2014 trials

To report on the outcomes of the 2014 Rural Finance Crop Challenge.

To report on a case study of lessons learned about growing perennial pastures.

To test pre-harvest treatments in order to accelerate the ripening and harvest of barley in a double cropping sitution.

To present results from the large plot focus farm trials of the Maintaining profitable farming systems with retained stubble in the Riverine Plains region project, which where to

• investigate, demonstrate and extend cultural practices that will assist growers to adopt no-till stubble retention (NTSR) in medium and higher-rainfall environments;
• build on findings from the previous Riverine Plains Inc. Water Use Efficiency (WUE) project; and
• extend the frontier of agronomic knowledge for crops grown in NTSR systems.

To investigate options for pasture and fodder break crops for southern Victoria with an emphasis on weed control.

To investigate options for pasture and fodder break crops for southern Victoria with an emphasis on weed control.

This soybean experiment, conducted at the NSW DPI Leeton Field Station, tested the response of 26 advanced-stage lines and four commercial varieties at two sowing times

To benchmark yield potential across a range of growing environments in the NGR of NSW, over two consecutive seasons, and to quantify the impact of genotype, management and environment on yield.

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.

To determine the agronomic response of sorghum to N management, to help develop more robust soil test/crop response guidelines. 

To provide a demonstration site to observe the effects of mouldboard ploughing vs. no cultivation on non-wetting soils and crop growth and yield.

• To determine if the addition of lime and its method of incorporation (none/control, MBP or deep rip) has an effect on the soil pH profile and crop productivity.
• To compare the impact of mouldboard ploughing and deep ripping on topsoil water repellence compared to an untreated control.

To evaluate yields and quality of new and existing wheat and barley varieties and their response to N.

To investigate alternative herbicides for grass control in sorghum. Specifically Awnless Barnyard Grass.

To investigate alternative herbicides for grass control in sorghum. Specifically Awnless Barnyard Grass.

The project aimed to identify the potential for alternative summer crops in increasing the $return/ML water. It looked at demonstrating summer pulses (suitable for human consumption), summer grain crops (suitable for livestock consumption) and also various grazing fodder species. 

To assess amelioration options for water repellent sandplain soils.

To report on trials showing the value of nitrogen.

• To evaluate Ascochyta blight (AB) response of new varieties and advanced breeding lines by comparing their susceptibility to known varieties

• To assess the impact of sowing times, seeding rate and wetting agents on wheat establishment and productivitey on water repellent soil and determine whether there is a positive interaction between the agronomic options tested. 
• This trial was conducted at four locations acros the wheatbelt. The results are only for the Binnu site. 

To increase grower awareness of: the current status of soil acidification and the associated causes and impacts and associated need to address of soil acidification via the ongoing application of agricultural lime.

To increase grower awareness of: the current status of soil acidification and the associated causes and impacts and associated need to address of soil acidification via the ongoing application of agricultural lime.

To increase grower awareness of: the current status of soil acidification and the associated causes and impacts and associated need to address of soil acidification via the ongoing application of agricultural lime.

To increase grower awareness of: the current status of soil acidification and the associated causes and impacts and associated need to address of soil acidification via the ongoing application of agricultural lime.

To increase grower awareness of the benefits of applying Lime to a cropping operation. Providing local relevance to farmers.

To determine the amount and availability of N from wheat stubble under varying stubble management practices over three cropping seasons.

To improve grower productivity and industry sustainability through the successful adoption of improved barley cultivars through the development of improved agronomy practices and packages for new and current varietal releases and by aligning production with market and industry requirements. 
 

To provide growers with the tools needed to adopt site-specific weed management (SSWM) strategies as a result of a commercially viable weed ID and mapping system being demonstrated.

The GRDC Stubble project aims to improve farm profitability while retaining stubble in farming systems on upper Eyre Peninsula (EP). Weed control in stubble retained systems is an issue with reduced herbicide efficacy due to higher stubble loads especially for pre-emergence herbicides. Current farming practices have also changed weed behaviour with later germinating barley grass genotypes now being present in many paddocks on Minnipa Agricultural Centre (MAC) (B Fleet, EPFS Summary 2011, p 177). As a part of the stubble project several MAC farm demonstrations were undertaken in 2014 to address barley grass weed issues including later germinating types and barley grass resistance to Group A herbicides within the farming system. An integrated approach to weed management aimed at lowering the weed seed bank can make use of diverse techniques such as cultivation, stubble burning, in-crop competition using higher sowing rates and possibly row orientation. The seed bank of crop weeds can be reduced within the break phase by hay making, or green or brown manuring. Other techniques used effectively in WA with ryegrass and wild radish have been narrow windrows and chaff carts, however little research has been done on the effectiveness of these approaches with barley grass because of its early shedding of seeds before harvest. Project: EPF00001 Maintaining profitability in retained stubble systems - upper Eyre Peninsula.

To compare the performance of new and current barley varieties in the Wimmera and Mallee.

This research has been conducted across the mid north of South Australia to determine if new and existing varieties of barley vary in tolerance to commonly used herbicides.

Evaluation of barley varities under irrigated conditions.

To conduct a barleyvariety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To conduct a barley variety trial.

To provide growers with the tools needed to adopt site-specific weed management (SSWM) strategies as a result of a commercially viable weed ID and mapping system being demonstrated.

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 determine if the inclusion of Bentonite clay improves crop yields on non-wetting sandy soils and their ability to store more carbon.

Trials from over four years are examining different rates and timing of application of Bioprime, a liquid soil amendment which changes soil microbiology. The aim is to relate measured plant growth and yield improvement to changes in microbial populations in the soil around roots, and to show how these changes and different ways of applying nitrogen (N) impact on soil carbon accumulation.

• To assess the use of fungicides for the control of blackspot (ascochyta blight) and effect on yield in field pea.

To investigate whether a break crop can be used to manage weeds.

To challenge this notion, and to examine the impacts of break crops on the longer-term financial performance of following wheat crops.