Barley trials

To investigate barley management options to close the yield gap and reduce pre-harvest losses

This investment will deliver a series of field trials and extension activities to reduce the yield gap between attainable yield and water limited yield potential in barley in the low – medium rainfall zones alongside virtual trial treatments derived by crop models to determine new attainable yield benchmarks for barley growers.

NGN Comparing barley yield gap and pre-harvest losses under water limiting and non-water limiting conditions.

This investment will deliver a series of field trials and extension activities to reduce the yield gap between attainable yield and water limited yield potential in barley in the low – medium rainfall zones alongside virtual trial treatments derived by crop models to determine new attainable yield benchmarks for barley growers.

This project aims to establish field sites which demonstrate amelioration techniques that growers can use to address the specific sandy soil constraints for their local landscape type and where in the landscape different tactics are best deployed.  

The objective of the four small plot trials is to provide statistically sound data that will inform farmer and consultant decision making in years of early waterlogging, where they are considering late sown cereals as an option. The trials will be professionally implemented and managed by industry best practice standards to ensure the data is reliable. The implementation of four trial sites also ensures the data generated is locally relevant to farmers right along the South Coast of WA.  

GRDC Project Outcome:

By March 2024, All Western Region growers and advisers will have access to trial information on late winter to early spring sown cereals (wheat and barley) on the south coast of WA to assist in making educated decisions to sow at this time when waterlogging presents and cereal crops cannot be sown at the traditional time or for other reasons that may present for a later sowing opportunity such as weed issues or poor crop establishment.

This investment is designed help build growers’ confidence and address gaps in knowledge relating to the agronomic management of recently ameliorated soils in the upper South East of South Australia. The project will include a three-year series of trials, soil characterisations, pit demonstrations and associated extension activities to:

• improve the agronomic management of ameliorated soils to the newlyestablished yield potential;
• reduce risks related to crop establishment and wind erosion in theamelioration transition phase; and
• improve understanding of soil physical and chemical properties andcharacterisation of PAW, and identification nutrition and soil constraintlimitations in ameliorated soil and how soil settles over the transitionphase.

Six distinct phases of amelioration have been identified through the planning and implementation of soil amelioration as follows:

1. Identification and ranking of constraints phase (byseverity and depth). Also includes selection of constraint specificamelioration strategies;
2. Pre-amelioration site preparation phase;
3. Amelioration implementation phase (large logistical andtime input);
4. Transition phase 1 to 2-year post amelioration , oftencharacterised by soft soil, a large flush of nutrition, acute short-term wind erosion risk, crop seeding difficulties and high cropresponsiveness;
5. New stabilised yield potential where the site has settledand immediate tillage effects on nutrient release havedissipated.
6. Mature phase where yields subside and constraints redevelop.Consideration given to re-amelioration of residual orredeveloped constraints.

This investment is designed to address gaps in grower confidence and knowledge around phases four and five (transition and new stabilised yield potential).

This project aims to demonstrate a range of management strategies for disease complexes as they arise, including plot trials at two locations assessing genetic plant resistance, fungicide and other management strategies in wheat, barley and lentils, and up to four responsive in paddock trials across the subregions, if and where need arises. Trials are aimed to support facilitated discussion and peer to peer learning around key disease management decisions.

To evaluate fertiliser input strategies for pulse crops growing on unripped and ripped soils

1. Understanding wheat variety by disease management interactions in the Gippsland sub region. 

2. To demonstrate the time of sowing of current and new varieties.

3. To assess fungicide treatments on various wheat varieties at key growth stages to evaluate fungicide performance to plan genetic disease ratings. 

To investigate barley management options to close the yield gap and reduce pre-harvest losses

This investment will deliver a series of field trials and extension activities to reduce the yield gap between attainable yield and water limited yield potential in barley in the low – medium rainfall zones alongside virtual trial treatments derived by crop models to determine new attainable yield benchmarks for barley growers.

The aim of this project is to improve the capacity of growers to identify and manage subsurface acidity on the Northern Yorke Peninsula. Soil testing and pH mapping for acidity has become common practice in the district. However, this sampling and mapping has focused on the top 0-10 cm of soil. Recent reports and preliminary work have confirmed an acidic band of soil is often occurring at the 5-15 cm depth and beyond in certain soil types.

There are two main components to this project:

• Spatially identifying subsurface acidity by validating the relationship between soil pH and EC (electrical conductivity).
• Develop best management practices for lime amelioration to manage subsurface acidity.

NGN Comparing barley yield gap and pre-harvest losses under water limiting and non-water limiting conditions.

This investment will deliver a series of field trials and extension activities to reduce the yield gap between attainable yield and water limited yield potential in barley in the low – medium rainfall zones alongside virtual trial treatments derived by crop models to determine new attainable yield benchmarks for barley growers.

Native budworm actively feeding on cereals has not been an issue for growers or industry in the past, and considering the recent detections, growers and western region industry networks have voiced that they would like support on this issue, especially regarding sampling techniques and spray thresholds. To achieve this, we investigated this new behavioural trend and the population numbers required to cause economic yield losses to determine if and when management is required in non-traditional cereal hosts.

Through pheromone-based moth trapping, crop inspections, glasshouse trials and a field cage trial, we investigated the behaviour of H. punctigera moths and larvae on, and potential economic damage to, wheat in the northern grainbelt of Western Australia. 

To investigiate if variety phenology has an impact on frost damage in a high risk frost zone

To investigiate if variety phenology has an impact on frost damage in a medium risk frost zone 

To determine if mixing cereal varieites with differing maturing will help reduce risk of crop failure in a high risk zone. 

To determine if mixing cereal varieites with differing maturing will help reduce risk of crop failure in a moderate risk zone. 

The aim of the trial was to assess the influence of PGR and nitrogen rates on the standability, head loss and yield of
an irrigated barley crop. We also wanted to observe the fit for PGR’s in a later planted crop with perceived yield
limitations due to season length.

This investment aimed to locally validate previous R&D investment relating to spring sown crops (albeit include newer crop types and varieties where suitable), building local grower and adviser knowledge to inform decisions when managing excess soil moisture. It aimed to provide production and economic information from both farm-scale demonstrations and a small plot trial to inform good business decisions in regard to spring/summer sown crops.

The trials evaluated the crop performance on a range of metrics to provide a thorough assessment of summer crops, and the role they can play in agronomic systems, and the potential they have to reduce the waterlogging risk.

GRDC Outcome:

By February 2023, 20% of Western Region Growers who farm in areas with a medium to high-risk of regular waterlogging will have built the knowledge and confidence to profitably sow a crop in spring or summer on paddocks were winter crops/pastures have failed due to excessive waterlogging or where soil moisture levels permit in future years.

To achieve this outcome, Stirlings to Coast Farmers (SCF) worked with a number of other Grower Groups to ensure the key learnings of the trial were broadly and successfully extended to growers in the Great Southern Region of WA.

The aim of this project was to work with growers to maximise harvester throughput capacity with acceptable losses in the Western region and compare data to that collected in 2022.

The aim of this trial is to compare a range of ‘N banking targets’  to ‘N crop demand’ driven N application strategies in terms of their impact on productivity (yield, protein), profitability (gross margin, risk) and sustainability (soil organic matter, carbon footprint,  losses) in diverse soil types in the LRZ.

The aim of this trial is to compare a range of ‘N banking targets’  to ‘N crop demand’ driven N application strategies in terms of their impact on productivity (yield, protein), profitability (gross margin, risk) and sustainability (soil organic matter, carbon footprint,  losses) in diverse soil types in the LRZ.

The aim of this trial is to compare a range of ‘N banking targets’  to ‘N crop demand’ driven N application strategies in terms of their impact on productivity (yield, protein), profitability (gross margin, risk) and sustainability (soil organic matter, carbon footprint,  losses) in diverse soil types in the LRZ.

The aim of this trial is to compare a range of ‘N banking targets’  to ‘N crop demand’ driven N application strategies in terms of their impact on productivity (yield, protein), profitability (gross margin, risk) and sustainability (soil organic matter, carbon footprint,  losses) in diverse soil types in the LRZ.

To evaluate fertiliser input strategies for pulse crops growing on unripped and ripped soils

To evaluate herbicide options for residual control of Phalaris paradoxa in cereals

This project sought to maximise the profitability of barley in the northern Geraldton Port Zone by providing information to growers to allow them to make informed decisions around barley variety choice, sowing time, in season management and management of their rotations in order to maximise barley productivity and improve the overall profitability of their farming business.

The project sort to answer specific questions of -

Do barley’s have specific adaptation which can be exploited.

Can varieties attain malt quality in the Geraldton Port zone.

Do variety maturity and planting times influence yield and grain quality, particularly with early sowing opportunities.

Does barley out yield wheat, sown early, or sown late.

Was barley profitable compared to wheat.

Can early sowing of short season varieties provide a maturity window and low risk option to avoid late season hot/dry finishes and produce a profitable yield.

To gather data on barley performance when late sowing on ameliorated soils. Can barley provide a more profitable option than wheat for late sowing on ameliorated soils?

Gain a better understanding of nitrogen management with different rotations or soil types (including soil amelioration) for barley yield with feed quality and for malt production.

Did barleys differ in their response to nitrogen.

Can early sowing and fertilising for high yield feed deliveries be more profitable than wheat.

Did project sample an adequate range of seasons.

What can we learn from Barley Waterlogging damage?

A field experiment was conducted at Dirnaseer in 2021 to evaluate the differences between wheat and barley for phenology, grain yield and quality in response to sowing time. This paper presents the results and discusses the influence of sowing date on the phenology, grain yield and quality for 24 wheat and 12 barley varieties.

Barley grass is becoming an increasingly problematic weed in Western Australia. A GRDC funded project sought to increase the adoption of integrated weed management tactics for barley grass, by working with grower groups to develop regionally appropriate rotations for optimal control.

A survey indicated that growers in the southern lakes region of Western Australia often had pasture as the main rotation choice after cereal. In contrast to other areas of the wheat belt, some growers in this region considered barley grass a valuable (early) feed in pasture as well as a weed in crops. However, growers found that barley grass could have a large impact on crop yield. Growers were interested in either controlling barley grass or suppressing barley grass in crops while allowing it to survive in pasture.

Most group members felt their barley grass was resistant to herbicides (especially low-level resistance to Group A, Targa^®). However, growers were unwilling to stop using Targa^®, even if efficiency was reduced against barley grass, as it effectively controlled other grass weeds. Growers wanted to pair Targa^® with other products in the pasture to kill barley grass, and then control surviving barley grass in crop with best practice pre-seeding herbicides.

The trial aimed to investigate pasture barley grass control in 2019, pre-emergent herbicides in barley in 2020 and oats in 2021.

This field trial was undertaken at Westmere in Victoria, a high rainfall environment, to investigate factorial combinations of sowing time, seed rate and herbicides on the management of annual ryegrass in barley.

This field trial at Minnipa aims to investigate factorial combinations of sowing time, seed rate and herbicides on the management of annual ryegrass in barley.

To examine the phenology, disease resistance and standing power of new barley germplasm established at the start of spring.

To examine the phenology, disease resistance and standing power of new barley germplasm established in the traditional late April sowing window relative to current practice.

To develop profitable and sustainable approaches to disease management in HRZ barley. 

To develop profitable and sustainable approaches to disease management in HRZ barley.

To develop profitable and sustainable approaches to disease management in HRZ barley.

To examine the yield potential of new winter and spring germplasm grown under HYC Management packages against spring and winter controls in the traditional late April/early May sowing window

To examine the yield potential of new winter and spring germplasm grown under HYC Management packages against spring and winter controls in the traditional late April/early May sowing window. 

To examine the yield potential of new spring germplasm grown under HYC Management packages against spring controls in an early spring sowing window.

To examine the yield potential of new winter and spring germplasm grown under HYC Management packages against spring and winter controls in the traditional late April/early May sowing window.

To assess the performance of winter (2 and 6 row) and spring (2 row) barley germplasm managed under six different management strategies.

To assess the performance of winter and spring barley germplasm managed under four different management intensities (mid-April to early May sown) at two levels of fungicides.

To assess the performance of new spring barley germplasm managed under different canopy structures which includes plant density, fungicide and Nitrogen rate. This includes a spring sown wheat for comparison.

To increase yield of barley in the high rainfall zone with improvements in barley crop management that considers all aspects of canopy management (genotype, PGR, Fungicide, Nitrogen, and Defoliaton).

To assess the value of higher nutrition input for barley and to investigate the relationship between N and yield constraints such as lodging and brackling.

To assess the value of PGRs with delayed harvest in HRZ regions on maintaining yield and reducing head loss, brackling and lodging.

To assess the value of PGRs with delayed harvest in HRZ regions for its effect on grain yield losses due to harvest timing, lodging, head loss and brackling.

To assess effects of seeding rate in RGT Planet barley.

To assess the value of PGRs with spring sown barley in HRZ regions to increase yield and reduce lodging, brackling and head loss. A harvest delay will be imposed to exacerbate treatment differences.

To evaluate the impact of harvest stubble height on fallow efficiency.