Department of Primary Industries NSW trials

The aim of this research was to benchmark yield potential across a range of growing environments in the NGR over two consecutive seasons, and to quantify the effect genotype (G), management (M) and environment (E) had on yield.

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 investigate establishment, crop phenology, days to flowering, flowering duration, and grain yield responses of commercially available pulse and legume varieties.

The aims of these experiments were to determine:

• the potential effect of natural enemies on insect pests

• any long-term effects from insecticide seed treatments on natural enemies

• any differences in natural enemies and pest distribution.
 

This app was developed for weather-based irrigation scheduling using a crop coefficient (Kc) estimated from satellite observations and reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) estimated from scientific information for landowners (SILO) grids (Jeffery et al. 2001).

 To investigate whether competitiveness can be increased in chickpea and faba bean to reduce sowthistle biomass and seed production, and how this affects crop yield.
 

The aim of the experiment was to examine the effect of crown rot on yield in 12 bread wheats, one durum wheat and five barley varieties of differing tolerance levels in southern NSW (sNSW).

This project conducted a preliminary investigation to determine whether an objective remote sensing method could be a feasible alternative to hand sampling, and to guide further research.

The aim of this experiment was to understand canola variety heat stress responses and their capacity to adapt to warmer future climates.

The aim of this experiment was to test a novel method of imposing heat stress in the field and determine the effect of heat stress on canola grain yield and its interaction with water availability

To assess the effect of early, mid and late sowing times on the phenology, grain yeild and grain protein of several newer wheat varieties grown in southern NSW.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of three different foliar fungicides in managing sclerotinia stem rot in canola.

Faba bean phenology and yield responses to sowing date and water treatment – Wagga Wagga 2021

To compare growth, development and yield of current commercial faba bean varieties and advanced breeding lines sown on three dates on a red brown–earth at Wagga Wagga in southern NSW.

To compare the growth, development and yield of current commercial faba bean varieties and promising advanced breeding lines at three sowing dates on a hard-setting, acidic, red brown soil at Wagga Wagga.

To compare growth, development and yield of current commercial faba bean varieties and advancing breeding lines at three times of sowing (TOS) at Wagga Wagga.

The Making Better Fertiliser Decisions for Cropping Systems in Australia project (BFDC) aims to provide the fertiliser industry, agency staff, agribusiness advisors and growers with the knowledge and resources to improve nutrient recommendations for optimising crop production.

To identify frost damage in canola and assess symptoms and risk

 An international research collaboration with CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico) has developed new wheat germplasm carrying Karnal bunt resistance genes. These will be made available 
to Australian breeders for variety development. As a prerequisite, this study was carried out to determine what penalties could affect yield or its components due to incorporating Karnal bunt resistance. 

This experiment evaluated the two new imidazolinone (IMI) herbicide-tolerant lentil varieties PBA Herald XT and PBA Hurricane XT alongside other commercial varieties and breeding lines for adaptation and production in southern NSW

In this experiment, we compare three methods of N supply to wheat:
1. surface spread in front of the seeder (early May)
2. mid-row banding at sowing (early May)
3. surface spread at stem elongation (late July).

The difference method was used to evaluated the efficiency of each. 

To explore whether the nitrogen (N) benefits to subsequent cereals from the break crops, and savings from weed control, could offset the loss of income from break crops in the longer term. 

To investigate the influence of sowing date on the phenology and grain yield responses of a core set of 36 wheat genotypes.
 

To establish agronomic guidelines for lentil time of sowing (TOS) and seeding rate for current commercial lentil varieties and advanced breeding lines at Wagga Wagga. 

As growers push for maximum grain yield, lodging is becoming a significant factor in rice production, increasing the time and cost of harvest and often resulting in significant yield loss andreduced grain quality.
Several factors influence lodging susceptibility including seasonal weather, variety, sowing method, nitrogen rate and timing, plant density, water depth, time of draining and wind or rain as the crop nears maturity. Some of these factors can be managed, thus providing the opportunity to reduce crop lodging potential.

To compare growth, development and yield of current commercial lupin varieties and promising advanced breeding lines sown on three dates on a red–brown earth at Wagga Wagga in southern NSW. This information will be used to confirm and update current agronomic
recommendations for lupin in this region.

This experiment aimed to evaluate agronomic management options that enhance the yield potential on this specific soil type.

Under the new NVT Pathology Services Agreement 2019–23, the total number of diseases and crop species being screened in NSW has increased. Eight different crop types, both cereal and broadleaf, are annually screened for a total of 17 different diseases across three climatically and agronomically diverse sites within NSW (NSW DPI research stations based at Grafton, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga).

This experiment compared different rhizobia inoculant formulations on nodulation, growth and yield of field pea, lupin, faba bean, lentil and chickpea under varying rain-fed and soil moisture conditions on an acidic, red-brown earth at Wagga Wagga in the south-eastern cropping zone of southern NSW

The objectives were to:

1. reduce nitrous oxide emissions from dryland grains cropping.

2. improve nitrogen use efficiency.

3. validate and develop process-based biogeochemistry models.

4. simulate net greenhouse gas emission under current and projected future climate scenarios. 

This experiment examined the phenology of 31 commercial varieties and newly released lines sown on two sowing dates at Wagga Wagga, NSW in 2019.

An experiment at Wagga Wagga in 2020 examined the phenology of 34 commercial and newly released varieties sown on two dates.

This experiment is beginning to characterise the reaction of Australian barley varieties at the seedling stage to scald isolates collected from southern NSW. It complements the adult plant screening process. 

The aim of these projects was to monitor and detect strong resistance to phosphine in the five major stored grain beetle pests, as well as record all details that might have led to any development of resistance, in order to control these outbreaks, develop a phosphine resistance management strategy and,consequently, prolong the life of this fumigant.

Resistance to phosphine in stored grain insects from farm storages in south-eastern Australia: 2021

To assess how rhizosheath formation can improve wheat crop survival in a false break

1. To ascertain the presence of any pH threshold below which the tolerance of the species declined

2. To study the response of several faba bean cvv to a range of pH to determine whether there were any genetic differences in tolerance to low pH.
 

Seed viability of feathertop Rhodes grass (Chloris virgata Sw.) affected by sheep rumen digestion

To tests the ability of the EM38 to predict soil water in rainfed agricultural systems in southern NSW.
 

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

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Crown rot (CR) caused predominantly by the fungus Fusarium pseudograminearum (Fp), remains a major constraint to winter cereal production in the northern grains region. Cereal varieties differ in their resistance to crown rot, which can have a significant affect on their relative yield in the presence of this disease.

This experiment was one of 11 conducted by NSW DPI in 2016 across central/northern NSW extending into southern Qld; to examine the effects from crown rot on the yield and quality of four barley, three durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.

Varieties (20)

• Four barley varieties: CommanderA, CompassA, La TrobeA and SpartacusA.

• Three durum varieties: JandaroiA and LillaroiA plus the numbered line 190873.

• Thirteen bread wheat varieties: EGA GregoryA, LRPB FlankerA, BeckomA, CoolahA, SunmateA, LRPB LancerA, LRPB ReliantA, LRPB GauntletA, LRPB SpitfireA, MitchA, SuntopA and SunguardA; (listed in order of increasing resistance to crown rot) plus one numbered line LPB12-0494

 To report on the outcomes of a series of faba bean variety × density experiments across northern NSW. 

The 2015 season was characterised by severe frost events, episodic cold weather during flowering and terminal drought during grain filling. These seasonal conditions severely affected crop performance, reducing the potential yield of faba beans across most areas of the northern NSW cropping zone. The Northern Pulse Agronomy Initiative (NPAI; Winter Pulse) project conducted a range of experiments covering a number of different agronomic themes in 2015. This paper reports on the outcomes of a series of faba bean variety × density experiments across northern NSW.