Maximising the benefit of early sowing barley and wheat cultivars in low rainfall & high temperature environments
Collaborating with FAR Australia, with funding from FAR Australia, Ag Grow Agronomy and GRDC.
In its second year, this project aims to test the performance of longer season wheat and barley types in cropping regions subject to lower rainfall and higher temperatures. It also aims to establish how newer germplasm and management techniques associated with earlier sowing can be used to
improve productivity in these more hostile environments. With sites at Lowesdale NSW (managedby FAR Australia) and Griffith NSW (managed by Ag Grow Agronomy) a series of 2 trials will be conducted at each site in 2023.
The first trial is a Time of sowing (TOS) by Germplasm trial, evaluating various varieties of wheat and barley at 2 sowing times. It is measuring responses to yield and grain quality. The target sowing date for TOS 1 was between 10-15th April and for TOS 2 it was between 10-15th May.
The second trial is an early sown wheat management trial. It is set up to evaluate various management techniques, such as seeding rates and defoliation treatments, to maximise crop performance in terms of yield and grain quality.