Barley management options to close the yield gap and reduce pre-harvest losses

2023

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Tom Price
Darcy Warren
Year(s) 2023
Contributor Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia
Trial location(s) Hart field site, SA
Kinnabulla, VIC
Related trials
Barley management options to close the yield gap and reduce pre-harvest losses locations
Aims

To investigate barley management options to close the yield gap and reduce pre-harvest losses

This investment will deliver a series of field trials and extension activities to reduce the yield gap between attainable yield and water limited yield potential in barley in the low – medium rainfall zones alongside virtual trial treatments derived by crop models to determine new attainable yield benchmarks for barley growers.

Key messages

Hart: 

• Barley grain yield averaged 4.61 t/ha with yields ranging from 3.82 to 5.42 t/ha resulting from variety choice and different management strategies. • High fungicide inputs were required to maximise grain yield for RGT Planet, Cyclops and Leabrook across two consecutive years. High fungicide input was most profitable in varieties with leaf rust susceptibility and with high infection levels during grain fill. In the absence of leaf rust, high fungicide inputs were not economical in this trial. • There were no yield gains resulting from increasing nitrogen (N) application from low to high (60 – 140 kg N/ha). RGT Planet grain yields decreased in response to increasing nitrogen supply. High N supply also increased grain protein for all varieties, preventing them from meeting malt receival specifications. • The application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) reduced crop lodging at the early time of sowing, however no yield increases were observed. • The use of simulated grazing at growth stage (GS) GS30 resulted in a significant yield reduction for RGT Planet and Leabrook of 220 kg/ha and 180 kg/ha, respectively. No yield reduction was observed for Cyclops.

Kinnabulla:

• With high starting soil fertility (240kg N 0-100cm), high nitrogen rates are not required to maximise grain yield. • With a grain yield of 5.93t/ha, Cyclops outyielded both RGT Planet and Leabrook which yielded 4.34t/ha and 5.10t/ha respectively. • When sowing disease susceptible varieties early, increased fungicide applications are required to maximise grain yield. • The first fungicide application (start of stem elongation) was the most crucial fungicide timing in terms of protecting the crop and maximising final yield.

Lead research organisation Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC FAR2204-002SAX
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the GRDC as part of the National Grower Network project ‘Barley management options to close the yield gap and reduce pre-harvest losses’ (FAR2204-002SAX).


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Barley
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Fungicide: Timing
  • Fungicide: Type
  • Growth regulator: Type
  • Management systems: Canopy Management
  • Sowing: Timing
Trial type
Trial design

Hart field site 2023

Sow rate or Target density 180 seeds/m2 (target plant density of ~150 Plants/m2)
Sowing machinery Not specified
Sow date 27th April and 1st June 2023
Harvest date 23rd October and 3rd November 2023
Trial design method SPD Split Plot Design
Plot size 1.75m x 10.0m
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot randomisation N
Fertiliser

Seeding: MAP @ 60 kg/ha

Please refer to table 4 in trial report for treatment details

Herbicide Not specified
Insecticide Not specified
Fungicide

Please refer to table 4 and 5 in trial report for treatment details

Seed treatment Not specified

Kinnabulla 2023

Sow rate or Target density 130 plants/m²
Sowing machinery

Knife points, press wheels, 30cm row spacing.

Sow date TOS1: 1 May 2023; TOS2: 16 May 2023
Harvest date 10th December 2022
Trial design method SPD Split Plot Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication Not specified
Plot randomisation Y
Fertiliser

60kg/ha Granulock Supreme Z @ sowing.

Refer to table 1 for in crop applied nitrogen rates

Herbicide

Trial managed as per best practice.

Insecticide

Trial managed as per best practice.

Fungicide Not specified
Seed treatment Standard seed treatment of Raxil and Goucho, refer to table 2 for additional seed treatment
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Hart field site, SA Sandy clay loam
Kinnabulla, VIC Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Hart field site, SA Chromosol
Kinnabulla, VIC Calcarosol
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

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Hart field site VIC

Kinnabulla VIC

Hart field site VIC

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Kinnabulla VIC

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

2023 trial report

2023 trial report

2023 trial report



Trial last modified: 08-01-2025 12:01pm AEST