Positive results from germplasm trial at Wallendbeen

And a four-year trial conducted by Field Applied Research (FAR) Australia in developing hyper yielding crops through germplasm technology advances has shown the possibility it might be achieved.

FAR Australia is an independent not-for--profit research organization working with the agricultural industry to bring new and improved learnings to the Australian grains industry since its inception in 2012.

Tom Price, manager of the site at Wallendbeen, for FAR Australia, said the Wallendbeen site was part of the national GRDC investment 'Hyper Yielding Crops (HYC)'.

The Wallendbeen site is just one of five HYC sites spanning five states across southern Australia where the aim is to develop independent research results on profitable germplasm developments in wheat, barley and canola, using specific strategies designed by FAR for the high rainfall zones of Australia.

"At Wallendbeen, we are the home of the NSW component of the Hyper Yielding crops project," he said.

"We have been looking at the use of germplasm and management of inputs to push economically attainable yields of wheat."

Mr Price said there was a range of trials - assessing new, high yielding germplasm, fungicide strategies, nutrition and canopy management.

"At Wallendbeen we have consistently achieved the best average of highest yields during the four years of the project on the mainland."

Mr Price indicated the highest yields varied from 9.98tn/ha to 11.66tn/ha to give an average yield of 10.87tn/ha.

"It is a pleasing result to have achieved that average yield across the four years," he said.

"One thing we have learnt is that the highest yields don't always need the higher inputs.

"In the Wallendbeen trials it is pasture legume breaks that have provided good fertility and trial results where there has been no response to nitrogen over the last two years (zero N controls producing 8t/ha).

Mr Price said that fertile farming systems were the base for higher yields, not excessive amounts of artificial fertiliser. In these systems reducing reliance on fungicide and growing varieties with more disease resistance are the biggest levers to maximise yield and profitability" he said.

From this, FAR Australia has started its own initiative to help bring new, high yielding germplasm to market and evaluate these under plus and minus fungicide management using FAR Australia's expertise in disease management.

This initiative is called 'Germplasm Evaluation Network' and is open for breeders to enter new lines for evaluation.