Department of Primary Industries NSW trials

Sowing date is a key driver of yield and variety performance. The optimum sowing time for an individual variety is a balance between having the variety flower too early and being subjected to frost damage, and conversely having it flower too late and experience prolonged heat stress. Both of these factors can have significant negative impacts on yield.

To examine the impact of crown rot on yield and grain quality in a range of durum, bread wheat and barley varieties across two sowing times near Tulloona in north-western NSW in 2015. 

This experiment examined the effect of yellow leaf spot (YLS) on yield in three wheat varieties of differing resistance in southern NSW.

The aim of this experiment was to develop disease response curves indicating potential yield losses for a selection of varieties that represent various resistance categories for YLS.

The aim of this experiment at Terry Hie Hie on the north-western plains of NSW was to determine if there were differences between varieties with varying maturity types in terms of grain yield and quality parameters with different plant densities and sowing dates.

The study determined whether genetic differences in tolerance can be idenified in field grown wheat exposed to natural heat events at the early reproductive stage of development.

In 2019, field experiments were conducted across 10 sites in the northern grains region (NGR) to determine the influence of phenology on grain yield responses for a diverse set of wheat genotypes.

This paper presents results from the Harefield site (southern NSW) in 2020 and discusses the influence of sowing date (SD) on the phenology and grain yield responses of a core set of 36 wheat genotypes.

Vetch and faba bean biomass

Variety resistance has little effect on ascospore production by wheat pathogens Zymoseptoria tritici (STB) and Pyrenophra tritici-repentis (YLS)

To evaluate the relative resistance of each variety to Pratylenchus thornei under field conditions. 

To evaluate the relative resistance of each variety to Pt under field conditions. 

Four years of research have been conducted to determine if rice PIN uptake can be predicted using remote sensing from drones, aircraft and satellites as part of an ongoing Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) research project. 

To explore the use of quality legume inoculants to get the most from nitrogen fixation.

To understand wheat phenology, in particular flowering response to sowing time.

This research identified the plant traits most likely to determine differences in external critical phosphorus (P) requirements (i.e. the soil extractable-P concentration required to achieve 90% of maximum yield) of pasture legume species. Understanding trait differences that affect critical P requirements of pasture legumes is important in providing confidence around field differences in external critical P requirement.

This soybean experiment was conducted at the NSW DPI Leeton Field Station to test the response of three commercial varieties and five unreleased lines to three sowing times. 

The experiments are part of a project to validate whether the Australian Cotton Industry thrips threshold applies in southern NSW cotton production areas.

These experiments were conducted to evaluate whether thrips controls applied at the thrips threshold led to higher or lower yields when compared with treatments at a lower threshold (one thrips per plant) and a non-spray treatment. The local cotton industry supported commercialscale experiments over small plot experiments. 

To determine the role of stubble management on frost severity and its effects on the grain yield of wheat 

To assess the influence of sowing date and species phenology on yield dynamics of barley, oats and wheat in frost conditions

This research aimed to identify the impact of irrigation opportunity time and fertiliser N rates on fertiliser N response, lint yield and fertiliser N recovery in a sub-surface drip irrigation system.

To assess the impact of two alternative cotton irrigation strategies on soil mineral N: crop production and N2O emissions. 

To promote the eXtensionAUS Crop Nutrition online learning network

This experiment, which was part of a larger project based at Tamworth (BLG106), was conducted to determine the effect on chickpea and lentil crop development and grain yield from varying amounts of cereal surface residue (mimicking stubble load) and the resulting lower temperatures.

The experiment at Leeton evaluated the effect of variety, time of sowing, plant population and their interactions on canola grain yield, grain quality (oil content) and crop growth (lodging and harvest index). 

The effect of variety, plant density and nitrogen management on grain yield was evaluated for a second year at the NSW DPI Leeton Field Station (LFS). 

This experiment was designed to determine the response of six canola varieties with diverse phenology and breeding (hybrid or open-pollinated (OP)) to varying stored soil water levels across two sowing dates.

To determine the optimum sowing date, phenology and nitrogen management to optimise grain yield within the Central West region of NSW. These combinations were tested across two contrasting scenarios: irrigation versus dryland.

To determine if early sowing canola will improve the efficiency of teh use of stored water.

The effect of sowing date and irrigation management on faba bean – Leeton 2021

An irrigated faba bean experiment was established at Leeton Field Station in 2020 to determine the effect of sowing time and irrigation on four varieties of faba bean in southern NSW.  

To determine agronomic management practices that increase grain yield potential while also minimising the risk of fungal diseases.

This experiment evaluated the effect of variety and nitrogen rate on grain yield and protein concentration for six wheat varieties.

This experiment investigated the irrigation water requirements of a wheat crop and the impact of irrigation intensity and water ponding on grain yield, grain quality, water use and water use efficiency. 

The aim of this experiment was to develop a better understanding of cool shock as an environmental trigger for LMA expression under controlled environment conditions. 

Please note that the trial was to find out the effect of a cool temperature treatment during grain filling in wheat. 

To examine targeting maximum yields of irrigated wheat in southern NSW.

To evaluate the effects of varietal selection, sowing date, plant population and N management on grain yield, oil content and lodging

To assist growers with variety, nitrogen management and sowing date decisions to maximise irrigated canola yield potential.

The aim of this work is to increase the sources of multi-disease resistant germplasm available for barley variety improvement in Australia. This is being achieved by screening and identifying possible sources of resistance to barley scald and other diseases from the centres of origin of barley cultivation. 

To examine tailoring barley plant density to specific varieties in order to maximise yield and quality

To explore systems to control the air–water interface to reduce evaporation from water storages.

 To compare the incidence of seed markings (tiger stripe/blotch) for a range of commercial chickpea varieties and advanced breeding lines sown on two sowing dates on the central western and north-western slopes of NSW.

To compare the effect of delayed harvest on pod splitting, grain weathering and yield for a range of commercial chickpea varieties. 

This paper reports on the priority diseases identified in the 2020 crop surveys and highlights implications for grains producers in 2021.

 To compare grain yield and oil responses with variations in row configurations, plant population and hybrid selection. 

To quantify the contribution of sunflower leaves to yield and oil quality by applying nine leaf defoliation treatments. 

Optimising sunflower performance relies on being able to match a hybrid with the growing environment and ensuring that the most suitable agronomic management is provided. Suitable crop agronomy involves using the most appropriate row configuration and plant population as well as ensuring adequate nutrition, disease and insect management. This experiment and others conducted in this series were designed to provide recommendations for growers and advisors to support decisions on optimal row configuration, plant population and hybrids for sunflower production in the north-western and Liverpool Plains regions of NSW. These two environments are the primary sunflower growing regions in northern NSW.

These two experiments aimed to evaluate a range of herbicides with different modes of action on prickly lettuce control, and to evaluate if a ‘double-knockdown’ technique is needed to effectively control mature prickly lettuce.

To report on trials conducted in 2012–13 using 15N applied at three N rates (40, 120 and 200 kg N/ha) were reported previously, but those results are repeated here for comparison with more recent trial results.