Maximising wheat yields in the southern NSW cropping belt starts with one key discipline and that is knowing your variety.
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A collaborative research investment between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has been investigating the phenology and yield responses to sowing date for a core set of wheat genotypes in southern NSW. The research is aimed at optimising grain yield potential in the northern grains region through better matching sowing management with likely varietal responses to environmental conditions.
NSW DPI crop physiologist Dr Felicity Harris said a diversity of geographic sites was chosen to give researchers data about how different varieties, perform in various regions with a focus on time of sowing, flowering and yield. “The geographic diversity of trial locations is a key element of this project and will allow us to provide growers with data that helps inform on-farm decision making in terms of varietal selection and time of sowing” she said.
While 2017 trial results from some sites are still being assessed, Dr Harris presented the results from – Wagga, Cudal and Condobolin - at the GRDC Grains Research Update. At each of the sites, a range of genotypes with varied development and with different combinations of vernalisation and photoperiod genes were sown on three dates, April 20, May 5 and May 18, with an additional early sowing at the Wagga site on April 10. Dr Harris said the trial work showed differences in grain yield responses to sowing time of wheat genotypes across growing environments in southern NSW.
“The extreme frost conditions experienced in 2017 had a significant effect on grain yields at the three experimental sites and highlighted the importance of the timing and length of pre-flowering development phases,” she said.
“Matching variety and sowing time to achieve flowering at an appropriate time for each growing environment is currently the most effective management strategy in optimising grain yields,” she said.
“Genotypes responsive to vernalisation require a period of cold temperatures (accumulated most rapidly in the range 3°C to 10°C) to progress from vegetative to reproductive development, whilst time to flowering is accelerated during long-days in photoperiod sensitive genotypes.”
“Generally, in southern NSW, winter wheat can be sown from early March through to April, slow developing spring wheat from late-April to early May and mid-fast developing wheat from early May onwards,” Dr Harris said.
