• It has been difficult to select a new triticale variety that is consistently higher yielding than Tahara.
• This appears to be complicated by greater variety by site interaction as well as variety by year interaction in comparison with wheat trials. The front runners after six years of trials are Kosciosko, W47, Tickit and AT509. In the first year of trialing, Breakwell performed exceptionally well but requires further testing over more sites. It is possible that without a major waterlogging stress, Breakwell may have no yield advantage. It was noted that this variety grew taller than other lines and so lodging could be a problem in a good season.

Eight triticale varieties and lines were evaluated. A new strain of stripe rust affected nearly all material, some severely eg Kosciosko. In other less susceptible material adult plant resistance ensured that at least the flag leaf was largely functional. Grain yields generally reflected the severity of stripe rust infection. Tahara still remains difficult to beat in terms of grain yield.

• Sow varieties inside their recommended window.
• Triticale may have a niche in the eastern areas of Central West NSW.
• Triticale is less tolerant of moistures at flowering than wheats.
• Delivery points and markets are a major influence on triticale production.

• Winter habit canola has been successfully sown in spring, grazed over summer and harvested for grain in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
• Establishing canola in spring means larger, more resilient plants in autumn with less impact from slugs and waterlogging.
• Forage value comparable to commercially available dedicated forage rapes over summer and autumn with added benefit of oil seed production.
• Grazing management and timing of stock removal is proving to have an impact on grain yield.
• Vernalisation means winter wheats have the potential to be used in the same way.
   

Key Messages ï‚·Amount and quality of feed are important considerations when grazing livestock ï‚·Barley and canola/vetch had fastest early growth rate to 21st August ï‚·Oats/vetch and canola had the fastest growth rate between 21st August and 28th September ï‚·Alternative pastures produced more dry matter overall than medic varieties

• N demand by crops in last year’s trials results was low due to the very dry finish to the season.
• There was no benefit from applying Twin N to wheat in this season.

• The trial was designed to test the capacity of TwinN to enable reductions in nitrogen fertiliser applications.
• The control treatments showed no statistical difference in yield between 0 and 50 kg/ha urea but a difference was seen between 50 kg and 100 kg/ha ureas.
• Yield from TwinN plus 75 kg/ha urea was not statistically differenent from that from the 100 kg/ha urea.
• No treatment effects were found in protein% or screenings%.

• There was a significant step up in 2013 wheat yields from rotations which included a one year break previously compared to where there had been a two year break.
• The break crop benefit of a one year break may only last one season if grass weeds are a significant factor.
• Large break crop benefits of 0.5-1.25 t/ha were achieved following a two year non-cereal break phase compared to continuous wheat.
• The benefit of a two year break had little to do with the phases chosen for those two breaks.
• The eight most profitable crop sequences over a three year period in this trial had two year breaks in them.

This project has demonstrated that diversified cropping sequences have an important role to play in low rainfall Mallee farming systems. Including 1- and 2-year break phases were shown to significantly increase the productivity of subsequent wheat crops.

Following this year's trials results we are confident that UAN can have a role as an in-crop N fertiliser.

Best practice for using UAN at rates of up to 60L/ha when mixed with herbicides and fungicides:

• if using herbicides or fungicides not in this trial then always to a 'jar' test first for determining the physical compatibility: if white clouds or clear divisions appear, then the two may not be compatible;
• herbicides and fungicides mix better with UAN if mixed in water first;
• do not spray at temperatures over 25degrees C especially after flag leaf emergence because you don't want to scorch the flag leaf (!)
• do not spray when the Delta T is < 2, it appears that the leaf scorch is worst when humidity levels are high.

Results indicate that Uniform significantly improved crop yields in a second-year barley crop and in a wet season; in dry years’ root diseases such as rhizoctonia generally have even greater effects on grain yield and quality.

Pre-sowing: limed and cultivated by farmer.

Early season: very slow growth and stressed.

Mid season: very stressed until good rain in September.

Pre-harvest: droughted.

• There was significant rain in early April.
• The paddock was cultivated wet at the time of seeding.
• Seeding was delayed due to seed supply problem.

Field observation suggests the 50% UAN solution produced a better stubble cutting action than water alone.

This site presents a relatively easy population to control as seen by the lower degree of resistance to Group I (RR) and Group F (RR) and no obvious indications of ‘stacking’. The standard full rates of FC, FI, FCI, HC and HI all performed well. The population fits RRD Stage 3 where screening data indicates there are no recommended MOA limitations for either the first or second spray operations. While the options available for the first spray are many and varied there is a concern regarding the effectiveness of a phenoxy in the second spray given the level of tolerance noted to Group I, and thus the recommendation is that both sprays be multiple MOA co-mixes.

A network of soil moisture probes and Yield Prophet sites has been established across the Esperance, Albany, Kwinana East and Kwinana West port zones with the aim of providing public access to real-time soil moisture and weather data and periodic Yield Prophet reports to aid in-crop decision making, with particular reference to top-up nitrogen decisions.

Growers and agronomists have commented that the sites provided useful supporting information when making top-up nitrogen decisions, with the soil moisture probes providing additional confidence in the model’s output. Continuation of the Yield Prophet sites and soil moisture data recording and analysis will continue in 2015 across the Esperance/Albany and Kwinana East port zones, with the aim of further refining the sites to improve their accuracy and providing access to Yield Prophet and soil moisture information in a more user-friendly format.

• The 2015 season was cooler than 2014 which affected how canola varieties developed and grain yields.
• Early sowing presents a good opportunity to improve canola water use efficiency and yields but variety selection is important.

• Ornithopus sativus (French serradella) and O. compressus (yellow serradella) had a significantly high root hair cylinder volume compared with Trifolium subterraneum, which provides for a great phosphorus (P) foraging ability and helps explain why the Ornithopus species has lower critical P requirements than T. subterraneum.

Problems potentially identified by maps include:

• nutrient deficiencies,
• in crop weeds, and 
• root disease.

At a basic level, simply overlaying in season aerial photography with yield data can provide some insight into
potential problems:

• If yield deficiencies correlate with high growth areas, then weeds could be the issue.
• Root diseases can show patterns of growth that are particular to that problem.
• With aerial photography or  a NDVI, it may be possible to see colour differences that may indicate areas of nutrient deficiency and ground truth work is crucial to confirm suspicions.

Spading alone and the addition of more clay did not appear to increase growth in this year. This would suggest that non-wetting and soil compaction were not major constraints affecting this site. The incorporation of organic matter combined with clay did, however, provide large increases to both dry matter and yield. The incorporation of organic matter provides a large nutrient benefit, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. However, nutrients applied by the landholder should have been adequate to meet the yields delivered. Clay addition would have provided more than enough potassium.

Waterlogging is a serious threatening process for growers across WA, with real implications to crop health and farm profitability. The Subsurface Drainage Return on Investment trial aimed to assist growers in making informed decisions around the efficacy of subsurface drainage in reducing impacts of waterlogging on crop production systems and increasing farm profitability through yields.
Two subsurface drainage demonstration sites were established in the high rainfall zones of Neridup, and Dalyup in the Esperance Port Zone. Monitoring began in 2021 and collected data on perched water levels, yield improvements and environmental factors. The 2021 and 2022 harvests were record breaking for the area, as a result of high rainfalls, and although Neridup and Dalyup both experienced significant waterlogging, the drains performed well and produced substantial yield benefits. The drains also presented yield benefits in 2023 despite it being a decile 1 – 3 year for the trial.
The time until return on investment for subsurface drainage is determined to be between 9 – 12 years and is expected to provide internal rates of return to growers between 12 – 16%. This project finds subsurface drainage to be a profitable and effective management tool to address waterlogging. Further research and expertise is required to support broadscale adoption.

• Sub-surface drainage has resulted in improved production results at both demonstration sites located in Cranbrook & Perillup, with an initial economic payback period based on an estimated 2-to-7-year period, dependent upon trial site location and the associated field of influence. 
• The two demonstration sites had exceptional yield responses in 2021 & 2022, with values circa 47% yield improvement in Barley, 39 – 73% yield improvement in Canola, and a lesser yielding of 3.7-12.2% achieved in 2023 with Wheat in a heat-stressed environment.
• Whilst yield improvements were seen across both demonstration sites, yield was impacted by heat-stress & drought-stress during flowering & grainfill in 2023.  
• Sub-surface drainage is a waterlogging management solution that requires substantial upfront investment from growers, with fully “installed” costs typically estimated at around $15,500 - $17,000/km*.

(i) An outbreak of sclerotinia stem rot is highly dependent on the season. Prolonged wet or humid conditions during flowering favour the disease. (ii) Consider past outbreaks of the disease as a guide to potential yield loss. (iii) Avoid growing canola in paddocks with a history of sclerotinia stem rot over the past four years, or in adjacent paddocks. (iv) Well-timed fungicide treatments – when canola crops are at 20 to 30 per cent flowering stage – can be highly effective in reducing the level of infection.

Growers and their advisers in the area are more familiar with soil water relations, N dynamics and variation of yield potential in relation to soil types and season. Their integration into Yield Prophet reports has been demonstrated. This should lead to some commercial adoption of Yield Prophet and other crop decision support systems for better management of crops leading to increased profitability through management of seasonal risk.

Inversion ploughing of water repellent sands can significantly reduce repellence and increase critical components of grain yield.

Deep ripping in the presence of problem background ryegrass can stimulate ryegrass emergence and worsen weed competition with the crop.

The strength of the subsoil resource (i.e. clay component) appears important in sustaining the crop production potential and realisation of grain yield improvement.

• Barley leaf rust (LR) was observed on barley regrowth in the lower Great Southern and South Coast of WA in the summer/autumn of 2016. This contributed to the first observations of infected barley crops in the region in July 2016. All barley varieties including those with Adult Plant Resistance (APR) were under severe disease pressure and responded to application of fungicide.
• The high levels of LR in 2016 and the possibility of barley regrowth in autumn 2017 means a significant LR risk for the 2017 season and fungicide programs for APR varieties should be considered.
• LR is a social disease and all growers should be proactive in eliminating the volunteer barley green bridge. To minimise early onset of LR, the regrowth barley should be eliminated at least 4 weeks before seeding.
• Star of Bethlehem (an alternate host) should be sprayed to eliminate the likelihood of new pathotype developing in the region.
• Selecting varieties with adult plant resistance genes will reduce grain yield loss. However, performance of these varieties against LR is influenced by seasonal weather, time of disease onset, crop agronomy, and is hard to predict season to season. Depending on the LR pressure in the crop they may need early foliar fungicide intervention to reduce development of disease on plants during the growing season.
• Oxford possess two partial resistance genes (Rph20 and Rph24), and under high LR pressure application of foliar fungicides increased yield up to 64 per cent.

• In the fourth trial season lentil grain yield benefits were observed from spading and lime treatments. Addition of lime (2200 kg/ha or 6600 kg/ha) and mixing with low, medium or high uniformity were the highest yielding treatments ranging from 3.36 to 3.69 t/ha.
• Lime rate and spading have had variable response on NDVI across four years. 
• In the first three years of the trial plant establishment has generally not been affected by lime rate, spading uniformity or deep ripping.
• Lentil tissue tests in year four revealed increased Mo levels (>0.3 mg/kg) in treatments where lime was applied.
• Soil samples taken in 2022 showed both the high and low uniformity treatments plus lime have increased soil pH compared to the control. The high uniformity has had the greatest impact on soil pH across the 5 to 30 cm sampling depths. 

• Vigorous growth in all crops and pasture treatments in 2009 has set up the trial for 2010, when the impact of soil mineral N on disease suppression will be assessed.
• At the start of the 2009 season there were already small differences in mineral nitrogen levels in the soil profile, spray topped medic having the highest with 63 kg N/ha and the control wheat the least with 44 kg N/ha.
• Since healthy medic will fix around 25 kg N/t DM, the medic spray topped treatment should have fixed around 125 kg N/ha during 2009.
• There were slight changes in Rhizoctonia inoculum in some treatments early this season but there were no visual differences in Rhizoctonia patches in the cereal plots in 2009.

• Removing subsoil compaction is critical and for some soil types can dramatically improve access to deep soil moisture.
• Correctly ground-truthing the depth of the compaction layer can drive the success or failure of ripping outcomes.
• Yield increases at the Goomalling site were largely driven by very deep ripping, with either the very deep ripper or delver, with yield increases of 0.55-0.74 t/ha, an increase of 74-93%. The only other treatment to increase yield was mouldboard ploughing on its own with a 0.44 t/ha, 55% yield increase.

At three field sites in WA, increased wheat yield was achieved at lower nitrogen (N) application rates when N was balanced with appropriate phosphorous (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) applications. Wheat yield was driven by the ratio of N to P and K rather than the absolute concentrations of the nutrients and it is possible to increase profit margins by balancing nutrient inputs.

The level of background nutrients present in the soil at sowing was a key factor in determining the responsiveness of yield to fertiliser applications and how profitable the fertiliser treatments were. Pre-season soil testing to determine the level of residual nutrients will allow growers to balance their nutrient inputs and help to maximise profits.

• When considering the time of flowering it is apparent that a warmer, low rainfall location like Minnipa (flowering in September) may have less risk of heat events than a medium rainfall region like Roseworthy (flowering later in October).
• A purpose built chamber was able to function well in the field and heat the enclosed air to 35oC.
• More work is needed to quantify the impact of hot days on wheat yields.

• Flowering time is determined by responses to vernalisation, photoperiod and earliness per se.
• Match variety and sowing time to ensure flowering occurs during the optimal period for your growing environment.

• The importance of sowing wheat and barley varieties in their ideal sowing window is key to gaining maximum yield opportunities.
• Winter wheat is best sown early as possible to gain optimal grain yield and seem to out-yield spring wheat varieties in Gippsland
• Timeliness of paddock operations is also imperative when optimizing grain yield for wheat and barley
• Disease pressure in cereals for the 2023 season was low with a dry winter and early spring
• Wet weather during the harvest period had a high impact on the lodging risk, with the spring wheat varieties having a greater lodging score in the plot 

• Slow maturing varieties sown early have potential to increase profitability, even in low rainfall areas.
• The late break to the season in 2012 in the UN, did not allow the long season variety to perform.
• Dry sowing of wheat 5 weeks before the opening rains produced equal or higher yields to wheat sown on the break.

• Challus lathyrus (winter-growing annual grain legume) produced hay that was more nutritious than vetch and field peas.
• Out of the commercial vetch varieties and the SARDI breeding line, Haymaker, produced the most nutritious hay, however it has greater than 5% hard seeds.
• The best alternative commercial vetch variety to Haymaker was Morava as it has no hard seeds.
• The SARDI breeding lines that performed the closest to Haymaker were SA/34433 and SA/33600.

• Agntain was found to provide little benefit for increasing canola yield. Agritain may have a role in reducing urea toxicity to germinating seeds, when crop seeds are sown close to pre-applied urea (especially when large amounts of N are used).
• This warrants further investigation.

• Agntain was found to provide little benefit for increasing canola yield. Agritain may have a role in reducing urea toxicity to germinating seeds, when crop seeds are sown close to pre-applied urea (especially when large amounts of N are used).
• This warrants further investigation.

• The site was very responsive to nitrogen (N) fertilizer. 30kg N/ha increased yields by about 0.5 t/ha (18 kg grain/kg N).
• 12mm rain fell 3 days after the N applications in June. This would have limited volatilisation losses.
• The trial site was also quite variable and no response to the urease inhibitors was measured.
• Hectolitre weights were 75-77 kg/hl, and screenings about 3%.

• Seedling densities were high at both sites, reflecting favourable conditions during spring.
• Sowing 5-10 mm below the surface into furrows resulted in a significantly higher density than the other treatments at both Gillingarra and Eneabba.
• Surface seeding into furrows gave a significantly higher density than into no furrows at Gillingarra, although there were no statistical differences between the two treatments at Eneabba.
• Surface-sown plots with no furrows were also the most patchy.

With a soil nitrogen content of 153kg N/ha at sowing, Derrimut wheat yielded just less than 6 t/ha with no N fertiliser.

Applied nitrogen (N) significantly reduced the yield of Derrimut wheat following lentils, yield being reduced from 3.2t/ha to 2.6t/ha as applied nitrogen was increased from 0 to 100kg N/ha in 25kg N/ha increments (linear relationship).

• The optimum nitrogen rate, regardless of timing, to maximise yield was 75kg N/ha, though protein contnet was maximised at higher N rates.
• Further investigation is required to define correlations between crop reflectance (NDVI) and N uptake.

• The effect of application of gibberellic acid (ProGibb) on dry matter production and subsequent grain yield of dual purpose wheat was investigated. There were large and significant increases in DM production when Pro‐Gibb was applied.
• A high rate (40g/ha) resulted in a more rapid increase in DM but by the 4th week all ProGibb treatments had produced significantly higher DM than the nil treatment.
• Average dry matter increases were around 30%, i.e. from 1.26tDM/ha to an average of 1.64t/ha.
• In contrast seven weeks after application the nil treatment produced significantly more DM than the ProGibb treatments i.e. ProGibb treated plants appeared to suffer a payback from the extra growth. Importantly this effect was not carried through to grain harvest with no significant differences between treatments being measured.

• Rhizobia symbiotially fix close to three million tons of nitrogen a year worth $4 billion.
• The Australian Inoculants Research Group (AIRG) and its predecessors have controlled and maintained the quality of legume inoculants through collaboration with industry, universities and R&D bodies for close to 60 years. 
• A symbol of inoculant quality assessment by an independent laboratory is the dispaly of the green tick logo. 
• These are different innoculant groups specific for different legumes.
• Correct storage is important to maintain high numbers of rhizobia in the inoculants. 
• The AIRG continue to monitor the quality of legume inoculants at different points in the supply chain and works closely with teh manufactures to ensure that Australia's growers have ongoing access to efficacious products. 

CAN gave a significant yield result at both timings and over both rates of urea (Table 1). The site responded to topdressed N markedly with a yield increase of 0.81 t/ha (90 Urea) to 0.93 t/ha (132 CAN) at the first timing. The second timing showed a 0.6 t/ha (132 Urea) to 0.82 t/ha (132 CAN) yield response. Both CAN responses were significantly different to Urea. The first timing gave a higher yield response with both products. There was little site variation with both controls not significantly different.

• ‘Compass type’ varieties with good early vigour, combined with a prostrate growth habit are the best competitors (Compass, Fathom, Scope CL, RGT Planet).
• ‘Hindmarsh type’ and ‘Urambie type’ varieties with very slow early vigour are poor competitors (Hindmarsh, Spartacus CL, Urambie).
• In the presence of grass weeds there was an average of 0.9t/ha yield loss across all barley varieties.
• Three years of data has reinforced that certain varieties can be used as a non-herbicide option for grass weed control.

• Trifluralin was very effective, reducing ryegrass numbers by 60 percent.
• The use of oilseeds and pulse crops provided the opportunity to effectively control resistant ryegrass using different chemistries (even within Group A - dims).
• Cutting hay is a profitable option with low risk and importantly very effective in reducing ryegrass if managed correctly.

• Crop sensors are a useful tool for measuring and mapping the growth of crops, however their limitations need to be recognised.
• Poorer crop growth and lower sensor NDVI values can indicate lower N availability within a paddock, but this should be ground truthed, rather than assumed as there are many potential constraints to crop growth that could also be the cause.
• The use of an N-rich strip in conjunction with crop sensors can provide an indication of the likely grain yield response to N.
• The N rate calculation still requires a yield prediction – a potential fit with APSIM / Yield Prophet.
• Utilising predefined paddock zones created from historical yield and/or soil data may help to refine the use of crop sensors for variable rate applications.

The objective of this GRDC / SPAA funded project is to increase the level of adoption of PA 'beyond guidance' by broadacre farmers. The project specifically aims to increase the level of adoption of variable rate (VR) by growers in the project to 30% by 2013.This goal will be achieved by demonstrating how to use PA tools to growers at a regional level and by increasing the skills of growers and industry in PA to a level where they can then use PA tools in their farming systems to achieve economic, environmental and social benefits.

• Slugs are a major pest for emerging canola crops in the high rainfall zone (HRZ)
• Detection across large areas is difficult from the ground
• Remote plant counts can be produced using images collected by drones
• Information can be returned to the grower within five days
• Only two out of every five days had suitable flying conditions, causing image collection to be delayed

• Liquid P applications must be considered a viable option in these farming areas considering these results. It should also be pointed out that this is only one set of trial data in one year for this area. These results indicate that more trial work on LMAP needs to be conducted in the future. 
• Based on previous trials from other areas, the above results indicate that soils in these areas are able to tie up P and that the use of the liquid form of P as LMAP is a viable option for broadacre cropping where this occurs. 
• Finally this trial indicates that a positive yield response can be gained from additional use of N fertilisers, as seen in treatment 5, which was a combination of urea and MAP granules. 

In a trial on Yitpi at Corack there was not yield or margin benefit from using flutriafol on fertiliser at either 400 or 800mL/ha rate, despite low level stem rust and yellow leaf spot infection in the top three leaves of the crop.

• High rates of seed and fertiliser could indeed be a useful tool for controlling weeds. Seed costs would be a little greater but the ability to control the weeds without using chemical - particularly in a situation where resistant weeds become a problem, could certainly make the cost acceptable.

The objective of this GRDC / SPAA funded project is to increase the level of adoption of PA 'beyond guidance' by broadacre farmers. The project specifically aims to increase the level of adoption of variable rate (VR) by growers in the project to 30% by 2013.This goal will be achieved by demonstrating how to use PA tools to growers at a regional level and by increasing the skills of growers and industry in PA to a level where they can then use PA tools in their farming systems to achieve economic, environmental and social benefits.

• This site was unresponsive to N and there was no significant effect of either seed rate or N timing upon yield.
• Crop vigour was poor through the season and this was most likely related to subsoil acidity and aluminium toxicity.
• Plant testing confirmed adequate supply of nutrients.
•  

• There is an opportunity to use locally available amendments in place of inorganic fertiliser.
• High rates of surface-applied chicken litter tend to have a better yield response than either surface-applied compost or inorganic N fertiliser.
• Stability of these organic products may provide a less risky option for managing inputs with no need for top dressed urea in the first two years.

A yield increase is apparent in figures 2 (circled) and 3 (see attached Trial report) at the ripped only treatment in the eastern plot, however this is not seen in the western plots and does not stand out in graph 1. Results presented in Graph 1 generally show only slight differences with the greatest response observed in the gypsum only treatment on the eastern plots. This soil was highly sodic at 10cm and as could be expected the gypsum would make a quicker impact on sodicity, thus allowing for improved drainage that may have improved crop production. Gypsum would take longer to impact on subsoil sodicity and may show a response after several years of data are collected

Yield stability and Adopting VRT.
In the initial phase of the project, trial paddocks were selected that had a high degree of
variability. The aim was to exploit this variability to increase whole paddock profitability.
As we learnt more about crop performance in individual paddocks, it became apparent
that some paddocks had a high degree of variability from season to season as well as
between zones (i.e. a high performing zone one season could be a low performing zone
the next). This makes using variable rate technology (VRT) to achieve target yields is
very difficult.
We have developed some rules of thumb for determining if VRT is likely to be profitable
based on the percentage of the paddock that is stable through time.
Highly suited to VRT = >70% Stable
May suite VRT = 55-70% Stable
Unlikely to suit VRT = <55% Stable
Our research shows that unstable zones within a paddock are usually impeded by soil
physical or chemical constraints such as water logging, sub soil acidity, sub soil
compaction. Water logged sites tend to be low yielding in wet seasons and high yielding
in dry years. Sites with subsoil problems tend to perform like medium zones in seasons
with a soft finish and like low zones when there is a dry end to the season.
Trial results have given economic responses (up to 500kg/ha) in the first season to deep
ripping to overcome a tight subsoil.
Most trial sites have not given economic yield responses to additional applications of
nitrogen, phosphate (and potassium on some sites). To date the most profitable treatment
has been the low fertiliser input strategy in high or low yielding seasons.
7
Water Storage Determines Yield
University of Western Australia honors student Josh Whitwell joined the project to assess
how water holding capacity of soil affects yield in that zone. Josh found that grain yield
was determined mainly by a soil’s ability to store and supply water to plants. The high
productive zones commonly had soil profiles that could store larger amounts of water and
supply it back to the crop. Of the 45 sites investigated, 40 were found to have limited
rooting depth due to critical amounts of pH, EC and soil strength. This suggests there is
scope to increase grain yield by ameliorating subsoils.
Focus for 2006 and 2007
With the project extension now approved we intend to focus on continuing research on
the main trial sites to increase replication through time. We hope with the additional two
trial years we can better understand how seasonal conditions interact with zone
management.
We also intend to compare the different paddock zoning methods used by our
collaborating partners, Gamma radiometrics, (B Whelan, Sydney University) and Crop
biomass image analysis (I Mailing, Silver Fox) with zoning from actual yield data.
Economic Analysis
Over the three trial years we have seen a large fluctuation in fertiliser cost and grain
prices.
For all economic calculations the prices have been standardized to eliminate year to year
fluctuations in grain price or fertiliser cost. This has enabled comparisons through time.
• Wheat price – A net in bank wheat price of $180/t plus or minus AWB golden
rewards quality bonification (July 2005). The $180 net in bank price reflects the 5
year average for wheat delivered Corrigin.
• Malt and Feed Barley price – A net in bank wheat price of $198/t (malt) and $153/t
(feed) plus or minus quality bonification. The net in bank price reflects the 5 year
average for barley delivered Corrigin.
• Lupin price - $190 net in Bank.
• Canola price - $355/t net in Bank plus and minus oil bonification as per grain pool
July 2005. This reflects the 5 year average net in bank canola price for Corrigin.
• Fertiliser prices – 2004 Company list prices were used for all 3 trial years.

VRT Performance

Matching fertiliser inputs to productivity zones (VRT) was rarely the most profitable strategy. Table 1 summarises the 9 successful trials undertaken in 2006 and 2007. These were above 5 average production years for the Corrigin area. It is assumed that the low, medium or high fertiliser treatments were blanketed across the whole paddock. The VRT treatment involved apply low inputs to the poor productivity zone, medium inputs to the average productivity zone and high inputs to the good productivity zone. This summary shows that in 8 of the 9 trials a blanket application of low or medium fertiliser rates was the most profitable way to fertilise the paddocks. High inputs were never the most profitable approach. The VRT approach was only most profitable in 1 of the 9 trials. The high input treatment was the least profitable strategy in 6 of the 9 trials.

Phosphate responses

Many of the paddocks where we had our trials were un responsive to phosphate. Our research has shown that many soils now have sufficient levels of phosphate that crops either don’t respond to additional applied phosphate or the responses are very small. The WA wheat belt has been in a phosphate building phase since clearing. Many farms now have sufficient phosphate levels. Fertiliser regimes could now be reduced to a maintenance regime. This would offer significant savings to growers especially given that the price of phosphate has tripled in the past two years. There would also be some significant environmental benefits to preventing over fertilising.

Best Fit for VRT

We feel that in the Corrigin area the most economic use of VRT will be for patching out potassium on responsive soil types as well as ameliorating soil with applications of lime or gypsum in the areas which have the highest requirement, rather than blanket applications on areas that do not require amelioration. VRT could also be used for tactical applications of nitrogen. Where the paddock is blanketed with N and P for and average production season. In an above average season additional nitrogen should be applied to the high productivity zones where the demand for additional nitrogen is likely to be highest.

Precision farming tools such as EM surveys and yeild mapping can add greatly to our understanding of grain yield and quality variation across a paddock. The results of N fertiliser and sowing rates on Silverstar wheat demonstrated that:

• grain yield differences are determined by soil type.
• high sowing rates can contribute to lower screenings but does now guarantee lower screenings.

The larger scale trial work raised issues on how to interpret small scale plot work. There is a greater need for researchers and farmers to work together towards identifying and interpreting paddock variability, before large scale, and often costly, management practices are put in place. 

• Remote sensing can confidently be used to map a rice crop’s panicle initiation (PI) nitrogen (N) uptake.
• A remotely sensed image of nitrogen uptake at PI can identify variability in the uptake and enable variable rate nitrogen topdressing to maximise grain yield with reduced risk.
• Remotely sensed data has been collected using field spectroradiometer (SVC HR1024), multispectral cameras including the MicaSense RedEdge, Tetracam MCA and Headwall Hyperspectral Imager, and Worldview 3 satellite data.

• Blackleg internal infection was found to be greater in retained seed compared to the original hybrid.
• Some trials showed a yield loss when retained sowing seed was used.
• The use of farmer retained hybrid seed must be questioned based on these and other trial results.

• The ameliorants were applied in 2014, where 3.0 t/ha of gypsum proved to be the most effective in increasing establishment.
• However all treatments have had no effect in subsequent seasons.

Higher apparent N recovery efficiency was recorded in the topdressed treatments than the mid-row banded treatments, particularly the one topdressed early before waterlogging (TDE). There was no real difference in the N recovery between the MRB rates (190 and 290 kg/ha).

• The wetting agent /humectant SE14 was applied at seeding to see if crop establishment was improved in a dry sown oat crop near Lake Grace on a soil without non-wetting issues
• Significantly more oat plants germinated at SE14 3L/ha + water 47L/ha compared to the nil
• There was no significant difference in plant establishment between two different water rates used for applying the wetting agent
• It is unknown whether the increased plant establishment resulted in increased yield, as yield was not recorded.

• Yields were significantly higher under narrow row spacing, but sowing direction had no influence on yield.
• Weeds had a significant effect on yield, but the scale of yield penalty (t/ha yield loss) did not alter with row spacing or sowing direction in 2015.
• Weeds established faster where row spacings were wider, however by late tillering, all treatments had similar weed numbers and biomass levels.

•  Yields were significantly higher under narrow row spacing, but sowing direction had no influence on yield.
• Weeds had a significant effect on yield, but the scale of yield penalty (t/ha yield loss) did  not alter with row spacing or sowing direction in 2015.
• Weeds established faster where row spacings were wider, however by late tillering, all treatments had similar weed numbers and biomass levels.

• Condition score stock every time they come into the yards and use the “Lifetime Ewe” app to guide costeffective decisions on feeding regimes.
• Ewes pregnancy-scanned for twins and singles and managed as separate mobs, enables tighter feed management of the singles without compromising the overall lambing percentage.
• Use all the tools - Pastures from Space, condition scoring Lifetime Ewe app and stocking rate calculators - to ensure mobs are not being over or under-fed (both options can lead to costly mistakes).

Using Utrisha N did not demonstrate a yield advantage over only using synthetic fertiliser however, it is proven that
it could mean synthetic fertiliser use could be slightly reduced, and hence improve gross margins in growing crops
such as maize.

• SclerotiniaCM is an app to aid growers and consultants in making economic fungicide application decisions to manage Sclerotinia in canola.
• The SclerotiniaCM app correctly identified the value of applying a fungicide spray in trials and large-scale demonstrations in commercial crops in the Geraldton port zone while suggesting spraying would not be worthwhile on the south coast.
• Apothecia observations, petal infection, disease progress and yield results from both the Geraldton and Albany port zones confirmed the SclerotiniaCM app offers an easy and useful tool for making decisions on whether or not to apply fungicide for Sclerotinia management.

When using the BlacklegCM App the information contained within the predictions is an indication of potential, not a guarantee for profit. The results from the York trial, where it was more of a case of minimising the loss received rather than focusing on making a profit, showed that regardless of the predications made by the app there was always going to be a loss received at this site due to poor seasonal conditions. The BlacklegCM App is an ideal fit to provide an indication of risk to a canola crop from blackleg, and the potential economic impact of this decision (positive or negative), as the user inputs the parameters that they are assessing prior to undertaking the decision to execute this plan.

While the analysis of using the BlacklegCM app as a predictive tool could not be completed for the 2020 trial results, the data collected from this season’s trial was able to show that the new technology that has been developed to further enhance the growers ability to minimize the impact of blackleg infection is effective. The results also showed that Pioneer 44Y27 (RMR) yielded higher when compared to the BASF 3000 (MSS) used in the same trial sequence which correlated with the Stingray (MR) having a greater yield across both trial sites than the Bonito (MS) under blackleg pressure, supporting the benefits of robust blackleg resistance ratings from broader trials.

Extension of the app needs to be clear that the figures that the app develops are based on the background research, the parameters put into the app and that there is still a range of variability to allow for within the system.