I have been involved with winter crop variety testing for over 55 years and never cease to be amazed that new variety releases, in all mainstream crops, continue to be released with higher yield, under good and tough conditions, plus often upgrades in quality and disease resistance.
From information supplied to Peter Matthews, NSW DPI Technical Specialist, Grain Services, by plant breeding companies, a number of new wheat variety releases for this year continues this trend of improving yield, combined with other desirable aspects.
Boree is a new mid-season spring wheat with maturity similar to current regarded high yielding varieties Beckom and Scepter. Boree is broadly adapted and suits a range of soil pH, soil types and environments. GRDC funded independent yield testing (NVT) indicates Boree has high yield potential combined with provisional APH quality classification for south eastern NSW delivery zone. It has good straw strength, with a medium plant height. Disease ratings include MS-S for stripe rust, MR for stem rust but S for leaf rust (prepare to have a sound leaf rust control strategy, similar to several other low leaf rust resistant varieties). Yellow leaf spot rating is MR-MS, and crown rot rating is MS, which is in the highest category of current varieties against this important disease. Boree was developed by crop breeding company AGT.
Note some of these disease ratings, and sometimes quality, for new varieties, are likely to be "preliminary or provisional" and will be updated as more research data becomes available.
Calibre is a new high yielding quick-mid maturity spring wheat, slightly quicker than Scepter. Calibre is derived from Scepter and has shown the same adaption to growing regions of southern NSW. It has good sprouting tolerance, similar to Scepter, and has good coleoptile length. It also is an AGT developed variety. Quality classification for south-eastern NSW is AH. Disease resistances rating for stripe rust is MS, for yellow leaf spot MR-MS, leaf rust S, and for stem rust MR.
Longreach Plant Breeders have released Raider, a new shorter, higher tillering capacity Reliant plant type. It is exhibiting high and stable yield performance across both early and main season planting dates. Raider is a slow maturity spring wheat best suited to mid-April to early-May sowing times across a range of environments. Quality classification is APH for northern as well as south-eastern areas. Stripe rust resistance is rated R-MR, yellow leaf spot MS-S, leaf rust R to main pathotype, crown rot MS (good for crown rot) stem rust R, and for soil nematodes (Prat.thornei) it is rated moderately tolerant.
Valiant CL Plus is a new high yielding slow maturity Clearfield tolerant spring wheat with a similar maturity to Cutlass. Valient CL has moderate plant height and a long coleoptile. Bred and developed by InterGrain. Quality classification is still pending with potential AH classification across NSW. Resistance ratings include MS-S for stripe rust, yellow leaf spot MR-MS, leaf rust S, and stem rust MR.
Other releases are BigRed, a feed quality type. BigRed is an awned, red grained winter wheat. It is a mid-slow maturing variety for medium to high rainfall zones and irrigation. Suitable for dual-purpose applications when early sowing is possible.
RGT Cesario is a multi-purpose awnless red mid-winter wheat, feed grain quality, suited to the high rainfall zone. Suitable for sowing late February to early April for early grazing. Excellent Standability. Same maturity as Accroc. Severn is an awnless winter wheat ideal for grazing, silage and hay production. Severn is best suited to early sowing in eastern and southern areas and exhibits prolific tillering. It has white grain with tolerance to pre-harvest sprouting and is acceptable to feed markets. Severn is tall with good standability. Bred by S & W Seeds.
Full details of these and recommended wheat varieties are available in the NSW DPI Winter Crop Variety Guide, authored by Peter Matthews and other DPI agronomists. It also includes valuable information including sowing times for various varieties and regions, sowing rates and the like. Booklets are available through LLS offices, many agribusiness outlets and NSW DPI.
Next week: Multi species pastures issues.
- Bob Freebairn is an agricultural consultant based at Coonabarabran. Email robert.freebairn@bigpond.com or contact (0428) 752 149.
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