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Variety-specific agronomy Agronomy trials to look at the interaction of variety and environment compliment the NVT program Value-adding NVT 14 By Blakely Paynter and Ben Curtis Answering the myriad ‘what if’ agronomy questions posed by growers at NVT field days was part of the stimulus for the GRDC to continue investment in a series of variety-specific agronomy projects across western and southern Australia. NVT trials aim to provide relative grain yield data for varieties. Variety-specific agronomy package (VSAP) trials examine varieties and determine how to optimise their grain yield and their grain quality, as well as minimise their weaknesses. VSAP trials aim to answer the questions that relate to variety management on-farm. These questions include: • What varieties are best suited to continuous wheat • What are the most suitable seeding rates for my environment and the varieties I grow • What are the differences between varieties in their flowering date, grain yield and grain quality at different dates of seeding • What are the differences between varieties in their responsiveness to nitrogen and phosphorus • What are the best management packages for my new varieties The focus of VSAP is on genotype, environment, management interactions (G×E×M) rather than only genotype by environment (G×E). In variety-specific agronomy trials attention is paid to impacts on agronomic traits and grain quality in addition to grain yield. VSAP in the west In Western Australia, variety-specific agronomy projects are co-funded by the GRDC and the Department of Agriculture and Food, WA (DAFWA). These projects include ‘Wheat agronomy – building system profitability in the Western Region’ and ‘Management of barley and barley cultivars in Western Australia’. The outputs of these projects complement data produced from the NVT program. An example of this ‘what-if’ analysis comes from two previous GRDC–DAFWA co-funded projects that focused on the agronomy of barley in WA. The projects tackled the questions ‘if seeding rate is changed what is the impact on grain yield and grain quality and do varieties differ’ In those two projects, malting barley varieties (three varieties in low-rainfall areas and eight varieties in higher-rainfall areas) were evaluated for their response to increasing plant density (70 to 230 plants per square metre). Two or three rates of nitrogen were applied and the trials were run across 13 locations in low-rainfall areas and 14 locations in higher-rainfall areas. In 92 per cent of the trials, the grain yield response to increasing plant density of the barley varieties sown was similar across sites, but the grain quality response often differed. In 50 per cent of the trials, the impact of seeding rate on screenings varied with variety. In 45 per cent of trials, the impact of seeding rate on grain brightness varied with variety. The focus of VSAP is on genotype, environment, management interactions. These results demonstrate the type of questions and additional information that VSAP trials can provide to help growers select the most appropriate variety for their region, management and potential market. VSAP trials also look to add value to the data generated by NVT. The current wheat agronomy project is assessing wheat lines in NVT trials for their tolerance to aluminium and boron toxicity in solution culture and their tolerance to pre-harvest sprouting (low falling number risk). This information is being combined with the G×E×M information and NVT information in the development of varietyspecific management guidelines and annual variety sowing guides for wheat and barley. The information from VSAP trials is also being used in the development and improvement of decision-support models such as Flower Power, which predicts the effect of management and environment on flowering time of new varieties and the risk of frost and terminal drought. Other tools under development are an electronic variety selector and a seeding-rate calculator. photo: Blakely Paynter, DAFWA photo: DAFWA (From left) Christine Zaicou-Kunesch, DAFWA research officer (Wheat agronomy systems profitability), Ben Cripps, Ogilvie, Northern Agri Group, and Matu Peipi, LongReach Plant Breeders at the Mingenew-Irwin Group field day in September. The wheat agronomy trial behind them is looking at the value of fungicide and nitrogen to wheat profitability in a wheat-onwheat system. Barley agronomy trial at Merredin, WA. What is the optimum seeding rate for barley Using irrigation to simulate different seasons and determine how the optimum seeding rate to maximise grain yield may differ with season and impact on grain quality. Agronomy projects provide growers with greater confidence in selecting the variety or varieties that best suit their business needs and the management required to optimise production and meet market demand. □ GRDC Research Codes DAW00218, DAW00224, DAW00148, DAW00190 More information: Blakely Paynter, senior research officer, DAFWA, 08 9690 2115, blakely.paynter@agric.wa.gov.au; Ben Curtis, development officer, DAFWA, 08 9083 1105, ben.curtis@agric.wa.gov.au
What if ... Working across the GRDC’s Southern and Northern regions, the team running variety-specific agronomy packages in New South Wales is providing answers to variety agronomy questions for wheat, canola, lupins and barley 15 By Dr Peter Martin, Dr Matt Gardner and Rick Graham In NSW, variety-specific agronomy packages (VSAP) supported by the GRDC have been in full swing since 2006. Many trials have been made possible by collaboration and co-location with a range of other groups in NSW including National Variety Trials (NVT). This provides efficiencies and cost savings as well as improved research outcomes. A management committee made up of NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) research agronomists and district agronomists has ensured projects reflect the needs of growers and agronomists. A significant output has been the detailed work on yield response of wheat varieties to sowing time. This combines VSAP and NVT data in a single analysis. Communicated through a range of reports, field days and NSW DPI fact sheets, this work provides yield response curves for 56 main season varieties sown between 20 April and 19 July. Similar data is presented for 22 early-sown varieties. In 2012, the program investigated a range of ‘what-if’ agronomy questions in canola, wheat, barley and lupins at multiple locations across NSW. In previous years these and other questions had been tackled. Canola sowing time by seeding rate – 15 canola varieties, three sowing times and three seeding rates aiming to establish 15, 30 and 45 plants per square metre. Canola establishment – six canola varieties, three sowing depths and interactions with stubble cover and sowing time. Canola fertiliser – the response differences of six varieties (hybrid and open pollinated) to five nitrogen fertiliser rates (zero, 15, 30, 60, 120 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare). Fertiliser was either separated from the seed by deep banding or drilled prior to sowing. In addition, northern trials also included sulfur rates ranging from 0 to 40 kilograms of sulfur per hectare. Wheat sowing time – at seven locations (Wagga Wagga, Deniliquin, Cowra, Forbes, Condobolin, Tamworth and Trangie), 30 near-release and established Peter Martin scoring canola time of sowing trial at Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute in 2012. varieties were sown at three sowing dates and compared to established varieties. Wheat fertiliser – differences in grain protein and yield responses of six varieties that represent a range of maturity and plant types. Nitrogen fertiliser rates were determined by location but ranged from zero to 120kg N/ha. Wheat and barley delayed harvest – the impact on grain quality parameters in different varieties due to delayed harvest across 19 varieties, four harvest dates at Condobolin and Tamworth. Wheat row spacing – at Deniliquin, this trial is evaluating six commercial varieties at three row spacings (18, 24 and 36 centimetres) and three seed densities (80, 120, 160 plants/m 2 ). Lupin trials – at Merriwagga and Wagga Wagga three varieties of narrow and three of broad leaf lupins, six possible row spacing (25, 50 and 75cm and 18, 24 and 36cm) and fertiliser treatments (nil, sown with the seed, pre-drilled or banded). Crown rot by sowing time – in collaboration with Dr Steven Simpfendorfer, 18 wheat varieties (nine bread wheats, five barley and four durum), plus or minus crown rot inoculum and two sowing times are being assessed at Walgett. Crown rot by row spacing – similarly at Walgett and Gurley, three wheat varieties, high and low population, plus or minus crown rot inoculum and three row spacings (30, 40 and 50cm) are the treatments. Barley lodging management – four plant growth regulator treatments, plus or minus slashing are under scrutiny on two varieties at Moree and Gurley, Bithramere and Breeza. Barley nitrogen management – in the northern region, four varieties tested with four nitrogen rates (zero to 120kg N/ha) and two in-crop application treatments. National barley trial – at Gurley and Spring Ridge, a collaboration with the Western and Southern Barley Agronomy Projects is looking at G×E×M interactions. □ GRDC Research Code DAN00167 More information: Dr Peter Martin, special research agronomist, Wagga Wagga, 02 6938 1833, peter.martin@dpi.nsw.gov. au; Dr Matt Gardner, research agronomist, Tamworth 02 6763 1138, matthew.gardner@ dpi.nsw.gov.au; Rick Graham, research agronomist, Condobolin, 02 6895 1009 Value-adding NVT
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