Researcher(s) |
Blakely Paynter (DAFWA) Brenda Shackley (DAFWA) Christine Zaicou-Kunesch (DAFWA) |
---|---|
Year(s) | 2015 |
Contributor | West Midlands Group |
Trial location(s) |
Dandaragan, WA
|
Evaluate yield and quality response of long season wheat and barley to sowing time.
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.
Lead research organisation |
Department of Agriculture and Food WA |
---|---|
Host research organisation |
West Midlands Group |
Trial funding source | GRDC DAW00249 |
Related program | N/A |
Acknowledgments |
This research is supported by the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia with co-funding from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (wheat – DAW00249 and barley - DAW00224). Sincere thanks to West Midlands Group and Andrew and Charles Roberts for the provision of land, to the Geraldton RSU for the management of trials and for the technical support of Melanie Kupsch, Bruce Haig and Sue Cartledge.
|
Other trial partners | Not specified |
Crop types | Cereal (Grain): Barley Cereal (Grain): Wheat |
---|---|
Treatment type(s) |
|
Trial type | Experimental |
Trial design | Replicated |
Sow rate or Target density | 150 plants/m2 |
---|---|
Sowing machinery |
small plot research equipment. |
Sow date | 16 April 2015 |
Harvest date | Not specified |
Plot size | 3.74m x 10m |
Plot replication | 3 |
Fertiliser |
· At seeding K-Till Extra drilled (100 kg/ha) and NPK Blue top-dressed (250 kg/ha) · 9 June TOS1 and TOS2 and 23 Jun TOS3 - UAN (60L/ha) |
Herbicide |
· At seeding - Lorsban (200mL/ha) + Boxer Gold (2.5L/ha) + Sprayseed (2.5L/ha) + Dominex (200mL/ha) · 28 May TOS 1 and 9 Jun TOS 2 - Velocity (800mL/ha) + 1% Hasten · 23 Jun TOS 1 and TOS3 - Velocity (700mL/ha) + 1% Hasten + MCPA LVE (400mL/ha) · 15 Jul TOS 1 andTOS3 - Jaguar (1L/ha) + 1% Hasten + MCPA LVE (400mL/ha) |
Sow rate or Target density | Not specified |
---|---|
Sowing machinery | Not specified |
Sow date | Not specified |
Harvest date | Not specified |
Plot size | Not specified |
Plot replication | Not specified |
Fertiliser | Not specified |
Herbicide | Not specified |
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.