Western Australia
May 7, 2008
Source:
GRDC's The Crop Doctor
To provide growers on Western
Australia’s south coast with information on wheat variety choice
and subsequent management, a
GRDC-supported study analysed data from wheat variety
agronomy trials.
Data was derived from wheat agronomy trials with three different
sowing times on a deep grey sandy duplex, pH 4.8 over gravel at
Esperance Downs Research Station (EDRS), Gibson and a brown
shallow sandy duplex pH 4.6 over alkaline clay at Mt Madden,
near Lake King.
Data was also provided from
field-based National
Variety Testing (NVT) trials 2000 - 2006 and trials at
Gibson, Munglinup, Salmon Gums, Scaddan, Mt Madden and
Jerramungup in 2007.
Wyalkatchem* was the highest yielding variety in Agzones 5 and 6
in NVT trials 2000-2006 and again at Esperance in 2007.
At EDRS, Wyalkatchem* yielded significantly more than all other
varieties at 6.32 tonnes per hectare and EGA Gregory* yielded
significantly less at four tonnes.
Dr Sarah Ellis, GRDC-supported DAFWA researcher, notes however
that 2007 was a dry season with negligible disease pressure.
Poor grain quality is a risk for Wyalkatchem* in wetter seasons.
She said low disease pressure and dry harvest conditions allowed
less adapted varieties to perform unexpectedly well in the
Esperance Port Zone.
Dr Ellis emphasised that the high disease pressure and poor
weather conditions at harvest usually experienced on the south
coast would change variety yield and quality performance.
Wyalkatchem* was the reference variety used to compare wheat
varieties across sites in the NVT trials and yield was expressed
as a percentage of Wyalkatchem* .
Dr Ellis indicated recently released varieties Young* , Magenta*
, Guardian* , Gladius* , EGA Wentworth* , Correll* and AGT
Scythe* performed well in the past six years of NVT at Agzones 5
and 6, but because this was based on a limited number of years
(2000 - 2006), the data must be viewed with caution.
Higher yields and better grain quality were achieved, with
earlier sowing, at both Esperance and Mt Madden.
Gladius* performed better at low
rainfall sites, (118 per cent at Salmon Gums and 115 per cent at
Mt Madden), averaging only 106 per cent at higher rainfall
sites.
Noodle varieties achieved well, but were excluded from the data
as they are not deliverable within the Esperance Port Zone.
Guardian* had yielded well and the Longreach breeding company
hoped to achieve a re-classification from feed grade to APW.
Dr Ellis determined that grain quality was affected more by
variety than sowing time.
*
Varieties protected under the Plant Breeders Rights Act 1994. |
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The Crop Doctor is
GRDC Managing Director,
Peter Reading |
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