trials

We plan to demonstrate a range both peat and granular inoculant options for chickpeas, placement of these products with seed vs. with fertiliser, and the interactions of these products with seed applied fungicide.

To demonstrate and quantify the benefits of differing inoculants in both dry and wet sown faba beans and lentil

1. To investigate the effects of dry sowing on the nodulation and nitrogen fixation of chickpea in a low rainfall environment.

2. To investigate the residual effects on the growth of a subsequent wheat crop.

To evaluate the effects of fungicide strategies and inoculants on the nodulation, root disease score and grain yield.

To promote early vigour to improve biomass and yield partitioning in chickpea.

There are reports of low grain protein levels in wheat following medic pastures and many observations of poor medic nodulation. Previous work has shown that rhizobial inoculation can improve the nodulation of medics in the SA and Victorian Mallee, and that more generally about 50% of the populations of medic rhizobia in soils are suboptimal in their nitrogen (N) fixation
capacity. This trial aimed to:
• Determine if inoculation can improve medic nodulation at Minnipa,
• Quantify the amount of N fixed by different legumes, and
• Assess impacts on the following wheat crop.

For newly released faba bean varieties: demonstrate production packages, including herbicide, fertiliser

and rhizobia options that are the ‘best bet’ to maximise yield.

To compare the effect of rhizobia strains and application rate on the nodulation, biomass, grain yield and grain quality of faba beans grown in suboptimal (acidic and high salinity) soil conditions.

To evaluate the efficacy of acid-tolerant rhizobia to increase faba bean performance compared to a commercial strain of rhizobia or nitrogen fertiliser on an acidic soil.

To promote early vigour to improve biomass and yield partitioning in faba bean.

To evaluate agronomic strategies to overcome constrained soils where lentil is grown in high intensity production zones of the Yorke Peninsula.

To promote early vigour to improve biomass and yield partitioning in lentil

To investigate the response of lentil to application of microbial inoculants and micro and macro nutrients across a sandhill and swale soil at Ouyen and a sandy loam at Curyo.

To promote early vigour to improve biomass and yield partitioning in vetch.

To evaluate effectiveness of commercially available inoculant products to increase nodulation in chickpea. 

To compare a range of inoculant products on chickpea root nodulation, yield and nitrogen (N) fixing ability. 

To evaluate effectiveness of commercially available inoculant products to increase nodulation in chickpea. 

Legume pastures have been pivotal to sustainable agricultural development in southern Australia. They provide highly nutritious feed for livestock, act as a disease break for many cereal root pathogens, and improve soil fertility through nitrogen (N) fixation. Despite these benefits, pasture renovation rates remain low and there are opportunities to improve the pasture base on many low to medium rainfall mixed farms across southern Australia. There are also reports of poor protein levels in wheat following medic pastures and many reports of poor medic nodulation. Previous work has shown that substantial responses to inoculation are possible in the Victorian Mallee, which is possibly linked to the poor N fixation capacity of some populations of soil rhizobia. The extent to which inoculation can still improve medic nodulation on Eyre Peninsula requires clarification.

The Dryland Legume Pasture Systems (DLPS) project aims to develop recently discovered pasture legumes together with innovative management techniques that benefit animal and crop production and promote their adoption on mixed farms in the low and medium rainfall areas of WA, SA, Vic and southern NSW.  One objective within this work program is to increase the amount of fixed N provided by the pasture.

This is a component of a new five year Rural Research and Development for Profit funded project supported by GRDC, MLA and AWI; and involving Murdoch University, CSIRO, SARDI, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; Charles Sturt University and grower groups.

To evaluate effectiveness of commercially available inoculant products to increase nodulation in field pea. 

To assess a range of commercial rhizobia inoculant products, application strategies and sowing times to provide growers with recommendations that ensures adequate nodulation and nitrogen fixation in dry sown crops.

The aim of this trial was to to compare commercial faba bean rhizobia inoculant with new acid tolerant strains from SARDI and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), WA.

To evaluate the response of mungbeans to N, P & S.

To develop variety specific management packages for ascochyta blight of chickpea.

To investigate the impact of grazing, soil nutrition and rhizobial inoculants on dry matter production, nodulation and N₂-fixation of a regenerating medic pasture under field conditions.

To determine the variation in the build-up of Rhizoctonia solani AG8 inoculum between cereal crops wheat, barley, triticale and cereal rye and varieties in a cropping system.

To look at Serenade Prime as product to increase marketable potatoes and uniformity in tuber size through two applications during the growing season.

To evaluate a range of varieties and advanced PBA breeding lines.

Phytophthora medicaginis, the cause of phytophthora root rot (PRR) of chickpea is endemic and widespread in southern QLD and northern NSW, where it carries over from season to season on infected chickpea volunteers, lucerne, native medics and as resistant structures (oospores) in the soil.  Although registered for use on chickpeas, metalaxyl seed treatment is expensive, does not provide season-long protection and is not recommended.  There are no in-crop control measures for PRR and reducing losses from the disease are based on avoiding risky paddocks and choosing the right variety.

Detailed information on control of PRR in chickpea is available at:

http://www.pulseaus.com.au/growing-pulses/bmp/chickpea/phytophthora-root-rot

Current commercial varieties differ in their resistance to P. medicaginis (Pm), with Yorker and PBA HatTrick having the best resistance and are rated MR (historically Yorker has been slightly better than PBA HatTrick), while Jimbour is MS - MR, Flipper and Kyabra are MS and PBA Boundary has the lowest resistance (S).

From 2007 to 2015 PRR yield loss trials at the DAF Qld Hermitage research Facility, Warwick QLD have evaluated a range of varieties and advanced PBA breeding lines. 

To better understand and quantify potential production losses incurred from foliar, crown and root diseases by developing response curves.

To determine yield losses from Ascochyta blight in current chickpea varieties and advanced breeding lines.

To predict the risk of PRR disease and potential yield losses in chickpea, and detect P. med inoculum in soil from commercial paddocks. 

 To compare the relative impact of CRR and CR on wheat yield and determine if mixed infection exacerbates losses. 

To look at current techniques used by farmers, or recommended by consultants, to improve medic pastures and determine the most effective method to optimise N₂-fixation. Biomass, nodulation and N₂-fixation differences between management practices, including inoculation treatments on both sown and regenerating medic stands were measured. The trial also investigated if grazing medic pastures in the break phase of the rotation benefits or impedes nodulation and subsequent N₂-fixation.

1. To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
2. To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona Dimension as a standalone option to control Crown Rot.

1. To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
2. To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona® Dimension as a standalone option to control Crown Rot.

1. To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
2. To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona® Dimension as a standalone option to control Crown Rot.

To examine the effect of CR on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties. 

• To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
• To control Crown Rot was also conducted across the same 12 sites in the northern region. 

1. To examine the effect of CR on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties. 
2. To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona® Dimension as a standalone option to control CR.

• To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
•  To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona® Dimension as a standalone option to control Crown Rot.

1. To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
2. To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona Dimension as a standalone option to control Crown Rot.

1. To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties. 
2. To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona Dimension as a standalone option to control Crown Rot.

• To examine the effect of CR on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
• To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona® Dimension as a standalone option to control CR was also conducted across the same 12 sites in the northern region. 

1. To examine the effect of Crown Rot on the yield of two barley, one durum and 13 bread wheat varieties.
2. To evaluate the efficacy of Rancona Dimension as a standalone option to control Crown Rot.

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

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

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. 

To investigate the potential of inoculation technologies to improve the nitrogen fixation and/or production of field pea

To evaluate a range of herbicides for their efficacy of brome grass control in lentils

To determine the maximum attainable grain yield for a given location and year, and to quantify the contributions.

To examine the impact of crown rot on yield and grain quality in 22 barley, six durum and 34 bread wheat entries across two sowing times at Tamworth in northern NSW in 2014. 

Crown rot, caused predominantly by the fungus Fusarium pseudograminearum (Fp), is a major constraint to winter cereal (wheat, barley and durum) production in the northern grains region. Yield loss is related to the expression of whiteheads which are induced by moisture and/or temperature stress during flowering and grain-filling. Previous NSW DPI research has demonstrated that earlier sowing can reduce the expression of crown rot by bringing grain-fill forward a week or two when temperatures are generally lower. Earlier sowing potentially also facilitates increased root growth early in the season which may result in deeper root exploration and access to soil moisture throughout the season. However, sowing time needs to be balanced against the risk of excessive early vegetative growth depleting soil moisture reserves prior to grain-fill and the risk of frost versus terminal heat stress during flowering and grain development. The impact of crown rot on yield and grain quality was examined in 22 barley, 6 durum and 34 bread wheat entries across two sowing times at Tamworth in northern NSW in 2014.