The release of a new wheat variety (Sunmax) plus updates on research in a number of key cropping aspects such as crown rot, weed management, digital and robotic agriculture, latest variety details for faba bean, durum and chickpea will feature at one of the state’s premier field days set down for Wednesday, September 7.
Sydney University hosts the field day at the Narrabri I.A. Watson Grains Research Institute.
The institute is a major research centre owned and has been managed by farmers since 1958 (via the Wheat Research Foundation) and now involves research undertaken by a number of public and private bodies including Sydney University with its many programs.
Sunmax’s release, developed by Australian Grain Technology (AGT), is especially relevant as it adds significantly to the choice of varieties available for early sowing.
Ongoing research by various bodies, commonly involving GRDC as well as company or public research providers, continues to highlight the potential big yield gains and more profitable production available from early versus mid or late sowing.
However to minimise risk, especially from late winter-spring frosting, early sowing requires slower maturing varieties.
Slower maturing varieties such as Sunmax generally head around the same time as many of the quicker-maturing varieties sown later in their respective sowing windows.
Advantages of early sowing with appropriate varieties includes commonly deeper and more developed root systems, higher potential yield for many situations and better able to cope with wet winter conditions if well-established before semi waterlogging occurs.
Moisture seeking also fits well with early sowing to increase early sowing opportunities.
Senior AGT wheat breeder Meiqin Lu reports that Sunmax is a long season spring variety slower in maturity than Sunbri and Sunzell and slightly quicker than Sunbrook.
Sunmax has yielded significantly higher than similar maturing varieties in Northern NSW and Qld NVT and AGT trials (2011 to 2015) in the early sowing window.
Australian Prime Hard (APH) classification (northern zone) is also a bonus for Sunmax.
Other important attributes include an excellent level of stripe rust resistance based on both major and multiple minor APR genes.
Stem rust resistance is also good although leaf rust resistance will need careful monitoring as its rating is lower.
It also has good tolerance and resistance to crown rot and root lesion nematodes (P. thornei). Seed should be available.
Newly appointed GRDC director of weeds research for the northern cropping region, Dr Michael Walsh, will highlight current and future weed control options. Weed control discussions will feature a demonstration of the Integrated Harrington Seed Destructor and targeted tillage (tines which engage only over weeds).
Faba bean breeder Dr Kedar Adhikari, University of Sydney, has made big strides with variety upgrading (latest release PBA Nasma) with more promising lines in the pipeline.
The latest chickpea variety, PBA Seamer (NSW DPI developed as part of a national breeding program), with improved disease resistance plus combining with high quality and high yield will also be covered on the day.
Other research projects making considerable progress and to be discussed include continual upgrading in crown rot resistance (including durum), incorporation of attributes such as more competitive types against weeds (part of integrated weed management) and improved heat and drought tolerance.
- Bob Freebairn is an agricultural consultant based at Coonabarabran. Email robert.freebairn@bigpond.com or contact (0428) 752 149.
