Southern Farming Systems trials

To evaluate the cost effectiveness of strobilurin based fungicides on barley in the different climatic regions of southern Australia.

To evaluate different foliar disease management strategies on a highly susceptible wheat variety (Chara) to both stripe rust and leaf rust.

To assess the impact of nitrogen timing on canopy development and resultant grain yield and quality, where starting soil nitrogen levels are high.

These trials evaluated the effects sowing time and sowing rate on grain yield of field pea, faba bean, lupin and chickpea at Yalla-Y-Poora.

To evaluate fungicide efficacy on Leaf Rust and Powdery Mildew in Baudin Barley.

To test the effectiveness of the two different forms of nitrogen, two nitrogen timings and two nitrogen dressings on yield and grain quality.

• To investigate the effectiveness of elemental sulphur in canola.
• To identify what percentage of the applied sulphur can be applied as fine (less than 250 micron) elemental sulphur without loss of grain yield or oil content.

To investigate the effectiveness of elemental sulphur in canola, what percentage of the applied sulphur can be applied as fine (less than 250 micron) elemental sulphur without loss of grain yield or oil content.

• To evaluate yield response to copper, zinc, molybdenum, boron and cobalt when placed with the seed.
• To evaluate the response to molybdenum when applied at late tillering when nitrogen demand increases.

Our aim was to test different manufacturers’ products to see how granules preform against the traditional peat product in different soil types and climatic zones, and to find an optimal rate of product application for effective nodulation.

To investigate the benefits of specialty phosphorus products and liquid phosphorus
options in cereals

To determine the least cost foliar fungicide application method to maximise the potential of achieving milling grade oats for south west Victoria.

This experiment aimed at trialling some of the products which may have benefited a plant‟s capacity to fight diseases, rather than treating the infection itself.

To establish some potential performance of pulse crops in the region and if any crops, varieties and treatments are worthy of further trialling and replicated yield data.

This demonstrations was conducted for three significant reasons.

• 1. Assess the potential yield losses when increasing the seed row width for the benefits of subsequent inter-row (no-till) cropping;
• 2. Determine if nitrogen application efficiency can be increased in wider row spacing scenarios by applying product either up front or in crop;
• 3. Assess the varietal response to row spacing width to determine yield in response to nitrogen timing and row widths.

To provide advice to breeders, researchers, agronomists and growers on the plant characteristics suited to the HRZ.

This trial is part of a series of experiments evaluating a number of varieties that may be suitable throughout south west Victoria.

To verify the performance of recently released cultivars in local higher rainfall conditions and to assess the varietal resistance to the WA pathotype of stripe rust that seems to have maintained virulence throughout eastern Australia.

To establish some potential performance of newer varieties and if any are worthy of further trialling and replicated yield trials. 

To examine if winter cereals can be successfully sown into exiting lucerne stands to lift winter production but without compromising lucerne production the following summer.

To compare the performance & suitability of several Triticale varieties in the Streatham Branch area. 

To develop agronomic packages and seeding technology solutions which can allow for increased stubble retention practices, thereby reducing the dependence on burning.

• To demonstrate effectiveness of controlled traffic in the more traditional high rainfall cropping ares of Western Victoria.
• To compare controlled traffic, raised beds and conventional flat cropping methods.

• To confirm the ability of growth regulators to reduce crop height, and therefore reduce the problem of lodging in conventionally grown canola.
• To assess the potential yield and or oil reduction following a single application of growth regulators.

The demo sites fit into the objectives of the HSSF project which are:

• Improve farmers’ capacity to manage soil health issues
• Identify appropriate soil management strategies, both at a landscape and industry level
• Develop and deliver data and information packages for farmers
• Develop and promote industry based training packages

To provide the farmers with calcareous soils that were P retentive, with an alternative to P fertilisers which were continually becoming locked-up, as well as an economical and effective method for the application of these fertilisers 

• To define the expression of Adult Plant Resistance (APR) in a range of wheat cultivars in relation to environmental conditions and growth stage.
• To develop improved strategies for intervention with fungicides in the control of stripe rust and yellow leaf spot in susceptible and resistant wheat, and the communication of the strategies to industry stakeholders.

To help to build a strong database of knowledge for targeted variety management, which will give advisors and growers confidence to try new varieties as they become available.

To understand the potential impact of these factors and whether this tendency can be controlled with the use of plant growth regulators (PGRs).

To investigate the effect of nutrition and disease management on canola yield and quality at Westmere in 2014.
 

To investigate variety specific responses to applied N.
 

To investigate the potential of new chickpea and lentil varieties in the high rainfall zone of Victoria.
 

A high input trial was created in 2012, with the aim of demonstrating that a crop will continue to respond to nitrogen if the season is suitable, leading to higher yields.

To re-examine the effect of N rate and application timing on canola yield, seed oil and protein content, and apparent N fertiliser efficiencies.

To investigate the adaptability of a range of field pea varieties to varying sowing dates, crop topping and disease control.

To investigate the effect of chocolate spot and rust management strategies across a range of faba bean varieties.

To investigate a range of management options across the latest varieties and potential new releases in faba bean at Westmere, and investigate the effect of chocolate spot and rust management strategies across a range of faba bean varieties.

Developing new varieties that are high yielding with a manageable level of resistance to the major fungal diseases and with quality suited to the major markets, particularly the Middle East.

To test the differences between faba bean varieties.

To investigate a range of management options across the latest varieties and potential new releases in field pea.
 

To compare two nozzles, a 90 degree vs a 45 degree spary angle nozzle, in their efficacy in controlling ARG in canola. The 90 degree angled nozzle was tested at two droplet sizes, (i) medium and (ii) very coarse. 

To compare new hybrid and open pollinated (OP) varieties in the mid to late maturity groups suited to the 2.0 to 4.0 t/ha environments and evaluate them statistically, head to head, across all five herbicide technologies.

To report on Hyola® FCT 2012 fungicide best practice trial results

To report on Hyola® FCT 2012 performance trial results.

 To test how late we can apply nitrogen to wheat to achieve the highest protein and yield in a milling variety. 

To evaluate the performance of new and existing field pea and lupin varieties in the HRZ at our Hamilton and Westmere sites.
 

To test and develop farming systems where retained stubble is managed in the HRZ without a reduction in profitability for the grower

To investigate the effects of delaying nitrogen application until GS31 on grain yield and quality by using differing nitrogen application rates across a range of popular malt and feed barleys.