Winter wheat investigation on the Southcoast of WA- South Stirling

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) South Stirling, WA
Winter wheat investigation on the Southcoast of WA- South Stirling 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
  • The South Stirling site had similar growing season rainfall to Frankland River but was characterised by higher temperatures during the grain fill stage in October.
  • Yields were significantly higher when cereal crops were sown on 29 April rather than 3 April, although the advantage was greatest with the longer season spring wheats Denison and RockStar and smallest with the winter wheat Mowhawk.
  • Mowhawk was slightly higher yielding than Denison at the earlier sowing date (3 April) and Denison was slightly higher yielding than Mowhawk at the second sowing date (29 April), resulting in both varieties giving a similar performance averaged over the two sow dates.
  • RGT Planet benefited more from later April sowing as a result of lower infection levels of net form net blotch at the second sow date (data not shown).
  • Spring barley yields were supported by higher head numbers that were significantly higher than the wheat head numbers recorded.
  • As noted at other research sites the yield performance of the spring germplasm (both wheat and barley) was the result of compensatory growth in later developing side tillers that developed more in synchrony with better spring conditions of light and temperature (photothermal quotient).
  • The poor adaptation of spring wheat germplasm to early April sowing was exemplified by the fact that RockStar, Scepter and Denison had main stems flowering in the second half of July.
  • The growth of these main stems was poor, and the compensatory growth of the side tillers resulted in crops that had two crop canopies, the older main stems in the lower canopy and the later tillers in the upper canopy.
  • It was the compensatory growth of these "recovery tillers" growth that underpinned the yields produced from sowing dates that were not idea for the germplasm being planted.
  • Although the yields are significantly superior at the later sowing, it is the South Stirling and Frankland River sites that show the clearest benefit to winter wheat over long season spring wheats, such as Denison, when sowing very early, however at both sites the yield performance of winter wheat is eclipsed by growing spring barley.
  • The "Achilles heel" of the spring barley at this site as grain quality in particular test weight that resulted in afeed barley grade for both RGT Planet and Neo CL.
  • Again, the results have generated in a season where frost was not regarded as a factor influencing the results.
South Stirling WA 2024 Barley

Trial design; Factorial 

Time of Sowing (2) x Variety (8)

South Stirling WA 2024 Wheat

Trial design; Factorial 

Time of Sowing (2) 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.

South Stirling - Scott, Alaina & Henry Smith


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

South Stirling 2024 Barley

Sow rate or Target density 200 seeds/m2
Sow date 3/04/2024; 29/04/2024
Harvest date 29 November 2024
Trial design arrangement 16 rows x 4 cols
Total plots 64
Plot size 12m x 1.536m
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot randomisation Y

South Stirling 2024 Wheat

Sow rate or Target density 200 seeds/m2
Sow date 3/04/2024; 29/04/2024
Harvest date 29 November 2024
Trial design arrangement 16 rows x 4 cols
Total plots 64
Plot size 12m x 1.536m
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
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
South Stirling, WA Grey Brown Loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
South Stirling, WA Podosol
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.

South Stirling 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 10:25am AEST