Issues facing growers
While fast developing wheat varieties have been grown across much of Australia, over the past decade and a half rainfall patterns in the south have changed bringing dry autumns and wetter summers.
To assist growers with these changes, the Grains Research and Development Corporation funded research into early sowing of slow developing wheat varieties.
The key to a successful crop requires that plants flower at the optimal time. Typically, the optimal window for flowering lasts just a week or two so understanding the variety and climate conditions is critical to ensure flowering happens then.
Research
GRDC has led research studies and field trials in conjunction with CSIRO Agriculture and independent consultancies and grower groups such as Southern Farming Systems in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia to understand the potential for early sown wheat and how to implement it.
Simulated grazing pressure was included in the studies to see if early sown wheat and grazing are viable options.
Information from the studies will give growers the information they need to decide if early sown wheat will work for them and which varieties will suit their region.
Trials
Trials conducted show early sown wheat can increase yield by 0.9 tonnes per hectare under the right conditions. This was due to deeper root growth and greater water access, less evaporation thanks to early canopy growth and a loner yield building phase.
Trojan, a mid to fast maturing spring wheat variety, sown with Mace, a fast maturing spring wheat variety, gave strong results in South Australia.
Research found growers can create their own planting program to meet the needs of their property.
Example
Charles Edmonston operates a mixed farm with his father at Waubra Victoria. In recent years the family has noticed autumn rain coming later in the season.
Using GRDC research Mr Edmonston decided to use early sown wheat to establish plants sooner and provide feed for their Merino ewes and lambs.
With assistance from Southern Farming systems, he has planted wheat varieties Manning, Adagio and Revenue as part of the farms cropping program with positive results.
The farm has reported a yield increase of 0.5 to 1 tonne per hectare and more condition on livestock, improving the farm’s bottom line.
With ryegrass still a problem he now avoids planting cereal crops in paddocks affected by it and instead plants legumes and canola that stand up well to ryegrass herbicides.
Future
Farmers are embracing planting earlier in the season. The CSIRO calculates nationwide a 37 per cent rise in the number of wheat crops sown prior to May 1 from 2010-2012 to 2013-2015. This has led to a nine day shift in the average sowing date from May 21 to May 12.
This shift has potentially added 3.3 million tonnes of wheat per year to the national crop for the last three years, translating to a gross value to the industry of $800 million per year.