NatioNal variety trials supplemeNt - Grains Research ...
NatioNal variety trials supplemeNt - Grains Research ...
NatioNal variety trials supplemeNt - Grains Research ...
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What if ...<br />
Working across the GRDC’s Southern and Northern regions, the team running<br />
<strong>variety</strong>-specific agronomy packages in New South Wales is providing answers<br />
to <strong>variety</strong> agronomy questions for wheat, canola, lupins and barley<br />
15<br />
By Dr Peter Martin,<br />
Dr Matt Gardner and Rick Graham<br />
In NSW, <strong>variety</strong>-specific agronomy<br />
packages (VSAP) supported by the GRDC<br />
have been in full swing since 2006.<br />
Many <strong>trials</strong> have been made possible<br />
by collaboration and co-location with a<br />
range of other groups in NSW including<br />
National Variety Trials (NVT). This<br />
provides efficiencies and cost savings as<br />
well as improved research outcomes.<br />
A management committee made up of<br />
NSW Department of Primary Industries<br />
(DPI) research agronomists and district<br />
agronomists has ensured projects reflect<br />
the needs of growers and agronomists.<br />
A significant output has been the<br />
detailed work on yield response of wheat<br />
varieties to sowing time. This combines<br />
VSAP and NVT data in a single analysis.<br />
Communicated through a range of reports,<br />
field days and NSW DPI fact sheets, this<br />
work provides yield response curves for<br />
56 main season varieties sown between<br />
20 April and 19 July. Similar data is<br />
presented for 22 early-sown varieties.<br />
In 2012, the program investigated a<br />
range of ‘what-if’ agronomy questions in<br />
canola, wheat, barley and lupins at multiple<br />
locations across NSW. In previous years<br />
these and other questions had been tackled.<br />
Canola sowing time by seeding rate<br />
– 15 canola varieties, three sowing times<br />
and three seeding rates aiming to establish<br />
15, 30 and 45 plants per square metre.<br />
Canola establishment – six canola<br />
varieties, three sowing depths and interactions<br />
with stubble cover and sowing time.<br />
Canola fertiliser – the response<br />
differences of six varieties (hybrid<br />
and open pollinated) to five nitrogen<br />
fertiliser rates (zero, 15, 30, 60, 120<br />
kilograms of nitrogen per hectare).<br />
Fertiliser was either separated from the<br />
seed by deep banding or drilled prior to<br />
sowing. In addition, northern <strong>trials</strong> also<br />
included sulfur rates ranging from 0 to<br />
40 kilograms of sulfur per hectare.<br />
Wheat sowing time – at seven<br />
locations (Wagga Wagga, Deniliquin,<br />
Cowra, Forbes, Condobolin, Tamworth and<br />
Trangie), 30 near-release and established<br />
Peter Martin scoring canola time of sowing trial at Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute in 2012.<br />
varieties were sown at three sowing dates<br />
and compared to established varieties.<br />
Wheat fertiliser – differences in<br />
grain protein and yield responses of six<br />
varieties that represent a range of maturity<br />
and plant types. Nitrogen fertiliser<br />
rates were determined by location but<br />
ranged from zero to 120kg N/ha.<br />
Wheat and barley delayed harvest<br />
– the impact on grain quality parameters<br />
in different varieties due to delayed<br />
harvest across 19 varieties, four harvest<br />
dates at Condobolin and Tamworth.<br />
Wheat row spacing – at Deniliquin,<br />
this trial is evaluating six commercial<br />
varieties at three row spacings (18,<br />
24 and 36 centimetres) and three seed<br />
densities (80, 120, 160 plants/m 2 ).<br />
Lupin <strong>trials</strong> – at Merriwagga and<br />
Wagga Wagga three varieties of narrow<br />
and three of broad leaf lupins, six possible<br />
row spacing (25, 50 and 75cm and 18, 24<br />
and 36cm) and fertiliser treatments (nil,<br />
sown with the seed, pre-drilled or banded).<br />
Crown rot by sowing time –<br />
in collaboration with Dr Steven<br />
Simpfendorfer, 18 wheat varieties (nine<br />
bread wheats, five barley and four durum),<br />
plus or minus crown rot inoculum and two<br />
sowing times are being assessed at Walgett.<br />
Crown rot by row spacing – similarly<br />
at Walgett and Gurley, three wheat varieties,<br />
high and low population, plus or minus<br />
crown rot inoculum and three row spacings<br />
(30, 40 and 50cm) are the treatments.<br />
Barley lodging management – four<br />
plant growth regulator treatments,<br />
plus or minus slashing are under<br />
scrutiny on two varieties at Moree and<br />
Gurley, Bithramere and Breeza.<br />
Barley nitrogen management – in the<br />
northern region, four varieties tested with<br />
four nitrogen rates (zero to 120kg N/ha)<br />
and two in-crop application treatments.<br />
National barley trial – at Gurley<br />
and Spring Ridge, a collaboration<br />
with the Western and Southern<br />
Barley Agronomy Projects is looking<br />
at G×E×M interactions. □<br />
GRDC <strong>Research</strong> Code DAN00167<br />
More information: Dr Peter Martin, special<br />
research agronomist, Wagga Wagga,<br />
02 6938 1833, peter.martin@dpi.nsw.gov.<br />
au; Dr Matt Gardner, research agronomist,<br />
Tamworth 02 6763 1138, matthew.gardner@<br />
dpi.nsw.gov.au; Rick Graham, research<br />
agronomist, Condobolin, 02 6895 1009<br />
Value-adding NVT