| Summary |
Field trials will be established on between 30 and 40 farmers properties each year to evaluate new and potential varieties against currently recommended standards. Wheat varieties will form the major part of the program, however there is also a need to examine varieties and management practices of alternative winter crops for wheat growers. Therefore the program includes an evaluation of varieties of other cereals, grain legumes and oilseeds as well as sowing dates, fertilisers and crop comparisons.
The project will employ a Technical Officer to operate a mobile unit to sow, spray and harvest the trials. The facilities of the Condobolin Agricultural Research and Advisory Station are available to support the operation of the unit.
Grain yield data and observations made during the growing season will be compiled into an annual report for use by plant breeders and advisory staff. Trial sites will be used for field days, and the mobile unit will assist extension officers by conducting crop management trials.
|
| Project Outcomes |
Background
Due to there being no crop variety breeding programs located in the Central West environment (Condobolin, Forbes, Parkes and West Wyalong agronomy districts), there is a particular need to evaluate the suitability for this environment of crop varieties developed elsewhere. Funds provided for the project allow for a range of varietal trials for winter cereals and other winter crops that would not otherwise be possible. As well, a large number of crop management trials and demonstrations are conducted.
Funding allows continued full-time employment of a Technical Officer to conduct the trials and continued operation of a mobile unit which consists of small-plot field equipment transported on a low-loader to trial sites provided by co-operating farmers. Farmers’ field equipment is generally too large to allow the number of trial replications necessary for statistically valid comparisons. The availability of the mobile unit also facilitates improved timeliness of field operations, which is often a problem due to farmers understandably giving greater priority to timeliness for their own crops rather than the trial crops they are accommodating. Funding also allows employment of casual assistance at peak periods which allows critical measurements to be undertaken. Project funding thereby substantially increases the confidence with which farmers in the Central West can be advised on the adoption of new varieties. It also expands the range of crops for which such advice can be given. An additional benefit may derive from the improved feedback to plant breeders regarding performance of varieties in the Central West, in terms of increased likelihood of varieties being bred with superior performance in this environment.
Aims
- To service plant breeders by evaluating new varieties in the Central West.
- To service the industry by evaluating currently recommended varieties.
- To promote advanced practices and varieties by assisting agronomists in extension tasks throughout the Condobolin, Forbes, Parkes and West Wyalong agronomy districts.
Summary of Outcomes
- An on-farm trial program was conducted using a mobile unit and Technical Officer employed from project funds. Each year about 65 trials and demonstrations were completed, including variety trials for wheat, barley, oats, field peas, lupins, chickpeas, canola, linseed and lentils, and management experiments of fertiliser requirements, take-all control, pasture cleaning, herbicide sensitivity, pasture species and new crops such as oilseed mustard and linola.
- Results were communicated to farmers by field days at the experimental sites (over 20 each year) and by publication of an annual report including all trial results.
- The project was influential in the adoption of new varieties and of better farming practices, including the southern expansion of Prime Hard wheat production, the increase in area of non-cereal crops and improved pasture and crop management. The value of the project was substantiated by economic assessment.
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| Discussion |
Industry Significance
This project is an integral part of the wheat breeding programs for Central and Southern NSW and offers a service to agronomists and farmers by providing an assessment of promising varieties in commercial situations. Since there is no breeder located in Central Western NSW, data from this project is influential in determining cereal variety recommendations for the region. A range of other cereal, legume and oilseed crops are now being grown in the region and new varieties of these crops and suitable management practices will also be evaluated. Many trial sites will be used as field day sites to demonstrate forthcoming varieties to farmers.
Results
Mr Dougal Pottie has been employed as the Technical Officer operating the mobile unit since 1986. His skill and experience allowed the number of trials to be significantly increased during this three year period while still maintaining a very high standard of field work. The increase in total salary cost in 1991-92 was necessary to meet superannuation contributions.
The mobile unit based at Condobolin is equipped with a prime mover and trailer, tractor, cone seeder, plot harvester and 4WD utility fitted with a spray tank and boom. This machinery has been purchased as part of previous projects. In 1990-91, a capital allocation of $20 000 was used to replace the Navara 4WD with a Toyota Hilux. The new vehicle has proved to be very suitable for weed control operations.
An average of 65 trials and demonstrations were successfully completed each year, and a full listing is attached. These included variety trials for early and mid-season wheat, barley, oats, field peas, lupins, chickpeas, canola, linseed and lentils. Management trials and demonstrations included nitrogen fertiliser on wheat, cereal grazing, fertiliser on peas, winter cleaning of pastures, biological control of take-all, herbicide sensitivity in field pea, lupins and vetch, oilseed mustard, and pastures species comparisons.
This program played a leading role in a number of important changes in varieties and farming systems in the region. In the western area, testing of released and potential cultivars of wheat for yield and protein was crucial in the southern expansion of Prime Hard wheat production in the early 1990's. Throughout the region, the increase in new crops particularly canola and grain legumes has been hastened because of the demonstration and varietal testing of these crops by the mobile unit. The yield and quality data collected has been used to support the release of new cultivars, and also form the bases of varietal recommendations in the region.
The project also has a major extension role, and on average 21 field days were held at trial sites each year. As well, an annual report of 40 to 100 pages was compiled each year, and up to 1 000 copies circulated to extension and research officers and to farmers in the region. The full list of field days conducted and the co-operating farmer groups is attached.
An economic assessment of this project (Gains for Grain, GRDC, 1992) indicated an internal rate of return of 34% and a benefit cost ratio of 3.9, based only on the varietal improvement part of the project and including a NSW Agriculture contribution of over $70 000 annually. The assessment noted that these figures under-estimated the value of the program as the benefits from management trials (a major component of the project) were not included.
Ongoing Research
The mobile unit and Technical Officer have continued to be funded in the GRDC project DAN 80, “Development and promotion of improved crop varieties and agronomic practices for the Central West of NSW”. The title was changed to indicate the mix of variety testing and crop management trials conducted on-farm by the mobile unit.
Trial sites 1989
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District
|
Co-operator and locality
|
Trial Type
|
|
Condobolin
|
G. Fishpool - Tottenham
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Barley variety
Field pea variety
Fertiliser (urea on wheat)
|
| |
I. Davis - Lake Cargelligo
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
|
| |
B. Colless - Vermont Hill
|
Grazing & grain oat variety
Grain only oat variety
|
| |
M. Doyle - Euabalong
|
West Time of sowing in cereals
|
| |
B. Watt - Melrose High School
|
Chickpea variety
Cereal grazing demonstration
|
| |
LIRAC - Condobolin
|
Interstate linseed variety
Mixed grain legume
|
|
Forbes
|
B. Neville - Ooma
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
|
| |
K. Rawsthorne - Mulyandry
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
|
| |
W. Scott - Bogan Gate
|
Barley variety
|
| |
C. Hodges - Bogan Gate
|
Main season wheat variety
|
| |
P. Dwyer - Bogan Gate
|
Fertiliser on field peas
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| |
W. Hodges -Bogan Gate
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Cereals for grazing
|
| |
R. Redfern - Mulyandry
|
Cereals for grazing
|
| |
Sydney Uni - Forbes
|
Fertiliser (urea on wheat)
|
|
Parkes
|
B. Tanswell - Goonumbla
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
|
| |
A. Wright - Alectown West
|
Grain only oat variety
|
| |
B. Unger - Alectown West
|
Barley variety
Chickpea variety
|
| |
W. Dunford - Gunningbland
|
Field pea variety
|
| |
J. Kearney - Trundle
|
Barley variety
Main season wheat variety
|
|
West Wyalong
|
P. Wieneke - Girral
|
Lupin variety
Early sown wheat variety
|
| |
L. Ward – Tullibigeal
|
Main season wheat variety
Field pea variety
Fertiliser (urea on wheat)
|
| |
R. Cooper - Weethalle
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Barley variety
|
| |
G. West - Lake Cowal
|
Grain only oat variety
|
| |
J. Templeton - Naradhan
|
Barley variety
|
Trial sites 1990
|
District
|
Co-operator and locality
|
Trial Type
|
|
Condobolin
|
G. Fishpool - Tottenham
|
Mid-season wheat variety
Barley variety
Field pea variety
Nitrogen application on wheat
|
| |
I. Davis - Lake Cargelligo
|
Early sown wheat variety
Mid-season wheat variety
Nitrogen application on wheat
|
| |
M. Jones - Vermont Hill
|
Time of sowing in cereals
|
| |
M. Doyle - Euabalong West
|
Nitrogen application on wheat
|
| |
R. Martin - Fifield
|
Nitrogen application on wheat
|
| |
Condobolin High School
|
Winter crop demonstration
|
| |
Ag. Res. Stn. - Condobolin
|
Mid-season wheat variety
Interstate linseed variety
|
| |
D. Carroll - Burgooney
|
Grain oat variety
|
| |
J. Hill - Tullibigeal
|
Barley variety
Field pea variety
Nitrogen application on wheat
|
|
Forbes
|
B. Neville - Ooma
|
Early sown wheat variety
Mid-season wheat variety
|
| |
K. Rawsthorne - Mulyandry
|
Early sown wheat variety
|
| |
R. Redfern - Mulyandry
|
Cereals for grazing
|
| |
W. Hodges - Bogan Gate
|
Cereals for grazing
|
| |
C. Hodges - Bogan Gate
|
Mid-season wheat variety
|
| |
W. Scott - Bogan Gate
|
Barley variety
|
| |
Uni. of Sydney - Cowra Rd.
|
Chickpea variety
Lentil variety
|
|
Parkes
|
B. Tanswell - Goonumbla
|
Early sown wheat variety
Mid-season wheat variety
Barley variety
Winter cleaning of pastures demonstration
|
| |
B. Unger - Alectown West
|
Barley variety
Chickpea variety
|
| |
W. Dunford - Gunningbland
|
Field pea variety
Field pea sowing rate
Herbicide sensitivity on peas
Nitrogen application on wheat
Lentil and chickpea demonstration
|
| |
G. Somers - Goobang
|
Canola variety
|
| |
G. Hunter - Bogan Gate
|
Lupin variety
|
| |
A. Rees - Numulla
|
Mid-season wheat variety
Vetch and field pea demonstration
|
| |
J. Kearney - Trundle
|
Mid-season wheat variety
Winter cleaning of pastures demonstration
|
| |
G. Wright - Alectown
|
Grain oat variety
|
| |
K. Keith - Parkes
|
Winter cleaning of pastures demonstration
|
| |
J. Rhodes - Gunningbland
|
Winter cleaning of pastures demonstration
|
| |
I. Unger - Aleetown
|
Winter cleaning of pastures demonstration
|
|
West Wyalong
|
L. Woolner - Weethalle
|
Early sown wheat variety
Mid-season wheat variety
Barley variety
|
| |
R. Tait - Weethalle
|
Grazing and grain oat variety
|
| |
P. Wiencke - Girral
|
Lupin variety
|
| |
B. Keir - Quandialla
|
Grazing and grain oat variety
|
| |
J. Templeton - Naradhan
|
Early sown wheat variety
Mid-season wheat variety
|
| |
G. West - Lake Cowal
|
Grain oat variety
Early sown wheat variety
|
| |
W. Buttenshaw - Lake Cowal
|
Canola demonstration
|
Trial sites 1991
|
District
|
Co-operator and locality
|
Trail Type
|
|
Condobolin
|
G. Fishpool - Tottenham
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Barley variety
Field pea variety
Wheat nitrogen nutrition
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
I. Davis - Lake Cargelligo
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Canola variety
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
T. Mackin - Tullibigeal
|
Barley variety
Field pea variety
Wheat nitrogen nutrition
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
Ag. Res. Stn. - Condobolin
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
D. Carroll - Burgooney
Condobolin High School
|
Grain only oat variety
Winter crop demonstration
|
| |
S. Edwards - Tottenham
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
R. Jelbart - Wilga Ridge
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
A. Jarvis - Albert
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
C. Vincent - Tottenham
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
J. Greig - Ootha
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
|
Forbes
|
R. Redfern - Mulyandry
|
Cereals for grazing and grain
|
| |
A. Noble - Eugowra
|
Canola variety
|
| |
K. Rawsthorne - Mulyandry
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Biological control of Take-all
|
| |
University of Sydney
|
Chickpea variety
|
| |
W. Hodges - Bogan Gate
|
Cereal comparison
|
| |
B. Neville - Ooma
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
|
| |
W. Scott - Bogan Gate
|
Barley variety
|
| |
C. Hodges - Bogan Gate
|
Main season wheat variety
Lentil variety
|
|
Parkes
|
R. Umbers - Trundle
|
Main season wheat variety
Barley variety
Canola demonstration
|
| |
G. Pietsch - Alagala
|
Main season wheat variety
Barley variety
Alternative crop demonstration
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
B. Tanswell - Goonumbla
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Canola, chickpea and vetch demonstration
|
| |
B. Unger - Alectown West
|
Barley variety
Grain only oat variety
|
| |
W. Dunford - Gunningbland
|
Field pea variety
Field pea herbicide sensitivity
Vetch herbicide sensitivity
Lentil and chickpea demonstration
Peaola demonstration
Wheat nitrogen nutrition
Field pea phosphorus nutrition
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
G. Somers - Goobang
|
Canola variety
Canola herbicide sensitivity
Wheat nitrogen nutrition
Chickpea and vetch demonstration
|
| |
G. Hunter - Bogan Gate
|
Lupin variety
Vetch demonstration
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
G. Toohey - The Troffs
|
Grain legume crop comparison
|
| |
G. Wright - Alectown West
|
Chickpea variety
Vetch demonstration
|
| |
W. Rathbone - Alagala
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
J. Kearney - Trundle
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
N & S Macaulay - Goobang
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
I. Unger - Alectown
|
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
|
West Wyalong
|
A. Maitland - Wyalong
|
Biological control of Take-all
|
| |
L. Woolner - Weethalle
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
Barley variety
|
| |
R. Tait - Weethalle
|
Grazing and grain oat variety
Chickpea variety
|
| |
P. Wiencke - Girral
|
Lupin variety
Field pea variety
|
| |
G. West - Lake Cowal
|
Early sown wheat variety
Grain only oat variety
|
| |
J. Templeton - Naradhan
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
|
Trial sites 1992
|
District
|
Co-operator and locality
|
Trial Type
|
|
Condobolin
|
D. Fox-Ashwin - Tottenham
|
Wheat and barley for early sowing
Main season wheat
Main season barley variety
Field pea variety
|
| |
I. Davis - Lake Cargelligo
|
Wheat and barley for early sowing
Main season wheat
Oilseed mustard variety
Pasture species demonstration
|
| |
T. Mackin - Tullibigeal
|
Main season barley variety
Field pea variety
Nitrogen fertiliser in wheat
Pastures species demonstration
Oilseed mustard demonstration
|
| |
Ag. Res. Stn. - Condobolin
|
Early sown wheat variety
Main season wheat variety
|
| |
D. Carroll - Burgooney
|
Grain only oat variety
|
| |
M. Doyle - Euabalong West
|
Mixed cereals
Pasture species demonstration
|
| |
M. Jones - Vermont Hill
|
Mixed cereals
Pasture species demonstration
Oilseed mustard demonstration
|
| |
A. Larkings - Tullamore
|
S2 Barley variety
|
| |
K. Fair - Lake Brewster
|
Oilseed mustard variety
Crop response to C.C.N.
Pasture species demonstration
Take-all control in wheat
|
| |
Condobolin High School
|
Winter crop demonstration
|
|
Forbes
|
R. Redfern – Mulyandry
|
Oats for grazing and grain
|
| |
A. Noble - Eugowra
|
Canola variety
Canola nutrition
|
| |
K. Rawsthorne - Mulyandry
|
Early sown wheat and barley variety
Main season wheat variety
Take-all control in wheat
|
| |
L. Neville - Ooma
|
Wheat and barley for early sowing
Main season wheat
|
| |
W. Hodges - Bogan Gate
|
Oats for grazing and grain
|
| |
C. Hodges - Bogan Gate
|
Main season wheat
|
| |
W. Scott - Bogan Gate
|
Main season barley variety
|
| |
A. McDonald - Warroo
|
Take-all control in wheat
|
|
Parkes
|
W. Dunford - Gunningbland
|
Field pea variety
Grain legume crop comparison
Herbicide sensitivity in vetch
Herbicide sensitivity in peas
|
| |
G. Somers - Goobang
|
Canola variety
|
| |
G. Hunter - Bogan Gate
|
Lupin variety
Herbicide sensitivity in lupins
|
| |
R. Jelbart – Alectown
|
Canola nutrition
|
| |
B. Tanswell - Goonumbla
|
Wheat & barley for early sowing
Main season wheat
Canola demonstration
Pasture species demonstration
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
J. Kearney - Trundle
|
Main season wheat
Main season barley variety
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
G. Pietsch - Alagala
|
Main season wheat
Main season barley variety
Winter cleaning of pasture demonstration
|
| |
N. Macaulay - Goobang
|
Grain only oat variety
Grain legume crop comparison
|
| |
B. Unger - Alectown
|
S3 Barley variety
Chickpea variety
|
|
West Wyalong
|
G. West - Lake Cowal
|
Wheat for early sowing
Grain only oat variety
|
| |
R. Tait - Weethalle
|
Oats for grazing and grain
Chickpea variety
Pasture species trial
|
| |
J. Templeton - Naradhan
|
Wheat & barley for early sowing
Main season wheat
|
| |
L. Woolner - Weethalle
|
Wheat & barley for early sowing
Main season wheat
S3 Barley variety
|
| |
P. Wiencke - Girral
|
Lupin variety
Field pea variety
|
| |
M. Stockman - Gubbata
|
Take-all control in wheat
|
| |
M. Manglesdorf - Lake Cowal
|
Pasture species demonstration
|
Field Days at Trial Sites
Field days for the farming community were held in October-November each year. The program for each locality was organised co-operatively between the NSW Agriculture District Agronomist and the local farmer group; usually a branch of NSW Farmers or Agricultural Bureau.
Field day sites
|
District
|
Organisation
|
Co-operating Farmers and Year
|
|
Condobolin
|
Top Woodlands Ag. Bureau
|
Fishpool 1989, 90, 91
Fox-Ashwin 1992
|
| |
Lake Cargelligo
NSW Farmers Branch
|
Davis 1989-92
|
| |
Tullibigeal
NSW Farmers Branch
|
Mackin 1989-92
|
| |
Local Farmer Group
|
Doyle, Euabalong West
1989, 90, 92
|
| |
Local Farmer Group
|
Jones, Vermont Hill
1989
|
| |
NSW Agriculture
|
Agricultural Research and
Advisory Station: annually
|
|
Forbes
|
Gunning Gap Agricultural Bureau
|
Scott, Hodges, Dwyer,
1989-92
|
| |
Mulyandry
NSW Farmers Branch
|
Rawsthorne, Redfern
1989-92
|
| |
Ooma
NSW Farmers Branch
|
Neville 1989-92
|
| |
Lachlan Irrigation Research and Advisory Council (LIRAC)
|
LIRAC Research Farm
1989-92
|
|
Parkes
|
Australian Pulse Co-operative
|
Dunford 1990-92
|
| |
NSW Agriculture
|
Somers 1990-92
|
| |
Alectown
|
Jelbart 1991-92
|
| |
NSW Farmers Branch
|
Unger 1989-92
|
| |
NSW Agriculture
|
Hunter 1990-92
|
| |
NSW Agriculture
|
Tanswell 1989-92
|
| |
NSW Agriculture
|
Kearney 1989-92
Umbers 1991
|
| |
NSW Agriculture Hoechst
|
Pietsch 1989-92
|
| |
Parkes Agricultural Bureau
|
Macaulay 1992
|
|
West Wyalong
|
West Wyalong Agricultural Bureau
Walker's Ag-N-Vet
|
West 1989-92
|
| |
Weethalle
|
Tait 1989-92
|
| |
NSW Farmers Branch
|
Woolner 1990-92
Cooper 1989
|
| |
Ungarie
NSW Farmers Branch
|
Wiencke 1989-92
|
| |
Naradhan, Gubbatta and Kikiora NSW Farmers Branch
|
Templeton 1989-92
Stockman 1992
|
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