• Establishment of perennial pastures is relatively expensive and represents a high risk activity during years with very low spring rainfall. • Ideally Lucerne and pasture grasses should be established by sowing early in paddocks with low weed populations, such as may occur after several years of a well managed cropping program.
• Press wheels will improve establishment in some soil types.Establishment of perennial pastures is relatively expensive and represents a high risk activity during years with very low spring rainfall.
• Ideally Lucerne and pasture grasses should be established by sowing early in paddocks with low weed populations, such as may occur after several years of a well managed cropping program.
• Press wheels will improve establishment in some soil types.

• Starter application of P was important in maximising yields at GS30.
• Grain yield responses (< 90 percent relative yield) to P were obtained for 35 percent of the paddocks surveyed.
• DGT accurately predicted wheat responses to P accounting for 64 percent and 79 percent of the variation in early dry matter and grain respectively.
• Colwell P could only explain 36 percent of the variation in early dry matter and no significant relationship could be obtained with grain.
• Colwell P plus the Phosphorus Buffering Index (PBI) correctly predicted wheat response in 60 percent of the sites.

• Gauntlet wheat sown as the second wheat crop after canola yielded between 3.84–4.44t/ha with 232mm of growing season rainfall (Apr-Oct) and an estimated 118mm of stored water at sowing (total 350mm).
• Moving from a narrow row spacing (22.5cm) to 30cm and 37.5cm row spacings reduced yield by 13% and 11% respectively in the 2012 season.  In 2011, moving from a 22.5cm spacing to 30cm and 37.5cm spacings reduced yield by 4% and 10% respectively for the second wheat trial grown in the same paddock.
• It was estimated that the narrow row spacing (22.5cm) resulted in better water use efficiency (WUE) than the widest spacing (37.5cm), despite having a lower harvest index (44% vs 47%) than the widest rows.  

• Plant establishment at a 22.5cm row spacing was signifi cantly superior to 30cm, which in turn was signifi cantly higher than 37.5cm. The disc drill opener gave better establishment than the tine at the narrow (22.5cm) row spacing but not at the wider row spacing. 
• Advantages with the narrow row spacing were seen early in the season in terms of plant population, dry matter (DM) and tiller production. These advantages did not translate to signifi cantly higher yield in this rotation position. This result was identical to the results of the 2010 trial when wheat on wheat yields showed a similar, but not signifi cant, trend for narrow row spacing (22.5cm) to be better than wide row spacing (37.5cm). 

• Wheat on wheat sown 15 May 2013 yielded between 3.35 and 4.70t/ha depending on row spacing, plant population and nitrogen application.
• The narrow row spacing (22.5cm) produced the same yield and water use efficiency (WUE) as the wider row spacing (37.5cm).
• There was no difference in dry matter (DM) at harvest and grain yield due to plant population, though the lower plant population produced grain with significantly higher protein levels.
• Wider-row-spaced crops produced significantly higher protein than narrow-row crops, though there was no difference in yield.
• Wide row spacing significantly reduced DM compared with narrow row spacing at all assessments from tillering onwards until harvest when the difference was not statistically significant.
• This result is in contrast to the first wheat after canola, where the wider row spacing (37.5cm) yielded less and had lower WUE compared with the narrower rows.

• Canola varieties varied markedly in the time it took from sowing to the start of flowering.

• Eighteen of 31 varieties started flowering before the optimum start of flowering date for the Wagga Wagga region when sown early on 28 March 2019.

• Thirteen varieties started flowering after the optimum start of flowering date when sown on 26 April 2019.

• Early observations of crop vigour (11th July) found that the 0P plots at all rates of nitrogen were significantly less vigorous than the plots that had phosphorus applied, with the plants in the highest rates of P applied showing the highest vigour.
• This response to applied P was still evident at the later observations of crop vigour on 8th August. This demonstrates the need to apply fresh phosphorus to crops at seeding to ensure good plant shoot and root growth during the early stages of crop growth.
• For further results please see the attaached trial report.

The Rand site was sown on the 12th May 2010 with 8 treatments of various amounts of seed and P fertilizer. The variety was Lincoln and the sowing fertilizer was MAP. The site had grown canola in 2009 and had been summer sprayed for weeds. It was direct drilled into the canola stubble. The site had an N rich strip of 50hg/.ha of N applied about 5 weeks prior to the assessment in July 2010.

The apparent better performance of MAP T3 is noted but when looking at the other MAP based products they don't follow the same trend. There was no significant response to applied phosphorus, sulphur or zinc. The CV of the trial is quite high, meaning that a 0.48 Tonnes/ha yield response was needed for anything to be significant. There was no negative effect of applying starter nitrogen in this trial, however there was no positive effect. At current pricing the MAP based products are a very cost effective source of phosphorus and sulphur regardless of the starter nitrogen. Tissue tests indicated all nutrients were adequate see Table 99.
 

• On light soils, nitrogen is generally the most important nutrient in achieveing optimum cereal yields and maximising return.
• It is important to maintain a balanced approach to crop nutrition.
• In deficient sandy soils, nitrogen can be confidently applied to malting barley, particularly if applied early and to crops free of disease and weed competition.

At Chapman Valley in 2013 canola grain yields began to plateau at approximately 20-30 plants/m².  Economic optimum target densities were found to be @ 16 plants/m² for Hyola 404RR, 24 plants/m² for GT Viper, 33 plants/m² for Hyola 450TT, and 34 plants/m² for ATR Stingray.

Taking into account contingencies such as seeding errors, dry conditions at seeding and changes in seed size or viability we suggest that seed rates of RR and TT hybrids and RR OP at similar sites be around 1.9 to 2.3 kg/ha, whilst the cheaper seed of less competitive TT OP lines be sown at @ 4.0 kg/ha.

In 2014 – a dry season with limited growth and yield at the trial site – Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) were not economically viable or worthwhile.

PGR use in a tough season may pose more risk than benefit to cereal crops; their use should be gauged on seasonal outlooks.

In 2014, reduction in plant height was greatest with a PGR applied either as a single late, or a split application, not an early application.

The combination of a fungicide such as Amistar Xtra with a PGR such as Moddus Evo, appears to increase the effect of the PGR on plant growth.

The polymer coated canola had very poor germination, even after 60 mm of rainfall in the month post sowing. More work needs to be done on the coating thickness and cost before polymer coating could be considered as an early sowing tool in our growing conditions.

• Biodegradable polymer films retain soil moisture and increase soil temperature.
• Polymers allow crops to be grown out of season and expand the planting window.
• Sorghum and millet successfully germinated under the film failed to germinate in the absence of the film.

Barley yields exceeded 5 t/ha with strong responses to lime and potassium fertiliser.

The 1.0 t/ha response to potassium (K) was not as strong as in the previous two wheat crops (1.4 t/ha in 2013 and 2.4 t/ha in 2014). This was probably partly due to better control of ryegrass in plots without K fertiliser compared to previous years.

The response to lime applied in 2011 and 2014 was also 1.0 t/ha. This followed a 0.35 t/ha response in 2014 wheat. Like 2014, lime did not affect response to K.

Compared to topdressing potash, banding K increased early crop vigour, but 140 kg/ha K-Till Extra (15K) did not supply enough K to satisfy demand of the high yield potential.

This trial has highlighted the importance of maintaining K inputs (if required) when undertaking liming programs.

Ongoing responses to lime are likely to increase future demand for K because soil reserves will be depleted at an increasing rate.

• This trial produced a 0.9 t/ha yield response to potassium (K) fertiliser (trt 1 v 6).
• Early rains and a wetter than average season contributed to waterlogged growing conditions through June/July and most likely to significant leaching losses of nitrogen (N).
• Topdressed MoP treatments lacked the early vigour of plots sown with potassium (K) banded with K-Till Plus. This was despite about 50mm of rain falling between the date of topdressing (12 April) and sowing (16 May).
• As the season progressed, crop growth improved up to the highest rate of MoP (144 kg/ha) applied.
• There were no significant yield differences between strategies supplying between 9 and 24 kg K/ha (trt 2, 3, 4, 5).
• There was no response to magnesium (Mg) supplied by kieserite (trt 7).

.

Early control of radish in both Terbyne pre-emergent plots showed great promise and gave enough early control and timento get back to spray post emergent applications with applications of Velocity or Jaguar contolling next to 100% of wild radish.

Reducing sowing rates to 50 kg/ha did not impact on yield, which is consistant with 2009 trial results. Yield at the site did not respond to applied phosphorus or nitrogen fertiliser even following early plant growth responses.

• Nodulation can be very poor and very patchy, and measures to improve both the level and consistency of nodulation are needed.
• Growers are encouraged to take root samples of legume crops in late winter or early spring to assess nodulation. A nodulation assessment guide that includes photos of plants with poor and good nodulation is available online.
• AgKI has received funding through GRDC for bean nodulation trial work in 2015 – so hopefully next year’s Ag Trial booklet will have good news about how to improve nodulation.

• Yield Prophet provided good background information to apply nitrogen during the season. Whilst the nitrogen applica-tion treatment based of Yield Prophet reports was the second highest yielding treatment it did provide a delayed spend on nitrogen. Treatment 4 had exactly the same nitrogen application rate but the timing was far early than treatment 7 (Yield Prophet guided treatment). This does prove that Yield Prophet can help growers to make less risky nitrogen de-cisions without sacrificing yield and grain quality. Obviously with the excellent finishing rainfall the highest nitrogen application was the highest yielding treatment.
• This site was very responsive to Flexi-N and some very high yields were produced.

 

• Unlike wheat, higher seeding rates in malt barley may have a detrimental impact on grain yield and quality. This is particularly the case for Schooner (lower yields) and Vic Sloop (higher screenings).
• The exception to this rule may be Gairdner. Higher plant densities had no impact on yield or grain quality so increasing seeding rates in this variety may be a management tool available to compensate for its poor early vigour.

A break of two years can produce a better financial outcome than continuous wheat over a four year period of production where there are substantial pressures on wheat performance (eg. grassy weeds). Wheat yields after a two year break were a significant step up from wheat crops following a one year break, which were in turn, much better than the continuous wheat. 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 break crop benefit of a one year break may only last one season if grass weeds are a significant factor. The major benefit of breaks in these long term cereal paddocks was to reduce grassy weed pressures for subsequent wheat crops phases. The benefit of a two year break had little to do with the phases chosen for those two breaks, providing that excellent grass weed control could be achieved in both. Many of the most profitable crop sequences over the four year period often started with a two year break phase.

• The standard treatment in this trial, namely Sencor (metribuzin) 750WG plus TriflurX, provided no more that weak suppression of brome allowing substantial seed set.
• The trial demonstrates a new option for brome control in barley crops now available to growers, namely growing Scope barley and using Clearfield herbicides such as Intervix or Midas. Both products provided excellent to absolute control of brome, as well as silver grass.
• The trial also demonstrates that while the pre-emergence treatments alone provide only modest control of brome, their use in combination with Clearfield herbicides has the potential to improve the overall Clearfield performance. Their use is recommended for resistance management purposes and as a means of securing yield by reducing early weed competition.
• Achieving absolute control of brome grass by treatments that pay for themselves and deliver a surplus to users (of $45 – $150 per hectare) should make most Clearfield treatments highly attractive. Atlantis, Crusader and Monza each only provided strong suppression that in the long run cannot be expected to overcome brome. Regardless of their return on investment, they failed to deliver satisfactory brome control (i.e.. >90% so that the seed bank is not dramatically reduced) and are useful only in terms of managing brome within the current crop at best.
•  

• At application the canola was growing well although there were blackleg lesions on the older leaves across both varieties in the paddock which was the reason the 450 mL/ha rate was selected.
• There had been no canola grown in the trial paddock in recent history with the only canola grown on farm back in 2009 in a paddock located ~ 2 km to the North West.
• With both varieties rated as MS or moderately susceptible to Blackleg and given the seasonal conditions with a High blackleg disease risk an application of Prosaro would be beneficial.
• The advantage of using a seed treatment under these conditions can be seen with the Jardee HT treated with Jockey Stayer not having as severe infection early and losing the plant stand. This can be seen in the differences between Prosaro treated Cobbler and untreated with a much bigger yield increase (see attached report).

• Sowing depth had no effect on emergence, biomass production or grain yield in lentils and field peas.
• Field peas - Early sowing (early - mid May) beneficial at the Mallee sites for newer varieties (PSL4, Snowpeak and Excell).
• Lentils - Later sowing (mid June - early July) beneficial this year due to late rainfall.

• Peas are the most robust pulse option in low rainfall environments, but erosion risks must be well managed.
• Early sowing is essential for maximising pulse yields.
• Kaspa is an option for low rainfall regions, but has generally performed best in the more favourable years.
• No significant yield difference occurred in Kaspa by increasing plant density from 45 to 55 plants/m2 in 2003.
• Beans and chickpeas are opportunity crops only in low rainfall environments and suited to better years and more favourable conditions.

• Peas are the most robust pulse option in low rainfall environments, but erosion risks must be well managed.
• Early sowing is essential for maximising pulse yields.
• Kaspa is an option for low rainfall regions, but has generally performed best in the more favourable years.
• No significant yield difference occurred in Kaspa by increasing plant density from 45 to 55 plants/m2 in 2003.
• Beans and chickpeas are opportunity crops only in low rainfall environments and suited to better years and more favourable conditions.

• A range of agronomic and variety trials for pulse crops were sown at sites across the High Rainfall Zone
(HRZ) of the South East in 2018.
• Trials across this zone are part of national breeding program trials (adding varietal information to GRDC
National Variety Trials database) or funded by MFMG.

• A range of agronomic and variety trials for pulse and alternative crops were sown at sites across the High Rainfall Zone (HRZ) of the South East in 2017.
• Trials across this zone are part of national breeding program trials (adding varietal information to GRDC National Variety Trials database) or funded by MFMG.
• Results suggest a variety of pulses and alternative crops may be adapted to the south east. 
• Agronomic treatments applied at Millicent did not alter broad bean performance.
• Trial planning for 2018 is underway.

• A range of pulse agronomic and variety trials were sown across the Medium Rainfall Zone of the South
East in 2018

• New faba bean PBA Bendoc, may be an option for growers in the Medium Rainfall Zone of the South East

• The use of Gaucho®600 on lentil to reduce the occurrence and impact of Alfalfa Mosaic Virus was evaluated at Keith
• Chickpea yields of over 1.0 t/ha were obtained at Sherwood
• At Keith average field pea yields were similar between a May sowing and a July sowing
• Average lupin yields of 2.68 t/ha at Sherwood, show it is a productive pulse option on suitable soil types

 

• A range of pulse agronomic and variety trials were sown across the Medium Rainfall Zone of the South East in 2017.
• Trials across this zone are either part of the GRDC-SARDI Bilateral Agreement, the GRDC National Variety Trials program, or funded by the MFMG.
• Results suggest a range of pulses may be adapted to this region.

The 1998 season in the southern mallee of Victoria was characterised by an early break, a dry winter and spring, and severe frosts in October.

• Chickpeas - New ascochyta blight resistant varieties of chickpeas continue to offer great promise, but the 2006 drought severely reduced seed availability for 2007. Large seed production areas are planned for 2007 and large quantities of seed should be available in 2008 of all chickpea varieties listed below.
• Fieldpeas - Varieties Sturt and Bundi (limited seed supply) will be available to growers in 2007. Both provide yield advantages over Kaspa. New early flowering Kaspa type field pea varieties have been identified and will be available to growers by 2009-10.
• Lentils - The 2006 drought has delayed the release of Nipper to growers until 2008. The green lentil Boomer will also be released in 2008 and offers an opportunity for development of a green lentil industry in Victoria.

PBA Striker has a good fit in Mallee rotations, but ascochyta needs to be more carefully managed than with resistant varieties like PBA Slasher and Genesis 090. Early sowing was still beneficial for all pulses, but particularly lentils, despite the dry start. PBA Percy and PBA Gunyah are showing good potential for the Mallee, as is PBA Wharton.

Earlier sown beans and lupins proved that pulses can yield in a very dry year. Although yields were comparatively low, an economic analysis has revealed that this enterprise selection was still profitable. Later sowing of peas, chickpeas and lentils showed little benefit due to the lack of follow up rainfall.

• The early maturing pea variety Celine was the highest yielding pulse when compared to beans, chickpeas and lentils.
• Celine peas yielded 2.54t/ha significantly higher than 1.64t/ha for the variety Kaspa. In 2006 at the Inverleigh trial site, peas failed with an average yield of 0.36t/ha, wheras in 2007 an average yield of 3.14t/ha was achieved.
• Bean yield reponses in 2008 were reasonable for the dry finish. Farah beans yielded 1.8t/ha signficantly higher than Nura beans which yielded 1.7t/ha. In the past 2 years beans have yielded an average of 2.25t/ha at the Inverleigh trial site.
• Both chickpeas and lentils failed due to the dry season, with onlyl minor rainfall event occurring during their growing season.

• In 2009, field peas were the only pulse crop to produce measurable yields in the trials run at Condobolin and Euabalong.
• All field pea varieties produced similar yields at Condobolin.
• Harvest was difficult due to stunted plant height and lodging.
• Sowing pulse crops early is essential to maximise yield.

• Five new pulse varieties were released for southern Australia in 2013. It is important to carefully assess the agronomic, disease and marketing strengths and weakness of each variety, and their overall role in the farming system.
• The warm, wet winter favoured biomass production and early botrytis grey mould onset in lentil and faba beans in 2013. Timely canopy closure fungicide application was critical for reducing yield loss in varieties with intermediate resistance.
• Weed competition was a major constraint to pulse production in 2013. A GRDC funded project has successfully developed alternative herbicide tolerances in lentil and faba bean and field validation is expected in 2014.  
• Clethodim resistant ryegrass is becoming a major issue in pulse production and alternative weed control strategies require investigation.

• In 2009, field peas were the only pulse crop to produce measurable yields in the trials run at Condobolin and Euabalong.
• All field pea varieties produced similar yields at Condobolin.
• Harvest was difficult due to stunted plant height and lodging.
• Sowing pulse crops early is essential to maximise yield.

• Five new pulse varieties were released for southern Australia in 2013. It is important to carefully assess the agronomic, disease and marketing strengths and weakness of each variety, and their overall role in the farming system.
• The warm, wet winter favoured biomass production and early botrytis grey mould onset in lentil and faba beans in 2013. Timely canopy closure fungicide application was critical for reducing yield loss in varieties with intermediate resistance.
• Weed competition was a major constraint to pulse production in 2013. A GRDC funded project has successfully developed alternative herbicide tolerances in lentil and faba bean and field validation is expected in 2014.
• Clethodim resistant ryegrass is becoming a major issue in pulse production and alternative weed control strategies require investigation.

• Winter habit canola has been successfully sown in spring, grazed over summer and harvested for grain in 2012 and 2013.
• 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.
• In 2012, grazing over summer increased grain yield compared with no grazing.  Ungrazed yield was 1.9 t/ ha; grazed was 2.7 t/ha.  Taurus sown at the conventional time (April) yielded 2.3 t/ha.
   

Post sowing pre-emergent and early post emergent herbicide applications all reduced radish numbers but not sufficiently to be commercially acceptable. High rates of triazines were more effective in controlling radish and were quite well tolerated by the broadleaf lupins in this trial. For effective control of radish in lupins, a post sowing application of triazine followed by a post emergent application of either Brodal or Eclipse is required.

Post-sowing pre-emergent treatments were not active enough to reduce a large radish population to a commercially acceptable level. Early post emergent treatments were more effective in reducing radish populations to a manageable level but did not eliminate the radish problem. Product mixes containing Brodal were the most effective in controlling to low levels quite a dense radish population.

• Row spacing and seeding rate made no difference to yield when sown on 4 May.
• When sown 24 May, yield decreased with wider row spacing’s, and slightly increased with higher seeding rates.
• The variation in this trial was large due to previous seasons header rows.

• Seed colour change (SCC) is slower to develop on branches compared with primary stems, with the primary stem only contributing ~22% of grain yield.
• Relying solely on SCC on the primary stem can underestimate overall seed development on the plant, negatively affecting seed size, oil concentration and yield potential.
• Windrowing earlier than 40% SCC on the primary stem was shown to reduce yield by up to 36% and oil concentration by 6.5%.
• Results clearly demonstrated the penalties associated with an early windrow timing, before 40–60% SCC on the primary stem, and the benefit of delayed windrow timings related to SCC, with yield optimised at the upper end of current industry guidelines.
• Ideally, SCC should be measured on a whole plant basis, not based solely on the primary stem, as branches contribute a large proportion of grain yield. There is also a further need for a clear definition as to what constitutes actual SCC in order to develop robust industry guidelines around windrow timing.

• The recommended field pea industry practice of P-Pickel T® seed treatment and 2 foliar fungicides of Mancozeb failed to significantly reduce disease infection levels or increase grain yield over untreated control treatments under high blackspot disease pressure in 2016.
• Early disease control applications (four weeks after sowing) were important for reducing initial blackspot infection levels at Minnipa, conversely later spring applications were important at the higher rainfall site of Hart.
• Over two consecutive years, a yield benefit of at least 15% has been obtained from application of new experimental fungicide actives over the current industry practice treatment of two foliar sprays of mancozeb.
• Further research is required to understand the interaction in efficacy between fungicides and timing of disease infection, together with the drivers of Ascochyta blight onset and progression in different field pea growing environments.

• The recommended industry practice of P-Pickel (PPT) seed treatment and two foliar fungicides of mancozeb failed to significantly reduce disease infection levels or increase grain yield over untreated control treatments under high blackspot disease pressure in 2016.
• Early disease control applications (four weeks after sowing) were important for reducing initial blackspot infection levels at Minnipa, conversely, later Spring applications were important at the higher rainfall site of Hart.
• Over two consecutive years, a yield benefit of at least 15% has been obtained from the application of new experimental fungicide actives over the current industry practice treatment.
• Further research is required to understand the interaction in efficacy between fungicides and timing of disease infection, together with the drivers of ascochyta blight onset and progression in different field pea growing environments.

• Frost and heat shock events can cause significant damage to grain crops during flowering and grain filling.
• To reduce the risk of frost or heat events reducing yield, it is advisable to sow different varieties with different maturity lengths right through the sowing window to ensure that not all he wheat sown on hte farm flowers at the same time.
• An alternative practice would be to sow a mix of two different maturity length varieties in the same paddock. 

• Canola can be an expensive crop to grow.
• Yields can be maximised by planting early in low rainfall environments.
• Retained seed from open-pollinated varieties has the potential to match yields of some hybrid varieties.
• Delaying nitrogen application until stem elongation (bolting) was not as effective as applying at seeding or early post-emergence.

• For the 3 phases of methane measurement reported, methane emission intensity (L CH4/hr/100g ADWG) was significantly lower for lambs on a better quality forage with high metabolisable energy, digestibility and crude protein.
• Feedlotting is an option that gives producers the flexibility to finish lambs when pasture availability is limited or light soils are at risk of erosion.
• Spray-topping cereal crops is a good management strategy for weed control and feed management for livestock, however, livestock productivity gains can be compromised when spray-topped cereals are grazed without offering lambs better quality fodder supplements.

In the last 30 years on Kangaroo Island:

Annual rainfall has been relatively stable.

Dry years have occurred 11 times and wet years seven times.

Rainfall has decreased in the autumn and spring months.

Winter rainfall is reliable; summer is unreliable.

The autumn break occurred end May or early June in the east around Cape Willoughby and through the west of the island, mid-June through the centre and not until late June around Kingscote.

Evaporation has increased in the spring months, but overall water balance remains unchanged.

There have been more hot days, with more consecutive days above 40 °C

  Key findings:

Yield in the presence of crown rot was generally barley > bread wheat > durum across both sowing times, but significant differences were evident between varieties.

• Barley, bread wheat and durum varieties differ in their extent of yield loss from crown rot and their actual yield and grain quality (screenings) in the presence of this disease.
• However, all varieties are susceptible to crown rot infection and will not significantly reduce inoculum levels for subsequent crops. Variety choice is not a sole solution to crown rot.

Conclusions

• Sowing date and variety maturity choice is a balance between frost risk and terminal heat stress in the northern grain region. Both can have a significant impact on grain yield. No frost damage was evident at this site in 2014 with either sowing time but terminal heat stress did occur which was more severe during grain filling with the second sowing time. A three week delay in sowing time resulted in an average 24% reduction in yield across the winter cereal entries.  Later sowing pushed grain-fill too far into hotter conditions. This can reduce yield by itself but if there is also an underlying issue with crown rot then delayed sowing significantly exacerbates the expression of this disease with negative impacts on both yield and grain quality.

  Varieties do differ in their extent of yield loss from crown rot and in their relative yield in the presence of high levels of infection, which is often referred to as tolerance. This is a function of a varieties level of partial resistance to infection but appears to also interact with its environmental adaptation and maturity relative to the timing of stress (moisture and heat) which exacerbates the expression of crown rot. Generally quicker maturing barley, durum and bread wheat entries were higher yielding in the presence of crown rot infection in this trial. This does not necessarily mean that these varieties have improved levels of resistance to crown rot infection but rather their quicker maturity allowed them to minimize stress during grain filling relative to longer season entries, reducing the expression of crown rot.

  If forced into planting a cereal crop in a high crown rot risk situation then some barley varieties may provide a yield advantage over bread wheat in that season, as long as early stress does not occur. Some of the newer bread wheat varieties do appear to be closing this gap to some extent. Barley tends to yield better in the presence of crown rot infection due to its earlier maturity relative to bread wheat, providing an escape mechanism which reduces its exposure to moisture stress during the critical grain filling stage. However, a key message is that this decision is only potentially maximising profit in the current season. Growing barley over bread wheat will not assist with the reduction of crown rot inoculum levels as barley is very susceptible to infection. Significant yield loss is still occurring in the best of the barley and bread wheat varieties in the presence of high crown rot infection. Variety selection can improve yield in the presence of crown rot, though all varieties still suffer yield loss, which can maximise profit in the current season but this will not reduce inoculum levels for subsequent crops. Winter cereal crop and variety choice is therefore not the sole solution to crown rot but rather just one element of an integrated management strategy to limit losses from this disease.

Potassium levels are low in this soil and this site should have been responsive to applied potassium, however due to seasonal and soil conditions there where no differences between treatments in this trial. The very dry June-August had a marked impact on crop growth, particularly tillering. This can be seen by the lack of differences in the head counts taken in September. Very hot conditions in early August also affected flowering in wheat and limited any response in grain yeild with later rains. Soil penetrometer readings in the paddock near the trial site showed hard pan and this in conjunction with the pH and Aluminium levels below 10cm would have restricted root growth and limited the wheat plants ability to access soil miosture at depth during the dry winter period. Without yield responses to applied treatments, crop return decreased as fertiliser rates increased.

• The 12 barley varieties were, on average 26%, higher yielding than the 4 wheat varieties in this experiment.
• the fast developing wheat varieties Emu Rock and Condo generally reached anthesis around the same date as the slow developing barley varieties Navigator, Oxford and Urambie.
• Long season barley varieties such as Oxford and Urambie performed well for early sowing (24 April) but most barley lines had their highest yield from main season sowing (12 May).
• The four early season wheat varieties generally had better yield from main season sowing than from early sowing. 

• A field trial was conducted at Pthara in 2009. Twenty-four wheat breeding lines from various Australian breeding companies were selected and sown at three times of sowing in a randomised block design with three replications.
• At this site, most of the AH varieties achieved more than 13% protein at all sowing times times except TOS1.

• Sowing in early June 2009 resulted in wheat yields on 3 soil types being similar but only achieving 50% of potential water use efficiency.

• WI3806-1 is an early maturing line equivalent to Keel in the good years and better in the bad ones.
• Very early maturing barley varieties will provide farmers with more cropping options.

• In 2009 47 ha of barley sown for feed at the break of the season sustained 300 ewes and lambs for 3 months during the period of late autumn-winter, a traditional period of pasture deficit.
• Hay freezing the forage crop ensures grass weeds are controlled.
• Use of strip grazing better utilises feed on hand and helps control erosion (especially around watering points).

• In 2010 Axe sown 1 July produced a similar grain yield and gross margin to Wyalkatchem sown 11 June. These results continue to show that matching varietyselection with sowing date can help to maximise profits.

• The early to mid season varieties Wyalkatchem and Mace performed well if sown early, while Axe performed well against the other varieties if sown later, facing a shorter growing season.
• Matching wheat variety selection with sowing date and soil type can help to maximise returns.

• Early growth of commercial, retained and mix seed treatments was similar.
• In 2013 fluquinconazole had no effect on the yield for any of the varieties.
• The conventional variety Hyola 50 was consistently higher yielding in 2013 (and 2012) when grown from commercial seed.
• The triazine tolerant variety showed no yield difference among the different seed sources in both years of trials.
• Significant yield reductions can result from retaining hybrid seed of some varieties.

• At Cunderdin in 2018 hybrid TT’s sown at the same target density produced similar yields to OP TT.
• With low seed costs, ATR Bonito retained for 2, 3 or 4 years produced equal highest gross margins of over $600/ha - Comparable to the high yielding hybrid Nuseed HyTTech Trophy.
• Retaining ATR Bonito seed ‘on-farm’ for 1, 2, 3 or 4 years produced similar yields, oil and higher gross margins than purchasing new OP seed.
• At our three sites in 2018, using ATR Bonito seed stored for 4 years produced plants lacking in vigour and overall poorer performance than growing out and retaining seed each year or purchasing new commercial seed.

• Very high yields were achived in Revenue which indicates the benefit of an early sowing (23rd April). To achieve high yields in Revenue sowing should be undertaken as early as possible. this variety has a strong vernalisation requirement which means that flowering will occur at approximately the same time of year irrespective of sowing date, thereby not increasing the frost risk.
• For further take home messages please see the attached trial report.

Rhizobia type or rate had no effect on yields. However a small adjoining trial showed a trend to increased yield due to rhizobia inoculation when plants were stressed by waterlogging. This is in keeping with results from last year's trial where large differences between inoculated and uninoculated treatments were attributed to waterlogging stress in winter and spring. This year's trial was sown on raised beds. The absence of waterlogging stress and the release of nitrogen from stubble from the previous poppy crop may account for the lack of yield response to inoculation. Yields were high this year, with some adjoining irrigated plots reaching 7 t/ha.

2018 Season

• Deep ripping to alleviate compaction and allow better water absorption has improved crop yields at 4 of the 5 EPZ Ripper Gauge demonstration sites in 2018.
• Not all ripping responsive soils required ripping to the same depth.
• While early season dry conditions were challenging and total growing season rainfall was low at the Dunn Rock demonstration site, the deep tillage treatments applied to the site’s sandy gravel over clay soil were a profitable means of increasing barley yield.
• Early season conditions were dry at the Cascade demonstration site. The results collected suggest deep tillage to 300mm or 600mm in the heavy sodic soils present at this site did not improve wheat yield. The rip to 600mm strip achieved an operating gross margin of less than half of both the control strips and the rip to 300mm treatment.
• While the mixing effect of the TopDown achieved a gain of 0.28t/ha when compared to the control, gains in yield were not as large as the effects of deep ripping, spading or a combination on the gravelly sand over clay soil type present at the Coomalbidgup site. The latter tillage treatments improved wheat crop yield by 0.51t/ha to 0.78t/ha when compared to the control strip average of 3.75t/ha, equating to a gross margin increase of between $54/ha and $174/ha.
• The loamy clay to circle valley sand over clay soils present at the Salmon Gums site showed an increase in crop yield of almost 0.91t/ha from ripping to 450-540mm depth. While both the control and shallow deep ripping (ie to 300mm depth) treatments yielded 2.5t/ha of wheat, the deepest tillage treatment yielded approximately 3.4t, equating to a gross margin increase of $316/ha.
• Tillage of the Neridup site’s sandy gravel over clay soils to 300mm increased canola yield compared to the control by 0.41t/ha which equated to a gross margin increase of $179/ha. Tillage to 600mm reduced canola crop yield by 0.35t/ha when just ripped and by 0.9t/ha when exposed to ripping to 600mm combined with a Topdown.

2019 Season

• Tillage treatments applied in 2018 to alleviate compaction and allow better water absorption (ranging in ripping depth from 100mm to 600mm) did not significantly affect crop yield when compared to site controls, regardless of the predominant soil type present at the site or the ripping equipment used. This is likely due to the much dryer than average rainfall conditions that prevailed at all sites in 2019 and the impact of severe frost at two of the demonstration sites (Salmon Gums and Cascade).
• Although the ripping treatments did not significantly improve or reduce crop yield at any of the Ripper Gauge demonstration sites in 2019, gross margin analysis did indicate tillage to 600mm depth plus use of a Topdown slightly improved operating profit at the Neridup site, when compared to the site control. Ripping to 540mm depth also improved financial performance at the Salmon Gums site when compared to the control.
• Ripping to 300mm and 600m depth reduced financial performance at the Coomalbidgup and Cascade Demonstration Sites, compared to the site controls. Two of the tillage treatments also reduced operating profit at the Neridup site compared to the site control.

• The nil treatment produced the highest grain yield at all sites.
• Deep ripping treatments reduced early crop vigour and grain yield at all sites, however at the Clare sites the effect on crop vigour was less.
• Subsoil manuring produced higher grain yields than surface manuring at 4 of 5 harvested sites.

There has been a major response to ripping but little response to nitrogen above and beyond the farmer dressings.  The ripping treatment markedly improved crop emergence numbers and timing.  The very dry nature of the season after seeding has meant no leaching of nitrogen and therefore no improvement in nitrogen uptake efficiency due to faster root penetration on the ripped plots. Plant counts, estimated biomass levels and yield components are shown in the table of results, above.

There was a marked establishment and growth response to ripping and variability was much more marked on the non-ripped plots than on those which were ripped.  Measures of surface soil wettability showed no difference between ripping so the better establishment was probably due to better and more uniform wetting on the rougher, more disturbed, ripped soil. 

Ripping gave better early growth but also better finishing conditions as reflected in higher harvest indices and lower screenings.  The ripped strip samplings emphasized this point so it seems that the ripping allowed better access to stored sub-soil moisture over the harsh finish to the season. Plant samples from on and off the ripped strips showed no difference in K status.

We sampled on and off visually obvious windrows north of trial (2) on 10 July and south of trial (3) on heavier country on 18th August.  Both sites showed unambiguous K deficiency which again was reflected in better grain size and lower screening measures on the K adequate windrow.  The sandy site had more severe K deficiency and bigger responses than the loamy site which had a higher soil K status.  Both areas would respond to K fertilizer applications.

• Contrasting canola yields were observed at two sites in 2015 highlighting both the potential and the risks of growing canola in the southern Australian low rainfall zone.
• Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crop’s development produced the highest grain yields. Purchasing hybrid canola instead of using farmer retained open pollinated canola provided no advantage in 2015.

• Contrasting canola yields were observed at two sites in 2015 highlighting both the potential and the risks of growing canola in the southern Australian low rainfall zone.
• Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crop’s development produced the highest grain yields.
• Purchasing hybrid canola instead of using farmer retained open pollinated canola provided no advantage in 2015.

• Contrasting canola yields were observed at two sites in 2015 highlighting both the potential and the risks of growing canola in the southern Australian low rainfall zone.
• Sowing at the earliest opportunity and applying N at seeding or early in the crop’s development produced the highest grain yields.
• Purchasing hybrid canola instead of using farmer retained open pollinated canola provided no advantage in 2015. 

• There was no significant different between treatments for yield.
• For further conclusions please see the attached trial report.

• High Density Legumes (HDLs) offer a profitable 1 year (potentially 2 year) break crop option for cropping rotations, as an alternative to the traditional pulse break crop.
• HDLs offer greater flexibility in that they can be grazed, cut for hay/silage or green manured. They also have the potential to produce significant quantities of regrowth after cutting or grazing, extending the period of high quality green feed on offer after other pastures have dried off.
• HDLs offer substantial benefits to the following crop(s) in the rotation, including high nitrogen input, disease break and weed control (if managed correctly). Their superior economic returns, compared with pulses, depend on the grower's ability to rotationally graze HDLs throughout winter and spring (and early summer if the season permits), and/or the capacity to use or sell large quantities of hay or silag

• In a dry season, there was a small grain yield benefit (90kg/ha) for wheat that followed terminated vetch and field peas (1.5-2.4t/ha of biomass), compared with fallow and terminated medic.
• Soil water benefits from fallow and legume termination don’t occur with dry spring finishes.
• Using soil tests to measure nitrogen mineralisation helps you to properly evaluate the benefit of a legume crop or pasture in a rotation.

• There was no detectable direct effect of sowing direction this season at Minnipa with a mild spring.
• Using a narrow row spacing of 18 cm instead of 30 cm resulted in wheat yield increasing from 3 t/ha to 3.6 t/ha (19% increase).
• Light interception was very sensitive to sowing direction, and not having ‘weeds’ resulted in higher light within the canopy in the north-south direction compared to east-west.
• Knife point and ribbon seeding systems achieved similar crop establishment and crop performance.

• VB 0021, Gairdner, Quasar and Baudin yielded the highest at this site however quality analysis shows that, of these high yielding varieties, only Gairdner achieved malt quality - VB 0021 and Baudin had a low protein content (<9.0%), while Quasar had low retention (<70%).
• This result for Gairdner is surprising given the number of crops in the district that did not make malt quality due to low retention or low protein.
• Of the three lowest yielding varieties: Sloop Vic, Galaxy and Schooner, only Schooner had quality parameters acceptable for Malt 1 quality.
• There was no yield advantage at this site from the boron tolerance present in Sloop Vic. To gain the greatest potential from Sloop Vic it should be sown in areas with medium rainfall where boron is suspected to be affecting yield.

• Contrary to expectations Russian Wheat Aphid pressure in Southern Australian cereal production seems low over the last years (2017, 2018). Dry and hot summer conditions seem to reduce green bridge survival of Russian Wheat Aphids.
• Barley grass and Brome grasses are major hosts (van Helden 2018) supporting RWA survival over summer. Their development will strongly depend on summer rainfall.
• Development of regional economic thresholds are in progress at trial sites throughout South Australia,Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales. Use of international thresholds are still advised until Australian thresholds are developed.
• Observations suggest that crop infestations occur in autumn on early growth stages, then persist over winter and can build up in spring, especially when plants are drought stressed.

• SAGIT funded trials over the last 3 years have shown the potential of vetch on Eyre Peninsula, leading to the selection of an early flowering (90-95 days) line with increased winter vigour (SA 34876) as a new variety for low rainfall mixed farming systems.
• The last three seasons have been particularly good at Minnipa for both grain and hay production of vetch.
• Piednippie trials have not been as successful as Minnipa, but have still shown with the right management vetch could produce good hay, fodder or grazing on the grey calcareous soils.
• On Eyre Peninsula early sowing (mid- April) can achieve good yield and hay production but is heavily reliant on either good subsoil moisture or late follow-up rain.
• Herbicide choices for vetch are very dependent on local conditions so talk to your local agronomist about the best options available.

This site received only a single knockdown on the 1st June 2010. There was a thick covering of green material present across the trial site when the treatments were applied especially on the header rows which would have compromised coverage and therefore final weed control.  The trial treatments were applied to moist soil on the 1st June. The trial was sown by the grower the following day after treatments were applied with knife point and press wheels on 9 inch row spacing. After sowing there were some clumps of trash caught up in the points particularly in the header rows across the site.

A site inspection on the 29/6/10 confirmed the effectiveness of the glyphosate application with no large weeds observed across the site.

The relatively new herbicide Sakura is currently registered for use in wheat only; in barley this product caused a yield penalty. Effects may not be seen in early stages of plant growth, as Sakura affects the root system. Deep sowing did not have an interaction with Sakura application.

• The application of Pastures from Space technologies allowed wethers to be carried at a stocking rate 50% above the district average.
• There were no significant differences in animal health or parasite burden between the two groups.
• The per head wool production was reduced by approximately 5% in the PFS mob; however, the per hectare performance was 42% above the Control mob for CFW and 44% above the Control mob for wool income per hectare. This outstanding result demonstrates the ability of merino sheep to grow wool at close to maximum rates on 800 – 1000 kgs DM per hectare of good quality feed
• Forward feed budgeting using the Feed Budget program was able to predict when it would be necessary to initiate supplementary feeding in the PFS wethers and when it would be necessary to remove sheep from the paddock altogether. This allowed forward planning to maintain adequate ground cover and hence preserve topsoil in the more heavily grazed paddock
• The net benefit in the PFS wether group was $73.83 per hectare after allowing for the higher direct costs per hectare associated with the higher stocking rate and the extra supplementary feed required in the PFS wethers. Due to the extraordinarily high prices for supplementary feed in early 2008, the extra supplementary feed cost
• $63.11 per hectare. This obviously had a large influence on the magnitude of the net benefit, with a benefit of $97.00 per hectare being achieved using long-term average supplementary feed prices

• Nitrogen applied to crops that have hayed off can contribute to crop biomass and yield in the subsequent season.
• When haying off is severe, a nitrogen (N) balance based on paddock history may be inaccurate.
• Conservative N management delivered the best economic returns over the two years of the trial.

• Monitor all varieties regularly for scald, regardless of disease ratings.
• A new virulent strain infected Hindmarsh crops in 2010.
• Later sown crops are less likely to be infected.

• Stubble treatments involving late burning or cultivation resulted in significantly different yields in wheat, barley and oats at 4 of 6 trials conducted at Rankins Springs, Weethalle, Wirrinya, Tottenham, Tullamore and Euabalong during 2013. The yield effects were not consistent and these initial trials could not be used to predict response. • Crop establishment was not affected by stubble or tillage treatment at five of the six sites. At Rankins Springs, however, establishment was 15% higher in the burnt stubble than in the standing stubble treatment. • Visual differences in early growth could be observed between stubble treatments. Biomass in mid-August was lower with standing stubble than after burning at three sites (Weethalle, Tottenham and Tullamore) but not at Wirrinya and Euabalong. • Variety rankings were not significantly affected by stubble treatments. The best option in terms of yield was to simply grow the variety with the highest yield potential for the sowing window.

• Stubble treatments involving late burning or cultivation resulted in significantly different yields in wheat, barley and oats at 4 of 6 trials conducted at Rankins Springs, Weethalle, Wirrinya, Tottenham, Tullamore and Euabalong during 2013. The yield effects were not consistent and these initial trials could not be used to predict response.
• Crop establishment was not affected by stubble or tillage treatment at five of the six sites. At Rankins Springs, however, establishment was 15% higher in the burnt stubble than in the standing stubble treatment.
• Visual differences in early growth could be observed between stubble treatments. Biomass in mid-August was lower with standing stubble than after burning at three sites (Weethalle, Tottenham and Tullamore) but not at Wirrinya and Euabalong.
• Variety rankings were not significantly affected by stubble treatments. The best option in terms of yield was to simply grow the variety with the highest yield potential for the sowing window.

• During 2013, in canola crops sown on time that achieved target plant populations, it appears that late burning and/or cultivation of previous crop stubbles improved yield.
• The cost of burning stubble needs to be considered both in terms of dollar labour cost and lost nutrients.
• Potential impact on fallow efficiencies following the canola crop need to be better understood. Burning stubbles may have a fit in paddocks where windrows are being burnt for grass seed control or stubbles are too heavy for seeders to get through.
• The cost of cultivation needs to account for both cost of the operation as well as the risk soil erosion, and the possibility of producing drier seedbed conditions at sowing time.
• CWFS proposes to do further trials in the next two years. Remember this report represents only one year (2013) of data from trials at Rankins Springs, Wirrinya and Tullamore.

• During 2013, in canola crops sown on time that achieved target plant populations, it appears that late burning and/or cultivation of previous crop stubbles improved yield. • The cost of burning stubble needs to be considered both in terms of dollar labour cost and lost nutrients. Potential impact on fallow efficiencies following the canola crop need to be better understood. Burning stubbles may have a fit in paddocks where windrows are being burnt for grass seed control or stubbles are too heavy for seeders to get through. • The cost of cultivation needs to account for both cost of the operation as well as the risk soil erosion, and the possibility of producing drier seedbed conditions at sowing time. • CWFS proposes to do further trials in the next two years. Remember this report represents only one year (2013) of data from trials at Rankins Springs, Wirrinya and Tullamore.

In furrow devices were superior to a press wheel.

The seed lock wheels were significanly more durable compared to in-furrow seed firmers.

• Even when sowing in April, into drying soil, establishment of canola was better at 1 cm compared to 3 or 7 cm.
• Sowing small OP seed deeper, at 3 and 7 cm, resulted in the poorest establishment and yield.
• In difficult conditions hybrid seed was better able to establish than OP canola.

• Even when sowing in April, into drying soil, establishment of canola was better at 1 cm compared to 3 or 7 cm.
• Sowing small OP seed deeper, at 3 and 7 cm, resulted in the poorest establishment and yield.
• In difficult conditions hybrid seed was better able to establish than OP canola.

• Seed quality: Check the germination and vigour of seed harvested in 2000, or other weather damaged seed.
• Nitrogen: Soil nitrogen levels are likely to be lower in 2001, but will vary depending on summer rainfall, fallow weed control and paddock history.
• Screenings: Pinched and small grain can result from drought stress and high temperatures, foliar disease or inappropriate input levels such as excessive early nitrogen, late sowing or poor soil water extraction.
• Black Point: Black point in wheat is now thought to result from enzyme reactions during ripening, brought on by environmental stresses.

• Growers should check the grain weight, germination of retained seed and calibrate accordingly to achieve consistent plant establishment from season to season.
• Correct seeder calibration amounted to a 0.3t/ha yield or $60/ha gain.
• If phosphorus (P) soil reserves are low, consider increasing P fertiliser rates to achieve optimal yields.

• Hot weather for 3 weeks in August impacted the range of results that could be expected. Yellow spot was quite evident early in many of the plots, with the treatments claiming to have some protection (Systiva)

The grain yield of hybrid triazine tolerant canola (CB Mallee) was not affected by reduced crop emergence compared to an open pollinated variety (Tawriffic TT).

• Canolas outperformed the mustards in high production situations.
• Some early generation material flowered much earlier than current commerical varieties but they struggled to out yield them in 2010.

• Canolas and mustards performed well at sites with low growing season rainfall and high levels of stored water.
• Roundup Ready lines show great promise over current commercial lines in better seasons.
• Results from the one site tested over the last three years under low rainfall conditions suggested that higher canola and mustard yields of acceptable quality are possible.

• Mustard outperformed by canola in high production situations.
• Some early generation material flowered much earlier than current commercial varieties but they struggled to out-yield them in 2010.

• Canolas and mustards performed well at sites with low growing season rainfall and high levels of stored water.
• Roundup Ready lines show great promise over current commercial lines in better seasons.
• At the one site tested over the last three years under low rainfall conditions, there was good promise of higher yields with acceptable quality for both canola and mustards.

 • Reduced sensitivity of the Septoria tritici blotch (STB) pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici to triazole fungicides is likely to be an increasing problem, following the discovery of more resistant biotypes (R8 strain or Isoform 11) on the mainland in 2016.
• The presence of this strain and its proportion in the population will influence disease management strategies differentially.
• In Tasmania, early season disease control in the field with flutriafol (2017 trials) and tebuconazole (2016 trials) has been reduced by the more resistant biotypes of the pathogen, whilst on the mainland trial sites the activity of flutriafol appears to have been maintained in 2017 for the control of STB.
• The performance of a new SDHI based seed treatment and to a lesser extent fluquinconazole (Jockey) has been better than flutriafol in Tasmanian trials.
• Triazole/strobilurin mixtures based on epoxiconazole and azoxystrobin (e.g. Radial, Tazer Xpert), along with new as yet unregistered combinations of triazole & SDHI have given excellent control of STB.
• In 2016 the advantage of these products was evident in disease control and yield response in wheat but in 2017 the yield response to these products was similar to that observed with Opus and Prosaro (registered in wheat but not registered for STB control).
• Single spray timings of foliar fungicide for control of STB made during the tillering phase gave less effective disease control than applications made between GS31 – GS39.
• The most effective control of STB on a canopy leaf layer is achieved by applying fungicide to that leaf shortly after it has fully emerged but before infection becomes established.
• Where more than one fungicide is used in wheat avoid using the same triazole active ingredient twice in a season, irrespective of diseases to be controlled. If it is not possible ensure it is mixed with another mode of action (strobilurin) at one of the timings.
• Since strobilurins are at higher risk of resistance avoid using products containing these active ingredients more than once in a season.