| Researcher(s) |
Mick Brady (DEDJTR) Therese McBeath (CSIRO) Michael Moodie (MSF) Andrew Ware (SARDI) |
|---|---|
| Year(s) | 2015 |
| Contributor | Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc. |
| Trial location(s) |
Minnipa, SA
Ouyen, VIC |
For canola to be a sustainable, long-term break crop option for low rainfall farmers, low risk management systems need to be investigated. This project was undertaken to identify strategies that minimise the risk of canola production in the low rainfall zone. This will improve the long term profitability of canola in low rainfall farming systems.
| Lead research organisation | N/A |
|---|---|
| Host research organisation | N/A |
| Trial funding source | CSIRO CPS00187 |
| Related program | N/A |
| Acknowledgments |
Thank you to the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) for providing the funding. Thank you to Alan Crook and the Minnipa Agricultural Centre for providing the land to the trials. Thank you to Dr Ray Correll (Rho Environmetrics) for completing the statistical analysis for these trials. ATR Stingray is a registered variety of Nuseed Pty Ltd. Hyola 450TT is a registered variety of Pacific Seeds. |
| Other trial partners | SARDI |
| Crop type | Oilseed: Canola |
|---|---|
| Treatment type(s) |
|
| Trial type | Experimental |
| Trial design | Replicated |
| Sow rate or Target density | Not specified |
|---|---|
| Sow date | Not specified |
| Harvest date | Not specified |
| Plot size | Not specified |
| Plot replication | Not specified |
| Fertiliser | Not specified |
| Herbicide | Not specified |
| Insecticide | Not specified |
| Other trial notes |
The aim of these trials was to test if the risk of growing canola can be reduced in the low rainfall zone. Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crops development produced the highest grain yields at both Ouyen and Minnipa despite vastly different yields at the two sites. This limits the ability to reduce risk by waiting for yield potential in response to seasonal conditions to be better understood as yield is compromised by delaying management decisions and inputs. However, using a hybrid variety provided very little benefit at these sites in 2015, suggesting that hybrid canola does not provide large enough production benefits to justify the significant cost of seed in the low rainfall zone. This paper summarises the yield outcomes from these trials, however an important consideration is the impact on profitability. Similar experiments are continuing at these sites in 2016 with the trial program also expanding into the South Australian M |
| Sow rate or Target density | 2.5 kg/ha |
|---|---|
| Sow date | 22 April 2015 22nd of April and 7th May for the early and late sowing dates |
| Harvest date | Not specified |
| Plot size | Not specified |
| Plot replication | Not specified |
| Fertiliser |
100kg/ha of single superphosphate at sowingNitrogen was applied as urea at the same rate (150 kg urea/ha) at all application times. The in-crop N application dates for Ouyen were the 26th May (post emergent), 10th July (bolting) and 31st July (flowering) with at least 4 mm of rain falling in the two days following each N application. |
| Herbicide |
Weeds were controlled in each trial using group A, C and D herbicides. |
| Insecticide |
Multiple products were used during the season to control insects including aphids in spring. |
| Other trial notes |
The aim of these trials was to test if the risk of growing canola can be reduced in the low rainfall zone. Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crops development produced the highest grain yields at both Ouyen and Minnipa despite vastly different yields at the two sites. This limits the ability to reduce risk by waiting for yield potential in response to seasonal conditions to be better understood as yield is compromised by delaying management decisions and inputs. However, using a hybrid variety provided very little benefit at these sites in 2015, suggesting that hybrid canola does not provide large enough production benefits to justify the significant cost of seed in the low rainfall zone. This paper summarises the yield outcomes from these trials, however an important consideration is the impact on profitability. Similar experiments are continuing at these sites in 2016 with the trial program also expanding into the South Australian M |
| Rainfall trial gsr (mm) | 140mm |
|---|
SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.
Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR)
Some crop varieties used in research trials may be covered by Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR). Users should confirm PBR status of relevant varieties by searching the IP Australia PBR database, http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/pbr_db/ or Variety Central (http://varietycentral.com.au/) and contacting variety owners for further information if required. Where possible, varieties have been listed according to their registered PBR name, although OFT cannot and does not guarantee that the information is accurate or complete.
Note that PBR cover is administered through the Plant Breeders’ Right Act 1994 (