Comparing the profitability of break crops with cereals. Are there trade offs between break crops and different end uses?

2011
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Paul Breust (FarmLink Research)
James Hunt (CSIRO)
Guangdi Li (CSIRO)
Richard Lowrie (Graham Centre)
Mark Peoples (CSIRO)
Antony Swan (CSIRO)
Laura Watson (CSIRO)
Year(s) 2011
Contributor FarmLink Research
Trial location(s) Junee Reefs, NSW
Wagga Wagga, NSW
Comparing the profitability of break crops with cereals. Are there trade offs between break crops and different end uses? locations
Aims

To compare the productivity and relative profitability of various low input/low risk cropping options with alternative high input/high risk, but potentially higher return crops.

Key messages
  • Results from experimentation undertaken in southern NSW in 2011 and 2012, have demonstrated that crop sequences which include a brassica or legume break crops can be as profitable as, and in many instances more profitable than, continuous wheat.
  • Canola was consistently the most profitable break crop option. However, the rotational benefits of canola were usually restricted to just the first subsequent wheat crop whereas additional wheat yields can occur for 2 years after a legume.
  • Growing pulses for grain maximises profit, particularly in favourable seasons, but compromises grass weed control and (depending upon species) reduces N available to subsequent crops compared to brown manuring.
  • Growing pulses for hay was found to be profitable across a range of season types, achieves excellent grass weed control and provides greater N inputs and higher carry-over of soil water than when the same crop is grown for grain.
  • Growing pules for brown manure loses money in the year they are grown, but achieves excellent grass weed control, high N inputs, residual carry-over of soil water, provides more ground cover, and requires less labour than when grown for hay or grain.
Lead research organisation Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Host research organisation FarmLink Research
Trial funding source GRDC
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

We thank the GRDC for financial support. We are also indebted to Bernard Hart and Rob Hart at Junee Reefs for allowing us access to their land to establish on-farm experiemental trials, and NSW DPI (Dr Eric Armstrong), the Graham Centre (John Broster) and from Kalyx (Peter Hamblin) for provision of unpublished data.


Other trial partners Graham Centre (CSU/NSW DPI)
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Barley Cereal (Grain): Wheat Oilseed: Canola Grain Legume: Chickpeas Grain Legume: Field peas Grain Legume: Lentils Grain Legume: Lupins
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Fertiliser: Rate
Trial type
Trial design

Junee Reefs 2011 Barley

Sow date late April (canola and lupins), mid May (lentil, chickpeas, peas, barley and wheat)
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Fertiliser

As per treatments in trial report.

Herbicide

Trifluralin was used as a pre-emergent for all treatments except the TT canola (low) which also had atrazine, and wheat (high) which used Boxer Gold. Chickpea had a particularly expensive PSPE application of terbuthylazine (Terbyne), isoxaflutole (Balance) and metribuzin. There were two in-crop glyphosate applications to the RR canola (high) and a single in-crop atrazine applied to TT canola (low).

Fungicide

Foliar fingicides were applied as Prosaro + Hasten to wheat (high), Tilt to barley, and two applications of Barrack to lentils and chickpea.

Seed treatment As per treatments in trial report.

Junee Reefs 2011 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Junee Reefs 2011 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Junee Reefs 2011 Chickpeas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Junee Reefs 2011 Field peas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Junee Reefs 2011 Lentils

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Junee Reefs 2011 Lupins

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Wagga Wagga 2011 Barley

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Wagga Wagga 2011 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Wagga Wagga 2011 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Wagga Wagga 2011 Chickpeas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Wagga Wagga 2011 Field peas

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Wagga Wagga 2011 Lentils

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified

Wagga Wagga 2011 Lupins

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser Not specified
Herbicide Not specified
Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Junee Reefs

# Treatment 1
Gross margin ($/ha) Gross income ($/ha) Input costs ($/ha) Grain yield (t/ha) Total variable costs ($/ha) Profit/Cost ratio (value)
1 Canola - low input 1199 1581 181 3.2 381 3.1
2 Canola - high input 1033 1604 334 3.3 571 1.8
3 Lentils 710 1165 172 3.2 455 1.6
4 Barley 559 945 130 6.3 386 1.4
5 Wheat - high input 511 1056 324 5.2 544 0.9
6 Lupin 455 770 164 3.5 315 1.4
7 Wheat - low input 425 744 117 4.8 319 1.3
8 Chickpeas 386 792 296 1.8 406 1
9 Pea BM -139 0 104 0 139 -1
10 Lupin BM -150 0 115 0 150 -1

Grain yield t/ha


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Gross income $/ha


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Gross margin $/ha


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Input costs $/ha


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Profit/Cost ratio value


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Total variable costs $/ha


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Junee Reefs, NSW Not specified
Wagga Wagga, NSW Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Junee Reefs, NSW Kandosol
Wagga Wagga, NSW Kandosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Junee Reefs NSW Wagga Wagga NSW
2011 466.3mm483.9mm
2010 490.8mm448.4mm
2009 387.5mm340.6mm
2008 371.9mm356.8mm
2007 353.9mm311.7mm
2006 370.5mm319.5mm
2005 388.7mm332.9mm
2004 326.2mm278.6mm
2003 316.5mm259.3mm
2002 328.4mm263.3mm
2001 416.9mm328.9mm
2000 455.2mm363.9mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Junee Reefs NSW 2011


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 216mm

Derived climate information

Junee Reefs NSW

Wagga Wagga NSW

Junee Reefs NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Wagga Wagga NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

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.

Trial report and links

2011 trial report



Trial last modified: 07-02-2022 12:52pm AEST