An excellent feature of the 2019 edition of the NSW DPI Winter Crop Variety Guide is the ability to assess varieties for yield, attributes like resistance rating to various yield threatening diseases, quality, and agronomic aspects like maturity type.
According to independent NVT research across NSW, wheat variety Coolah has, for example, yielded 107-109 per cent of Gregory (100) in trials sown before May 15 and about 104 per cent in trials sown after May 14.
Coolah has a good disease resistance status, especially against the rusts, APH quality, and generally good agronomic traits.
It suits sowing for most areas from around April 20 to the end of May.
In earlier sown NVT wheat trials, Trojan also proved an excellent yielder. In southern, western and eastern NSW area trials it was 112-113 per cent of Gregory.
It is APW quality, and suited to sowing from late April to the end of May.
Stripe rust and leaf rust resistance status is low with a clear fungicide strategy required in possible disease threatening conditions. Strong straw of shorter to medium height is a feature.
Main season NVT wheat trials reported in the document, show several newer varieties yield well above previous generations.
Several of these have good disease resistance packages (no variety is near perfect across the range of possible disease issues) and good quality status.
Reliant, for example, has yielded 107 per cent in northern trials. It is APH quality and has an excellent resistant status against stem, leaf and stripe rust.
Vixen, with very limited southern NSW NVT trial data, is a variety to watch with 111 per cent yield in the main season trials.
It is AH quality, suited to sowing around mid-May onwards and has good straw characteristics. It is leaf rust susceptible and requires a fungicide strategy in a threatening season.
Other wheat varieties yielding in the top main season bracket trials include Corack, Cobra, Oryx, Scepter, and Beckom.
Winter wheat varieties suited to early sowing and dual-purpose or grain-only use have increased significantly in numbers and options for farmers.
Bennett (ASW quality southern NSW), around seven to 10 days later flowering than Wedgetail, in limited trials has yielded very well. It will require strategies to guard against stripe and leaf rust.
Illabo (APH southern NSW) is slightly earlier than Wedgetail, high yielding and improved resistance to stripe rust. Again, it will require a plan to combat leaf rust.
Winter wheat varieties suited to early sowing and dual-purpose or grain-only use have increased significantly in numbers and options for farmers.
- Bob Freebairn
Cartwheel remains the main dual-purpose triticale choice with "winter habit", stripe rust resistance (plus leaf and stem rust resistance), good yield and good straw strength.
Astute, according to NVT trials, is the best yielding grain variety across the state and combines with a good disease resistance package.
Several new barley varieties have been released with upgrades also for malting grade status.
Very little data is available about Buff, a new WA acid soil tolerant variety, but it could be of considerable interest to many growers.
It is an early maturing variety and in WA is noted as broadly adaptable, has good early vigour, and is being assessed for possible malt accreditation.
Newer high yielding barley varieties, some with limited NVT assessment, include Banks, Rosalind, Bottler, Maltstar, Planet, Oxford, and Alestar.
Particularly with regard to barley, it is important to check where trial data comes from as relative yield can be quite different from north to south. Malting status also requires checking.
Kowari oat variety, a 2017 release, has yielded 1-4 per cent higher than Mitika and has similar maturity.
Kowari also is a low hull lignin oat like Mitika, giving improved grain digestibility over many other varieties.
It is a little taller, but with good straw and improved leaf rust resistance.
In southern NSW, Bannister has yielded 10 per cent better than Mitika. It is taller, a few days later in maturity and has good leaf rust and bacterial blight resistance.
Williams has also slightly out-yielded Mitika.
These comments are only a small fraction of the information available in the '2019 Winter Crop Variety Guide' authored by Peter Matthews and Don McCaffery.
Copies of the guide are available from NSW DPI or LLS.
Next week: Tropical grass plus winter fodder crop saved major drought damage.
- Bob Freebairn is an agricultural consultant based at Coonabarabran. Email robert.freebairn@bigpond.com or contact (0428) 752 149.
