Winter wheat investigation on the Southcoast of WA- Gibson

2024

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Deeptangshu Das
Nick Poole
Darcy Warren
Year(s) 2024
Contributor Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia
Trial location(s) Gibson, WA
Winter wheat investigation on the Southcoast of WA- Gibson locations
Aims

This one-year project was set to evaluate the role of winter wheat in WA M-HRZ farming systems of the south coast (Esperance and Albany Port Zones). Specifically, the project looked to evaluate the performance and profitability of winter wheat sown in the late March/early April sowing window. Individual objectives of the project were as follows:

  • To examine the role of winter wheat in rotations along the south coast of WA in the Esperance and Albany Port Zones compared to spring wheat germplasm.
  • To explore this possible role of winter wheat in relation to sowing date and spring wheat germplasm with different phenology (quicker and slower developing spring wheats).
  • At the different sow dates covering late March/early April and late April/May comparing profitability and performance of these wheats to spring barley germplasm.
  • To evaluate the different management needs of winter wheat in relation to the other cereal groups being tested.
Key messages
  • With extremely dry conditions until late May this site despite its location in the HRZ this site was the lowest yielding with generally lower plant numbers established from the first two sowings.
  • Mowhawk winter wheat was the highest yielding wheat at the late March sowing date and although it was not significantly better than the longer season spring wheats RockStar and Denison all were significantly better than lllabo.
  • The grain yield of both spring barley varieties was significantly better than all the wheat types tested with Neo CL giving a yield 2t/ha better than wheat.
  • As was found in previous studies with RGT Accroc, the longer season wheat RGT Waugh was not suitable for planting in the EPZflowering a month after the optimum flowering window.
  • There was a significant interaction (p<0.001} between sowing date and variety with late April sowings {23 April) being higher yielding than late March sowings, except Mowhawk.
  • The third time of sowing {10 May) gave similar yields to those crops established in late April.
  • Higher yields of barley were reflected in higher harvest dry matters and harvest indices.
  • Neither spring barley nor spring wheat was adapted to the early sowing date with crops flowering in the middle of winter (June/July}, compared to winter wheats, which flowered much later in mid-late August.
  • However, although main stem growth was poor because of the early sowing, good rainfall in August underpinned renewed tillering in the spring germplasm (both wheat and barley) that compensated and ultimately supported crops that were higher yielding and had a phenology that was more suited to optimum flowering windows.
  • The tiller compensation in spring wheat produced head numbers that were not dissimilar to winter wheat crops sown at the same time.
  • In contrast the compensation observed in spring barley that led to higher harvest dry matter and harvest indices was manifest in significantly higher head numbers than those produced by the wheat types tested.
  • Grain quality produced primarily feed grain quality products, with test weights being primarily responsible for poorer grades in both wheat and barley.
  • Spring barley despite its poor adaptation to late March sowing in terms of phenology was the more profitable crop sown at this site, although its overall profitability was better when sowing was delayed until late April or mid-May.
Gibson WA 2024 Barley

TRial design; Factorial 

Time of Sowing (3) X variety (8)

Gibson WA 2024 Wheat

TRial design; Factorial 

Time of Sowing (3) X variety (8)

Lead research organisation Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC FAR2403-001SAX
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

FAR Australia and its staff gratefully acknowledges the funding support of the Grains Research Development Corporation in funding this research and extension project. In addition, FAR Australia would like to thank the four host farmers for their unwavering support to a project carried out in an extremely difficult season when irrigation was needed for the first sowing date at all four research sites. We would like to thank the following host farmers.

Gibson - Jordan Whiting and Cam Wholing


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

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Barley Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Sowing: Timing
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised,Replicated

Gibson 2024 Barley

Sow rate or Target density 200 seeds/m2
Sow date 26/03/2024; 23/04/2024; 10/05/2024
Harvest date 4 November 2024
Trial design method O Other
Trial design arrangement 24 rows x 4 cols
Total plots 96
Plot size 12m x 1.575m
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication Not specified
Plot randomisation Y

Gibson 2024 Wheat

Sow rate or Target density 200 seeds/m2
Sow date 26/03/2024; 23/04/2024; 10/05/2024
Harvest date 4 November 2024
Trial design method O Other
Trial design arrangement 24 rows x 4 cols
Total plots 96
Plot size 12m x 1.575m
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication Not specified
Plot randomisation Y
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
Gibson, WA Loamy sand
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Gibson, WA Sodosol
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.

Gibson WA

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

2024 trial report



Trial last modified: 28-02-2025 09:38am AEST