• Across three years addition of trace elements and fluid fungicide in-furrow did not provide increases in emergence, tillering or final yield - although this contradicts what other farmers have reported.
• Liquid N at sowing can improve crop emergence and early vigour, especially under dry conditions .
• Full liquid systems did not provide a profit benefit (due to higher input costs) even where they did provide increased yield which was not in all years.
• Recommendation most likely to provide higher returns for this area will be an in-furrow fertiliser system that incorporates some elements of liquid nitrogen and phosphorus fertiliser ,trace elements, fungicides and granular phosphorus and nitrogen fertiliser.

• One hundred barley lines from a world collection were grown in plant breeders' plots (4 rows x 5 m) on a severely manganese-deficient soil.
• Only 10% of the lines showed good tolerance of manganese-deficient conditions, which were severe enough to kill many of the entries in the tillering stage.
• Extreme sensitivity to manganese deficiency was shown by all progeny of CI3576, an introduction from Egypt, which has conferred considerable yield advantage and disease resistance on its progeny under more highly fertile conditions.
• In all, there were 20 lines from CI3576, including Corvette, and Galleon, a newly released high-yielding feed barley.
• At present, Galleon is not recommended for calcareous sands, pending further agronomic work on its manganese fertilizer requirements.
• The established variety Clipper and its relatives, and Forrest, were also sensitive to manganese deficiency. The tolerant lines fell into three genetically related groups, all of which had pedigrees going back to traditional English land races or their derivatives.

• A series of glasshouse experiments were conducted with a range of different soils planted to triticale, wheat or rye.
• In one experiment at pH 5 and pH 8.4, triticale was tolerant of flow copper at pH 5 like rye but sensitive to low copper at pH 8.4 like wheat.
• Copper concentration in shoots decreased as pH increased the effect was greatest in wheat and lowest in rye.
• In a similar experiment with zinc these relativities were maintained, that is rye was most tolerant of zinc deficiency and wheat least tolerant.
• In a third experiment in soils deficient in both copper and zinc, these relationships were maintained but adding zinc alone aggravated copper deficiency and decreased pollen viability and yield, while adding copper alone generally increased pollen viability and yield.

• A potted history and review of research into trace element deficiencies in South Australia (PDF available).

• No further yield benefit was measured from applying other nutrients (S, K, Mg) and trace elements (Zn, Mn, Cu) over and above that from applying nitrogen and phosphorus alone.

• 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.

• Vetch is a versatile crop that can be used for grain, pasture, hay/silage or green manure.
• Common vetches can be successfully grown in lower to mid rainfall areas of southern Australia where no other legume crops perform consistently well.
• It offers disease and weed breaks in rotation and also returns significant amounts of nitrogen to the soil.
• New vetch species are showing potential in very low rainfall areas, with trials to be conducted on Eyre Peninsula in 2012.

• Spores travel long distances so reducing stubble will only reduce white grain levels if adjacent paddocks are managed in the same way.
• Spraying fungicides is unlikely to be the answer to white grain problems.
• All the common wheat varieties grown on Eyre Peninsula can be susceptible to white grain.
• If growers observe white grain they may be able to reduce contamination by blowing away lighter grain during harvesting.
• Trials and monitoring will be ongoing on EP during 2012.

• Scout and Mace continue to out-yield the rest of the pack at Witera.
• Oxford and Fathom (WI4483) break 3 t/ha under severe leaf rust pressure at Witera.
• Espada and Scout top Elliston yields in 2011.

• Snapshot of some aspects of a large project on diagnosis of the deficiency, yield responses to zinc, residual value of zinc, protein increases and improvement of quality, and genotypic effects in relation to zinc.
• Zinc (as zinc sulphate hepta hydrate) was applied at rates up to 40 kg/ha. Nitrogen was applied at 30 kg/ha. Wheat cv. Hartog was sown at 30 kg/ha. In some experiments Cu was applied at 5kg/ha.
• Yield and protein in the grain increased with application of zinc.
• Zinc deficiency symptoms seen in crops without Zn applied throughout tillering and leaf samples confirmed the deficiency.
• The reduction in yield was largely due to plant mortality and fewer productive tillers per plant.
• Bread making quality as measured by a mixograph showed that the dough strength of zinc deficient grain was very poor.
• However, the dough itself mixed very quickly.
• Residual value of the initial application of zinc is at least 2 years: yield responses have occurred in successive seasons.
• In yield response experiments, responses to zinc have been recorded up 10 kg/ha; at 40 kg/ha, toxicity has been recorded at early tillering but the crop has recovered totally by maturity.