 2014. Using higher seeding rates improved weed control. Increased crop seeding rate resulted in reduced crop screenings in 2014

DBA Aurora and Mace showed similar ability to compete with weeds in 2014. Using higher seeding rates improved weed control. Increased crop seeding rate resulted in reduced crop screenings in 2014

• Concentrating the header trash into rows prevents spreading of weed seeds across the paddock. Additionally, it allows for site specific weed management and weed seed destruction through strategic burning.
• A low cutting height (10cm) can allow greater than 95% weed seed capture and placement
  into rows. However this harvest height can impact harvest cost, speed and efficiency.

• Optical Spray Technology (OST) systems are used for broad spectrum weed control for summer weed and fallow weed control. This type of sprayer is widely accepted in broad-acre cropping situations.
• In-Crop weed detection is the sensing and identification of non-crop plants within the growing crop.
• This technology is not as advanced, nor as widely used as the optical sprayer technology.

• 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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 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. 

• 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.

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.

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.

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).

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

• 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.

• 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.

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.

 

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.

• Nitrogen applied during stem elongation significantly improved grain yield and protein.
• The higher density crop produced greater yields for both row spacings.
• There was little difference in grain yield between the row spacings.

The plant roots in this trial were not assessed for disease incidence and there were no above ground symptoms of any diseases, however results (although not statistically significant) show some modest yield increases at Gnarwarre that are consistent with the other trials conducted in Victoria.

Corack, Cosmick and Correll were soild performers in the Mallee in 2014.

Mace and Shield were the highest yielding varieties in the Wimmera (Horsham).

Mace, Scout an Corack topped the variety trial in the West Wimmera (Nhill). 

Corack and Mace have been solid performers for the past three years across the Wimmera and Mallee regions. 

 

• The most intense of three heat events avegarged 35.5 degrees celcius and reduced grain numbers per spikelet by 21%.
• Significant genetic variation was observed for floret sterility induced by natural heat events. The variety Halberd was identified as most heat tolerant and Westonia as most heat sensitive.
• The results indicate a genetic variation that could be exploited to improve wheat crop resilience under heat stress. 

• Scepter was the highest yielding variety (or equal highest) at Berriwillock, Quambatook and Pira (based on one year of data only).
• Earlier maturing varieties such as Corack, Mace, Derrimut and Hatchet CL Plus tended to be higher-yielding than later maturing varieties.
• In Mallee National Variety Trials (NVT) Corack, Mace, Cosmick and Shield have been higher than the site mean for the last five years. 
• When averaged over the last five years, Mace, Corack, Cosmick, Scout and Derrimut have yielded better than the site mean in Wimmera NVTs. 

There was no influence of seeding rate on crop production in 2012 at Mullewa when the crop was sown close to the break. However there was a yield penalty with the higher seeding rate when the sowing time was delayed by a month. These results are in contrast to 2011 at Mullewa . Increasing seeding rate increased crop production when sown close to the break and there was no effect on  roduction with increasing seeding rate when seeding was delayed.

Emergence: 

Emergence was staggered for the first sown treatments only. This is because seeding was on the 11th May into a drying seed bed. It had rain ed in April and early May. The second sowing time was on the 7th June. Rainfall in June was 56 mm.The seeding rate treatments targeted 100, 200 and 300 plants/m2. The actual plant population was 100, 147 and 200 plants/m2 respectively (averaged across variety and sowing time). The range in ears produced across treatments was not large however it was a significantly different between the highest (145 ears/m2) and the lowest seeding rate (137 ears/2) (ave across variety and sowing time).

Yield:

At Mullewa, there was no interaction between seeding rate, sowing time and variety on crop yield. However, there was an interaction between seeding rate and sowing time on crop production for all varieties. When sown close to the break of the season, changing seeding rates did not affect crops yields significantly. In contrast to the first sowing time, the grain yield (averaged across all varieties) was significantly reduced at the higher actual plant population compared to the middle and lower targe ted plant populations of 100 and 147 plants/m2. Delaying seeding by a month later, reduced crop production by 500 - 600 kg/ha. This equates to 20kg/day/ha.

Emu Rock, Mace and Corack were the higher yielding varieties at each sowing time. Emu Rock and Mace are AH varieties, Corack is an APW variety.

Quality:

There was no influence of seeding time, plant density or variety on grain protein (P>0.05). Initial assessment of grain screenings includes whole and cracked grain. Except for Emu Rock, screenings of all varieties were lower than 5% when sown at the first sowing time (P<0.05). Observations of Emu Rock at harvest suggest the screenings are a result of mechanical damage, rather than small grain (further measurements are to be undertaken to assess this).

.

Sowing time has a greater influence on production of all wheat varieties than seeding rate. Weed competition is one factor which can limit early sowing and increasing crop competition through increasing plant density has been demonstrated as a useful non chemical tool to reduce weed growth. The research has demonstrated that increasing plant density did not adversely affect crop yield or grain quality of crops sown close to the break of the season in May however higher plant densities of varieties sown in June did reduce yield of wheat varieties.There was no influence of seeding rate on crop production in 2012 at Mullewa when the crop was sown close to the break. However there was a yield penalty with the higher seeding rate when the sowing time was delayed by a month. These results are in contrast to 2011 at Mullewa. Increasing seeding rate increased crop production when sown close to the break and there was no effect on production with increasing seeding rate when seeding was delayed.

• Carnamah was the highest yielding variety and returned the greatest gross margin.
• Two recently released varieties, Blanco and Shenton, don't appear to be well suited to this environment.
• There was no rust seen in this trial. If disease was present some of the newer varieties may have performed better than Carnamah and Wyalkatchem.

For results and discussion please see the attached trial report.

As previously stated, the trial was purely for demonstration purposes. Due to rainfall and seasonal constraints, varieties such as Sentinel and Pugsley possibly did not go through to full potential. Intially these varieties looked to have good in crop vigour, and Pugsley seemed to have some in built stripe rust defence. Half the plots were sprayed with Folicur, but there is no yield data available. All varieties are worth pursuing in a replicated trial next year, but possibly try some more milling (AH) types also.

Earlier maturing lines tended to yield well and this may relate to a large daily temperature gradient at flowering for the later lines.

• Average grain yield from wheat varieties was 5.1 t/ha but due to differences in disease resistance there was a broad range from 6.9 to 1.6 t/ha.
• For further take home messages please see the attached trial report.

Grain yields were very high due to the reasonably good finish to the season (see Table 1 in attached trial report.).

For further results and discussion please see the attached trial report.

• Experiments investigating the tolerance of crop varieties to herbicides are conducted by State agencies throughout Australia, supported by funding from GRDC. Details and results of the studies can be found in State publications, and also on the NVT web site, www.nvtonline.com.au.
• Information provided summarises this work in SA since 1993.

• Sowing date, particularly for mid–late maturing varieties, was found to be a significant determinant of grain yield potential, with yield reductions of >25% observed due to a delayed sowing date (8 May vs. 7 June).
• Variety and sowing date in particular affected grain quality parameters, with a significant increase in the level of screenings for all varieties when the sowing date was delayed.
• Higher plant populations had a greater influence on grain yield when the sowing date was delayed. Yield potential was optimised at 200 plants/m2 for a 7 June sowing date vs. 100 plants/m2 for the earlier 8 May sowing date, supporting the principal of increasing targeted plant populations when sowing is delayed.
• Altering variety and maturity type, and increasing targeted plant population in response to a delayed sowing date did not fully compensate for yield losses associated with a delayed vs. timely sowing date.

Conclusions:

Results from this experiment highlight the importance of timely sowing, particularly for mid–late maturing varieties. Yield reductions of approximately 1.3 t/ha averaged across plant population treatments were recorded for the mid–late maturing varieties LRPB LancerA and EGA GregoryA with delayed sowing, which equates to a 25% and 26% yield decline, respectively. Similarly, the late maturing variety EGA EaglehawkA suffered a yield penalty of around 22% (0.98 t/ha) whilst the mid maturing variety SuntopA suffered a 14% (0.70 t/ha) yield reduction due to delayed sowing. In comparison, the earlier maturing varieties LRPB DartA and LRPB SpitfireA suffered only minimal yield reductions when SD was delayed. Importantly however, the earlier maturing varieties did not exhibit any yield advantage over the later maturing varieties in SD 2 and were significantly lower yielding than these varieties at SD 1. Temperature and plant available water during anthesis/grain fill would also have affected both yield potential and grain quality parameters, with limited effective in-crop rainfall in September/October, and temperatures exceeding 35 °C for an extended period from 4 October. The longer season variety EGA EaglehawkA in particular had high screenings for both SDs, and also produced a low yield in SD 2, reinforcing the need to sow this variety early due to its lack of adaptability under unfavourable conditions. Increasing plant population had a greater influence on GY when SD was delayed, with yield potential optimised at 200 plants/m2 in SD 2 vs. 100 plants/m2 in the earlier SD 1, supporting the principal of increasing targeted plant populations with delayed sowing. These findings further emphasise the advantage of planting early in the sowing window compared to delayed sowing just simply in terms of input seed requirements. Variety selection and sowing date particularly affected grain quality parameters and screenings. There was a significant increase in the level of screenings for all varieties when sowing was delayed. LRPB LancerA was the only variety in this experiment that achieved screenings of <5%, but only at SD 1. All other varieties, including LRPB LancerA in SD 2, exceeded the critical 5% screenings receival standards level. LRPB LancerA appears to have excellent grain stability with significantly lower screenings than either EGA GregoryA or SuntopA. Findings from this experiment indicate that there were differences between varieties in terms of grain stability, due possibly to variations in kernel shape/plumpness and or kernel weight stability. These results also highlight the adaptability of some of the mid–late season 16 | NSW Department of Primary Industries varieties, and the yield and quality advantages of sowing these varieties early, compared with sowing earlier maturing varieties later

Maturity of wheat varieties and their associated phenological traits need to be considered when making decisions about
variety selection and seeding programs. The correct combination is required to achieve yield potentials across different seasonal
conditions. In seasons with an early break or situations which require early feed, winter wheat varieties have shown the ability to mature, provided they are sown early. High rainfall zone growers should be aware of disease pressures when sowing early.
If sowing later, mid-maturity spring wheats that have a moderate vernalisation and moderate photoperiod requirement have out-performed the early maturing varieties with weak vernalisation and weak photoperiod, regardless of the spring finish.

Wheat varieties were evaluated at Epping Forest (dryland) and Hagley (irrigated) and average yields were 4.1 and 8.3 t/ha respectively. The CSIRO line 95102.1 was again a consistent performer with very high rankings at both sites and has been high yielding across 5 years of evaluation, in both dual purpose and grain‐only trials. Tenders are currently being called for and multiplication of this line has commenced. Alberic also yielded well and commercialisation arrangements need to be initiated,
particularly for growing under irrigation and high yield potential sites. Overall the performance of the European and NZ lines was reasonably good but less than that of the better CSIRO lines. New lines from overseas will be evaluated in 2008‐09 however it is unlikely these varieties will provide the instant panacea that many believe to be the case. A number of CSIRO lines performed reasonably well and will be further evaluated.

• Average treated wheat yields in the trial were 4.81 t/ha.
• The late timing of the rain in November tended to favour the longer season varieties which were just starting to grain fill at this time.
• Of the 20 varieties included in the trial, 5 are not commercially available at present.
• The highest yielding commercially available variety was Amarok at 111% of the site mean.
• The top four yielding varieties were red grained wheat.
• Stripe rust pressure was extremely high at the site giving an average yield increase of 0.21t/ha from applying a two spray fungicide programme.

• Average treated wheat yields in the trial were 4.2 t/ha.
• The late timing of the rain in November tended to favour the longer season varieties which were just starting to grain fill at this time.
• Of the 14 varieties included in the trial 6 are commercially available at present.
• The highest yielding commercially available variety was Mackellar at 120% of the site mean.
• Stripe rust pressure was extremely high at the site giving an average yield increase across all varieties of 0.2t/ha from applying a two spray fungicide programme.
• Chara increased yield from 1.93t/ha to 3.83t/ha with a $30/ha fungicide programme.

• These trials are carried out each year to assess the range of wheat varieties at several sites across the South-East.
• The regular use of fungicides for disease control within wheat NVT has reduced the impact of disease on grain yield performance, placing greater importance on the use of disease guides for varietal choice.  
• Need to minimise or avoid sowing of susceptible varieties which do not meet minimum disease standards unless a vigilant and successful disease control strategy is in place.
• Data from the NVT (National Variety Trial) data contains long-term site results. This data should be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision-making process. 

• Importance of a sound fungicide strategy is highlighted at sites where there are unsprayed plots. The variation in yield between sprayed and unsprayed plots depends on the disease rating of the variety, and this should always be  taken into account when selecting new varieties.
• Long term site results should also be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision making process. 

• These trials are carried out each year to assess the range of wheat varieties at several sites across the South East.
• Cosmick, Trojan and Corack are the highest long-term yielding varieties across all of the South East NVT sites.
• Variety trial sites are selected and managed to maximise the full genetic potential of each variety; when selecting varieties ensure that the disease profile of varieties is taken into account.
• Early vs late sowing at Conmurra highlighted the importance of matching the variety to the time of sowing to maximise yield.

• These trials are carried out each year to assess the range of wheat varieties at several sites across the South-East.
• The regular use of fungicides for disease control within wheat NVT has reduced the impact of disease on grain yield performance, placing greater importance on the use of disease guides for varietal choice.  
• Need to minimise or avoid sowing of susceptible varieties which do not meet minimum disease standards unless a vigilant and successful disease control strategy is in place.
• Data from the NVT (National Variety Trial) data contains long-term site results. This data should be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision-making process. 

• Importance of a sound fungicide strategy is highlighted at sites where there are unsprayed plots. The variation in yield between sprayed and unsprayed plots depends on the disease rating of the variety, and this should always be  taken into account when selecting new varieties.
• Long term site results should also be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision making process. 
• Trial 

• These trials are carried out each year to assess the range of wheat varieties at several sites across the South-East.
• The regular use of fungicides for disease control within wheat NVT has reduced the impact of disease on grain yield performance, placing greater importance on the use of disease guides for varietal choice.  
• Need to minimise or avoid sowing of susceptible varieties which do not meet minimum disease standards unless a vigilant and successful disease control strategy is in place.
• Data from the NVT (National Variety Trial) data contains long-term site results. This data should be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision-making process. 
   

• Importance of a sound fungicide strategy is highlighted at sites where there are unsprayed plots. The variation in yield between sprayed and unsprayed plots depends on the disease rating of the variety, and this should always be  taken into account when selecting new varieties.
• Long term site results should also be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision making process. 

At both sites stripe rust appeared relatively late and fungicide sprays were applied to control the disease.

Wheat varieties were evaluated at Campbell Town (dryland) and Longford (irrigated). At Campbell Town frost damage at ear emergence and flowering was the factor most influencing yield. All the later maturing lines avoided some of this damage and were the highest yielding. Grain yields at the Longford site were exceptionally high (average of 10.2 t/ha). The CSIRO line 95102.1 was particularly impressive yielding 12.0t/ha. Two other CSIRO lines also yielded very well and the good run of these lines continues. The best performing “named” varieties were Mackellar and Alberic, the latter also yielded well at Campbell Town being late flowering. An additional 50 kg/ha topdressed nitrogen tended to increase yields of all lines at Longford and this effect was close to significant. The very high yields at Longford, both in the trial and commercial crop illustrate the potential for high input crops with irrigation and provide some light in an otherwise very ordinary season.

• In 2015, seasonal conditions tended to favour shorter season varieties. When selecting varieties,need to ensure long-term data and varietal disease profiles is considered in addition to the annual trial results.
• The new variety Scepter has the highest long-term production value for the region, followed by Corack, Cosmick and Trojan.
• Foliar disease had little impact on varietal performance in 2015, but frost combined with terminal drought affected south east trials.

• These trials are carried out each year to assess the range of wheat varieties at several sites across the South East.
• Cosmick, Trojan and Corack are the highest long-term yielding varieties across all of the South East NVT sites. 
• Variety trial sites are selected and managed to maximise the full genetic potential of each variety; when selecting varieties ensure that the disease profile of varieties is taken into account.
• Early vs late sowing at Conmurra highlighted the importance of matching the variety to the time of sowing to maximise yield.

• The regular use of fungicides for disease control within wheat NVT has reduced the impact of disease on grain yield performance, placing greater importance on the use of disease guides for varietal choice.
• Need to minimise or avoid sowing of susceptible varieties which do not meet minimum disease standards unless a vigilant and successful disease control strategy is in place.
• Data from the NVT (National Variety Trial) data contains long-term site results. This data should be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision-making process.

• Importance of a sound fungicide strategy is highlighted at sites where there are unsprayed plots. The variation in yield between sprayed and unsprayed plots depends on the disease rating of the variety, and this should always be taken into account when selecting new varieties.
• Long term site results should also be utilised to reduce the effect of seasonal variability in the decision making process.

• Fungicide application did not increase site mean wheat yield.
• In the absence of disease, fungicide application resulted in increased variety protein %. 
• Growers should aim to select resistant wheat varieties, using up-to-date disease guides for varietal choice.

• There was little difference in the root growth of wheat and canola.
• There was evidence of restricted root development in the 20-40cm soil layer.
• Wheat yield increased with increasing nitrogen but grain size was reduced slightly.
• There was no evidence of declining yield with high nitrogen in this experiment.

• The legume rotations increased wheat yields in the following crop by 1t/ha.
• Ripping gave a higher benefit after the legume rotations than non-legume rotations.
• No significant adverse effect on screenings was detected in the higher yielding treatments.

• Common root rot (CRR) is a fungal disease that has the potential to reduce susceptible wheat, barley and oat yields.
• Moderately resistant CRR varieties, such as Strzelecki and Sunstate, did not suffer grain yield or grain quality losses due to CRR
• Drysdale, Combat and Hunter showed moderate resistance to CRR, although as yet they have no disease rating

Nitrogen use has resulted in great improvements in crop yield in favourable seasons.
In dry seasons too much applied nitrogen can result in haying-off and lower yields.
Good guidelines are now available for nitrogen use to reduce the risk of crop failure resulting from applying too much fertiliser nitrogen.
The critical factors are:
• Stored soil water (control summer weeds)
• Measure how much nitrogen is in the soil prior to sowing
• Calculate nitrogen requirement from the target yield
• Do not pre-drill more than 60 kg/ha of urea in the 350mm rainfall zone (100kg/ha in the 450mm zone)
• Split applications are safer
• Topdress with urea if the soil test indicates a need, the crop is healthy, and the outlook is for an average to wet season

Vetch is a multi-purpose crop; its versatility allows decisions about its end-use to be made during the year (grain, hay/silage or green manure/grazing) and also can be used as a management tool against resistant weed development. Vetch can improve soil fertility by returning organic matter to the soil, increase yield in the following crop by means of nitrogen fixation and reduce disease and insect risk for the following crop. Two new varieties; SA-34823 and SA-35103 are set for release in spring 2013.

Match the maturity of a variety with sowing date to maximise biomass accumulation, flowering during the optimum time and maximise grain yield potential: – “If sowing early, sow long, or don’t sow wheat at all”.

• There is an opportunity cost and yield penalty of sowing short-mid season varieties too early (early to late April) in the central and southern production zones, similar to sowing mid-long season varieties too late.
• If sowing mid-April in the northern, eastern and southern wheatbelt without frost risk sow mid-long season varieties. If sowing in late May sow short-mid season wheats.
• If sowing in areas of frost risk in the northern, eastern and southern wheatbelt, don’t sow wheat in April, in early May sow mid-long season varieties in areas of low to moderate frost risk and sow areas of severe frost risk in late May to mid-long varieties.
• Highest yields at all sites have typically been achieved by mid-long maturing varieties sown from late April onwards, and short-mid maturing varieties sown in mid-May. At moderate to severe frost prone sites and with disease pressure, however, delaying sowing of mid-long maturities into mid-May, and the use of winter/long wheats when sowing in early to late April, is essential to minimise frost and disease risk.

Andrew’s management of water repellence demonstrates that a strategy of affordable progressive amelioration and better sowing methods for the rest of the crop can be a successful and profitable approach for managing soil water repellence. On-farm testing of water repellence management options can help confirm which strategies are likely to be successful and profitable on particular soils and landscapes. The use of winged paired-row systems, winged points, banded-wetting agents, on-row seeding or broadcast spreading a proportion of the seed ahead of the bar can all potentially improve the effectiveness of sowing on water repellent soils and this is the subject of ongoing research.

• The main difference in yield may have been due to poor tillage in the 500mm spaced crop.
• The entire crop was reliant on the soil nutrition from the pasutre as no fertiliser was applied to the paddock prior to and following seeding.
• Later sowing of the trial may have jeopardised the wide row's yield capacity therefore it would be encouraged that when considering sowing in wide rows early seeding is preferable.
• It may be noted that if nutrition was not a limiting factor for the 500mm crop, the water supply from the wide row may have increased yield to similar or better than that of the 250mm crop.

• Amira albus lupin is a good break crop option for high and medium rainfall areas of the northern region
• Albus lupin grown in 44 cm rows yielded 81% of 22 cm rows.
• Maintaining a high seed rate maximised yield at both 22 and 44 cm row spacing’s.
• In dry conditions fungal disease were not evident, therefore we could not assess the impact of row spacing and density on foliar diseases.

• A combination of Monza and Sakura applied PSPE provided the highest levels of wild oat control (68%)
• Even with good control a high weed density remained (>200 plants per square metre) which would still be expected to cause significant crop yield losses (90%)