NatioNal variety trials supplemeNt - Grains Research ...
NatioNal variety trials supplemeNt - Grains Research ...
NatioNal variety trials supplemeNt - Grains Research ...
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Change for<br />
the better<br />
Introduction<br />
2<br />
Tom Giles<br />
By Tom Giles<br />
Ground Cover is brought to you by growers and the Australian Government through the<br />
publisher, the <strong>Grains</strong> <strong>Research</strong> and Development Corporation (GRDC).<br />
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ISSN 1039-6217 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. NAD 3994<br />
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Cover photo by Paul Jones<br />
Yield is an important component of a grain<br />
business’s profitability. Selecting varieties that<br />
produce the best yield for a particular market from<br />
the same inputs is good business management.<br />
An economic assessment by Haydn Kuchel, Australian<br />
Grain Technologies, of the new and benchmark wheat<br />
varieties grown in National Variety Trials (NVT)<br />
in South Australia highlighted a $100 per hectare<br />
difference in income between top and bottom varieties.<br />
The assessment used yield data from each SA NVT<br />
site plus the data for screenings, and protein and hectolitre<br />
weight to calculate a relative return for each <strong>variety</strong>.<br />
It also took into account quality classification for each<br />
<strong>variety</strong> and inputs used at each site, including fungicide.<br />
Not only did this analysis indicate a large<br />
difference in margin, it also showed that in<br />
some regions selecting a wheat <strong>variety</strong> classified<br />
Australian Hard (AH) rather than Australian Prime<br />
White (APW) was costing growers income.<br />
This type of analysis demonstrates why it is important<br />
for growers to carefully consider their <strong>variety</strong> choices.<br />
The objective of the NVT program is to provide an<br />
independent <strong>variety</strong> evaluation program that accelerates<br />
the adoption of superior varieties. ‘Superior’ refers<br />
to varieties with improved yield, quality, disease<br />
resistance or a combination of these attributes.<br />
A recent grower survey commission by the GRDC, the<br />
sole funder of the NVT, identified positive uptake of new<br />
varieties of all major winter crops. For example, over the<br />
past five years 89 per cent of respondents (1203 grower<br />
participants) had grown a new winter cereal <strong>variety</strong> and 44<br />
per cent a new <strong>variety</strong> of pulse. Sixty per cent reported that<br />
new grain varieties are meeting their expectations well.<br />
The majority of respondents were aware<br />
of NVT, but only between 28 and 30 per cent<br />
attend field days and use NVT Online resources<br />
to assist their <strong>variety</strong> selection decisions.<br />
I encourage all growers to take advantage of the NVT<br />
resources when selecting varieties. NVT Online (www.<br />
nvtonline.com.au) is regularly reviewed and improved. In<br />
the past 12 months visits to the website have increased by<br />
about 28 per cent and page use has increased by 15 per<br />
cent compared to the previous year. Both figures indicate<br />
more growers are realising the value of NVT Online.<br />
To help increase use of NVT resources, the GRDC<br />
commissioned a pilot series of one-day workshops<br />
in the Southern Region. Titled ‘Variety selection and<br />
NVT – putting science into selection’, these workshops<br />
were rated highly by over 90 agronomists, consultants<br />
and plant breeders who attended the workshops.<br />
Since the previous NVT Ground Cover Supplement<br />
in 2008 there have been some other substantial changes<br />
to the NVT program. Perhaps the most significant is the<br />
use of fungicides to control disease in NVT <strong>trials</strong> and the<br />
establishment of regional NVT Advisory Committees.<br />
Value-adding to NVT through the <strong>variety</strong>-specific<br />
agronomy projects run across all three GRDC regions<br />
is another important initiative. These <strong>trials</strong> aim to<br />
reduce the risk and improve the reliability of varieties<br />
when grown under different management practices.<br />
Working with the NVT management team<br />
and Grower Advisory Committees the NVT<br />
program will continue to evolve and respond to<br />
the needs of Australian grain growers. □<br />
More information: Tom Giles, manager<br />
trial operations, GRDC, 02 6166 4500,<br />
tom.giles@grdc.com.au<br />
Supplement edited by<br />
Emma Leonard