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| Researcher(s) |
Rohan Brill Barry Haskins Rachael Whitworth |
|---|---|
| Contact email | rohan@brillag.com.au |
| Contact phone | 0488250489 |
| Year(s) | 2025 |
| Contributor | Brill Ag |
| Trial location(s) |
Barellan, NSW
|
The aim of this trial to evaluate and compare the performance of major pulse crops (faba beans, field peas, lentils, lupins, vetch) in the local variable rainfall environment.
Faba beans
• Faba bean grain yield averaged 0.63 t/ha, with PBA Nasma (0.76 t/ha) and FBA Ayla (0.74 t/ha) the highest yielding varieties.
• The largest seed was produced by PBA Amberley and PBA Samira (58 grams/100 seeds) and the smallest of the varieties evaluated was FBA Ayla (45 g/100 seeds).
• At the late vegetative stage, the average NDVI was 0.25, with only small differences in NDVI between varieties.
Field peas
• Field pea grain yield averaged 1.61 t/ha with no difference between the four varieties evaluated.
• The largest seed was produced by PBA Taylor and APB Bondi (18 g/100 seeds), followed by Sturt and PBA Butler (17 g/100 seeds).
• There were no differences in NDVI values between the 4 field pea varieties, with an average NDVI of 0.42.
Lentils
• Lentil yield averaged 0.56 t/ha, with GIA Thunder (0.75 t/ha) and ALB Terrier (0.68 t/ha) the two highest yielding varieties.
PBA Hallmark XTA was the lowest yielding variety (0.37 t/ha).
• The largest seed was produced by PBA Kelpie XTA (4.55 g/100 seeds) and GIA 2301 (4.39 g/100 seeds). ALB Terrier and GIA Thunder (3.69 g/100 seeds) produced the smallest of the varieties evaluated.
• The average NDVI was 0.25, with PBA Hallmark XTA (0.22) and
PBA Kelpie XTA (0.23) having the lowest readings.
Lupins
• Lupins in the trial, particularly the Albus lupin variety Luxor, struggled to establish under the conditions experienced in 2025. The average lupin yield was 0.61 t/ha, with Luxor (0.55 t/ha) the lowest.
• The average seed size of the narrow leaf varieties was 12.1 g/100 seeds, compared to 26.4 g/100 seeds for the Albus lupin variety Luxor.
• There were no differences in NDVI values between the lupin varieties, with an average NDVI of 0.18.
Vetch
• Vetch grain yield averaged 0.90 t/ha with Timok (1.40 t/ha) and Volga (1.20 t/ha) the highest yielding varieties.
• The largest seed was produced by Volga (7.3 g/100 seeds), while Benetas produced the smallest (3.4 g/100 seeds) of the varieties evaluated.
• There were no differences in NDVI values between the vetch varieties, with an average NDVI of 0.32.
• Hay biomass (2 October) of the vetch varieties averaged 3.5 t/ha, with Timok (4.3 t/ha), Volga (3.8 t/ha) and RM4 (3.8 t/ha) having the highest.
| Lead research organisation |
Brill Ag |
|---|---|
| Host research organisation |
Brill Ag |
| Trial funding source | GRDC BRA2504-002RTX |
| Related program | N/A |
| Acknowledgments |
We gratefully acknowledge the investment support of the GRDC for BRA2105-001RTX, ‘Development and |
| Other trial partners | Jeff Savage "Mayfield" |
| Crop type | Grain Legume: Faba beans |
|---|---|
| Treatment type(s) |
|
| Trial type | Experimental |
| Trial design | Unknown |
| Sow rate or Target density | Faba Beans 20 (plants/m2), Field Peas 40 (plants/m2) Lentils 100(plants/m2), 30-40 (plants/m2), Vetch 40 (plants/m2) |
|---|---|
| Sow date | 28 May 2025 |
| Harvest date | 20 November 2025 |
| Plot size | Not specified |
| Plot replication | Not specified |
| Fertiliser |
Starter fertiliser - Superfect @ 120 kg/ha |
| Rainfall trial total (mm) | 276.4mm |
|---|---|
| Rainfall trial gsr (mm) | 148.4mm |
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.
