wheat & barley variety trials - ag grow agronomy

INDEPENDENT AGRONOMY ADVICE + CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH

WHEAT & BARLEY VARIETY TRIALS Beelbangera & Hillston 2018

2Ag Grow Agronomy & Research | HBS Wheat & Barley Variety Trials 2018

BACKGROUNDAg Grow Agronomy and Research have been collaborating with Hart Bros Seeds for the past 5 years, trialling new and existing varieties suited to our local area. Each year the variety list is updated to include the latest releases and some potential releases, suited to the area, to see how they perform in our environment.

In 2018 each trial had 45 varieties which included 36 curently grown varieties, 4 newly released varieties including Illabo, DS Bennett, Sunprime and Vixen (Hillston only) and 5 lined varieties, table 1.

These trials compliment the NVT trials, as they give us the opportunity to compare how new and existing varieties are performing under local dyland and irrigated conditions.

TRIAL DETAILSThe trials were established in May 2018. The trials were set up to compare the performance of potential

wheat and barley varieties with existing varieties commonly grown in Southern NSW under local dryland and irrigated conditions. The focus of the trials is on yield and quality, with acid soil tolerance on dryland and lodging tolerance on irrigation also important features.

The trials were replicated three times, with plot sizes 11m by 1.75m (19.25m2). Appropriate pest, disease and weed control was undertaken on both trials.

2018 Seasonal Conditions:

Drought conditions were experienced in 2018 with the season characterised by high temperatures and low rainfall. A total of 199mm of rain was recorded at the Griffith airport, till the end of November 2018, compared to the long term average rainfall of 369mm.

Growing season rainfall was well below average with only 75mm falling from 1st April to 30th September at Griffith Airport, compared to the long term average of 200mm. Rain occurred late in the season, benefiting grainfill.

HBS Wheat & Barley Variety Trials

KEY POINTS

• Drought conditions were experienced in 2018 with the season characterised by high temperatures and low rainfall. Growing season rainfall (from 1st April to 30th September) at Beelbangera was only 68.5mm. Cool conditions prevailed late in the season for grainfill, with significant rainfall events also occurring from late October.

• In the absence of lodging of wheat varieties in the irrigated trial, the genetic yield potential of the varieties could be seen, with yields up to 10 t/ha. Although barley varieties showed a degree of lodging on irrigation, yields for barley were up to 9.5 t/ha.

• The longer season wheat varieties Accroc and DS Bennett performed well in both trials with Accroc yielding over 10 t/ha and DS Bennett 9.8 t/ha on irrigation and 2.1 t/ha and 1.9 t/ha respectively on dryland.


Dryland Trial - Beelbangera:

The dryland trial was sown at the Ag Grow Agronomy research farm “Ridgetop” Beelbangera, 16km NE of Griffith. The trial was sown following wheat and was sown on 7th May, 2018 at 30 kg/ha and with 80 kg/ha MAP. The trial was topdressed with 60 kg/ha urea on 26th July. It was harvested on 18th November, 2018.

Irrigated Trial - Hillston:

The irrigated trial was sown at Graeme Horneman’s “Wilga Glen” Hillston on 18th May, 2018 , following maize, figure 1.

It was sown at 100 kg/ha with 120 kg/ha MAP and with 200 kg/ha urea pre-drilled by the grower. The trial was topdressed with 250 kg/ha urea on 10th September.

The trial recieved 3 irrigations (3.5 ML/ha total irrigation), the first late July/early August, the second early September and the third mid/late October. Timely fungicide sprays were applied before each spring irrigation 7th September and 22nd October.

It was harvested on 10th December, 2018.

Table 1: 2018 Variety List - Beelbangera & Hillston trials.

ENTRY VARIETY SPECIES

1 LRPB Cobra wheat2 LRPB Flanker wheat3 LRPB Ki�yhawk wheat4 LRPB Lancer wheat5 LRPB Mustang wheat6 LRPB Reliant wheat7 LRPB Spi�ire wheat8 LRPB Trojan wheat9 EGA Gregory wheat10 LPB12–0152 wheat11 LPB14-0392 wheat12 LPB14-3634 wheat13 Beckom wheat14 Scepter wheat15 RAC2388 wheat16 Illabo wheat17 Longsword wheat18 AGTD088 Durum19 Sunprime wheat20 Corack wheat21 Suntop wheat22 Condo wheat23 Coolah wheat24 Elmore CL Plus wheat25 Chara wheat26 DBA_Vi�aroi Durum27 DBA_Bindaroi Durum28 Lillaroi Durum29 DBA_Aurora Durum30 DS Pascal wheat31 Accroc wheat32 DS Benne� wheat33 Bolac wheat34 EGA Wedgetail wheat35 Emu Rock wheat36 Sunvale wheat37 Livingston* wheat38 Razor CL Plus wheat39 Grenade CL Plus wheat40 RGT Planet Barley41 LaTrobe Barley42 Hindmarsh Barley43 Spartacus CL Barley44 Fathom Barley45 Compass Barley

Note: * Vixen replaces Livingston at Hillston

Figure 1: Hillston sowing, 18th May 2018.


RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Establishment scores, lodging scores, grain yield and grain quality, were assesed on both trials. Grain yield and grain quality were statistically analysed.

Beelbangera:

Growing season rainfall (from 1st April to 30th September) at Ridgetop was only 68.5mm, with 197mm falling till the end of November, table 2.

Establishment:

Establishment was scored from 0 to 9, with 0 being very poorly established and uneven and 9 being very evenly established.

The trial took a long time to establish, after a very dry start to the season. Establishment scores were taken on 27th June, when the crop was around the 2 to 3 leaf stage, figure 2.

Establishment scores ranged between 6-7, with plants still emerging after the establishment scores were taken. Trial establishment further benefited from the rain late June.

Lodging Scores:

Lodging scores were taken before harvest. Lodging was scored on a scale of 0 to 9, with 0 indicating no lodging and 9 flat on the ground.

The only variety to show any degree of lodging, with slight lodging on the ends of the plots, was the durum variety Lillaroi.

Figure 3 shows the trial standing at harvest.

January 18February 2March 3April 0May 14June 36.5July 5August 9September 4October 53.5November 51.5December

TOTAL 196.5GSR (1st Apr - 30th Sept) 68.5

2018 Ridgetop Rainfall

Table 2: 2018 Rainfall (mm) - “Ridgetop”

Figure 2: Beelbangera Trial Establishment, June 2018

Figure 3: Beelbangera Trial - standing well at harvest


Grain Yield:

The average grain yield of this trial was 1550 kg/ha.

Yields in the trial ranged from 1055 kg/ha, for the durum variety DBA_Vittaroi to 2103 kg/ha for the wheat variety DS Bennett, figure 4. DS Bennett was significantly higher yielding than all other varieties in the trial.

Longer season wheat varieties tended to perform well in the trial, with Accroc also significantly higher yielding than all other varieties in the trial, except for DS Bennett.

Durum wheat varieties did not perform well with Lillaroi, DBA_Bindaroi and AGTD033 all yielding significantly lower than all other varieties in the trial.

Barley varieties performed well in the trial with all varieties yielding above the trial mean of 1550 kg/ha, with Fathom the highest yielding variety with 1802 kg/ha,

Grain Quality:

Grain protein, screenings and test weight were all measured in this trial and are shown in table 3.

Grain Protein: Grain protein averaged 12.3%,

ranging from 10.2%, for the wheat variety LRPB Reliant, up to 15.5% for the wheat variety EGA Wedgetail, which was significantly higher than all other varieties.

The only other varieties to have a protein above 14% were the wheat varieties Accroc and Bolac and the barley variety Spartacus CL.

Screenings: The average screenings for this site was 1.4%, with screenings ranging from 0.7% for wheat variety RAC2388 up to 2.5% for the barley variety Fathom, which was significantly higher than all other varieties in the trial.

The only other varieties to have screenings below 1% were Coolah, EGA Wedgetail, Grenade CL Plus, Illabo, Lillaroi and Spartacus CL.

Test Weight: The trial average test weight was 79.5 kg/HL. Test weight ranged from 60.3 kg/HL for the barley variety LaTrobe to 83.9 kg/HL for the wheat variety Trojan.

The other barley varieties in the trial, including Compass, Hindmarsh, LaTrobe, RGT Planet and Spartacus, also had test weights less than 70 kg/HL.

Figure 4: Beelbangera dryland Yield Data 2018 (LSD (p=0.05) 119 kg/ha)

0

250

500

750

1000

1250

1500

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lsd (p=0.05) 119


Table 3: Beelbangera dryland quality data 2018 - Protein, Screenings and Test Weight.

VarietyProtein

(%)Screenings

(%)Test Weight

(kg/HL)

Accroc 14.5 1.5 77.5AGTD088 11.9 1.1 81.5Beckom 11.5 1.4 81.2Bolac 14.3 1.7 81.5Chara 13.6 1.3 82.1Compass 13.4 1.9 63.6Condo 11.2 1.4 81.3Coolah 11.4 1.0 82.2Corack 11.2 1.3 83.1DBA_Aurora 11.3 1.8 81.0DBA_Bindaroi 13.1 1.4 83.3DBA_Vi�aroi 12.3 1.5 82.0DS Benne� 13.1 1.8 79.7DS Pascal 12.6 1.7 81.5EGA Gregory 11.0 1.4 83.0EGA Wedgetail 15.5 0.9 77.7Elmore CL Plus 11.5 1.2 82.9Emu Rock 11.6 1.1 82.0Fathom 13.4 2.4 60.3Grenade CL Plus 11.0 1.0 82.3Hindmarsh 13.8 1.6 66.8Illabo 13.6 1.0 80.3LaTrobe 12.6 1.4 65.1Lillaroi 12.9 0.9 82.3Livingston 12.3 1.5 80.0Longsword 11.6 1.7 83.0LPB12–0152 11.2 1.4 81.5LPB14-0392 13.6 1.6 81.7LPB14-3634 13.6 1.3 82.7LRPB Cobra 11.4 1.1 80.2LRPB Flanker 10.5 1.6 82.2LRPB Ki�yhawk 13.7 1.3 83.3LRPB Lancer 13.0 1.6 82.8LRPB Mustang 10.8 1.5 83.5LRPB Reliant 10.4 1.7 83.4LRPB Spi�ire 13.0 1.2 83.7LRPB Trojan 11.4 1.8 83.9RAC2388 10.4 0.7 81.5Razor CL Plus 10.2 1.6 81.8RGT Planet 12.8 1.6 64.9Scepter 10.8 1.2 83.4Spartacus CL 14.0 0.9 65.2Sunprime 11.6 1.5 81.8Suntop 11.0 1.4 82.3Sunvale 13.1 1.1 81.1

mean 12.3 1.4 79.5lsd (p=0.05) 0.44 0.81 0.76


Hillston:

Establishment:

The same scale used for the Beelbangera dryland trial was used to assess establishment at Hillston. Establishment scores were taken 22nd August when the crop was at the 2-3 tiller stage, figure 5. Trial establishment was variable, taking a long time to establish given the dry conditions.

Establishment scores ranged between 5-8.5, with plants still emerging after the establishment scores were taken. Trial establishment benefited from an irrigation applied soon after assessment, further evening up the plots.

Lodging Scores:

Lodging scores were taken early/mid November and again at harvest, using the same scale as Beelbangera. This year the only varieties to show any degree of lodging were the barley varieties, with Compass and Fathom the two highest with a lodging score of 7.

The lack of lodging in the wheat varieties this year enabled us to see the genetic yield potential of the varieties in the absence of lodging. As seen in past years, where varieties start to lodge, you potentially loose yield. The stem strength of these varieties can therefore not be evaluated this year.

Figure 6 shows the degrees of lodging in the trial, November and before harvest.

Figure 6: Hillston trial early November wheat (top), barley (middle) and before harvest (bottom), showing the lack of lodging in the wheat varieties in 2018.

Figure 5: Hillston Establishment, August 2018


Grain Yield:

The average grain yield for Hillston was 8.61 t/ha. Yields in this trial ranged from 7.36 t/ha, for the wheat variety LRPB Kittyhawk, to 10.31 t/ha for the long season wheat variety Accroc, figure7.

The only other varieties in the trial to yield less than 8 t/ha were the varieties Emu Rock, Grenade CL Plus, LRPB Cobra and LRPB Reliant.

Accroc was the only variety to yield over 10 t/ha., with the next highest yielding varieties DS Bennett with 9.82 t/ha and Longsword with 9.53 t/ha.

Grain Quality:

The same grain quality measurements carried out at Beelbangera were carried out at Hillston, table 4.

Grain protein: The average grain protein for this site was 13.6%. Grain protein ranged from 12.1%, for the wheat variety DS Bennett to 15.7% for the lined wheat variety LPB14-3634.

LPB14-3634. was the only variety to have a grain protein above 15%, with the next highest grain protein Emu Rock with 14.9%.

Screenings: The average screenings for this site was 1.4%, with screenings ranging from 0.7% for the durum wheat variety DBA_Vittaroi up to 2.7% for the wheat variety Kittyhawk

The only other varieties to have screenings less than 1% were the barley varieties Compass and Fathom and the wheat varieties DBA_Bindaroi, Grenade CL Plus, Lillaroi and Longsword.

Test weight: The trial average test weight was 78.0 kg/HL. Test weight ranged from 64.7 kg/HL for the barley variety RGT Planet to 83.1 kg/HL for lined durum wheat AGTD088.

Similar to the dryland Beelbangera trial, the other barley varieties in the trial, including Compass, Fathom, Hindmarsh, LaTrobe, and Spartacus, all had test weights below 70 kg/HL

The lowest test weight for wheat was for the variety Kittyhawk, which had a test weight of 76.0 kg/HL.

Figure 7: Hillston Irrigated Yield Data 2018 (LSD (p=0.05) 834 kg/ha).

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lsd (p=0.05) 834


Table 4: Hillston irrigated quality data 2018 - Protein, Screenings and Test Weight.

VarietyProtein

(%)Screenings

(%)Test Weight

(kg/HL)

Accroc 12.1 1.4 78.7AGTD088 13.0 1.1 83.1Beckom 13.1 1.7 80.0Bolac 14.0 2.4 78.3Chara 14.3 1.7 81.3Compass 13.1 0.9 66.0Condo 14.3 1.3 81.6Coolah 13.2 1.1 78.8Corack 13.5 1.2 79.9DBA_Aurora 13.0 1.3 79.4DBA_Bindaroi 13.7 0.9 82.7DBA_Vi�aroi 13.9 0.7 81.8DS Benne� 12.1 2.2 78.0DS Pascal 13.1 1.4 80.3EGA Gregory 13.3 1.4 78.8EGA Wedgetail 14.3 1.1 77.2Elmore CL Plus 13.5 1.9 82.0Emu Rock 14.9 2.4 78.2Fathom 13.6 1.0 65.5Grenade CL Plus 13.3 0.9 78.3Hindmarsh 14.5 1.3 65.8Illabo 13.8 1.4 76.4LaTrobe 13.6 1.1 65.7Lillaroi 14.6 0.7 81.4Longsword 13.3 1.0 81.2LPB12–0152 12.3 1.1 80.9LPB14-0392 13.4 1.1 80.2LPB14-3634 15.7 1.1 81.3LRPB Cobra 14.5 1.5 78.1LRPB Flanker 13.4 1.6 81.8LRPB Ki�yhawk 14.4 2.7 76.0LRPB Lancer 14.1 1.2 79.7LRPB Mustang 12.8 1.5 79.9LRPB Reliant 13.2 1.7 77.9LRPB Trojan 13.4 1.2 80.5RAC2388 12.9 1.4 80.6Razor CL Plus 12.3 1.6 80.6RGT Planet 12.4 1.1 64.7Scepter 13.2 1.3 81.7Spartacus CL 13.2 1.2 65.5Sunprime 13.4 2.3 79.8Suntop 13.6 2.0 80.9Sunvale 14.0 1.7 82.2Vixen 13.3 2.0 79.1

mean 13.6 1.4 78.0

lsd (p=0.05) 0.7 0.4 1.9


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis trial was a collaboration between Ag Grow Agronomy and Research and Hart Bros Seeds.

Ag Grow Agronomy and Research would like to thank Rob Hart for co-ordinating the varieties for the trials with seed companies including Advanta Seeds, AGT, and Dow Seeds. Ag Grow Agronomy would also like to thank NSW DPI and the many growers who also provided seed for some of the varieties included in this trial.

Thanks also to Graeme Horneman (Hillston) for hosting the irrigated trial, and providing assistance with the overall management of the trial.

Further contacts

Barry Haskins Ag Grow Agronomist [email protected]

Rachael Whitworth Ag Grow Research Manager [email protected]

Robert Hart Hart Bros Seeds, Junee [email protected]

HARVEST DECEMBER 2018

wheat & barley variety trials - ag grow agronomy

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