Western Australia
August 22, 2007
Source:
GRDC's The Crop Doctor
Understanding how new wheat
varieties respond to photoperiod and vernalisation will give
Western Australian graingrowers a ‘heads–up’ on the best sowing
times.
This will help remove the frustrating trial and error many
growers experience in the first couple of years after a new
variety is released and, ultimately, help improve production and
increase returns.
Esperance-based Sarah Ellis, from the variety specific agronomy
group at the Department of Agriculture and Food Western
Australia, is examining how new wheat varieties respond to
photoperiod, or day length and also vernalisation, or cold
temperature treatment before flowering.
In order to flower at the right time, wheat crops with a
vernalisation requirement, such as winter wheats from the
Northern hemisphere, must experience a prolonged period of cold
to trigger vernalisation.
If not cold enough, the wheat may not flower or flowering will
be very delayed.
Although Western Australia grows mostly spring wheats, which
don’t need vernalisation, some varieties are bred from winter
types and if the ‘winter switch’ is never turned on, the crop
won’t flower.
Predicting vernalisation and photoperiod in new wheats will give
growers more control over the flowering time of cereals.
Addressing changes in climate is crucial for crops fully
dependent on subtle aspects of the weather to survive.
Growers need to know what varieties to sow at what times, so
their chosen variety can achieve its maximum potential yield.
The GRDC supported research
is ensuring that reproductive development and seed production
occur at the optimum environmentally favourable time. |
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The Crop Doctor is
GRDC Managing Director,
Peter Reading |
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