These trials will quantify how far the yield gap can be closed on deep and shallow ameliorated sandy soils, and optimise crop establishment and grain yield immediately following deep tillage.

• The yields for the Clearfield (imidazolinone tolerant) variety time of sowing 1 (TOS1) trial averaged 5.48 t/ha (see Table 2a in attached trial report).
• There was no significant difference in yield between the two varieties sown.
• The yields for the Clearfield (imidazolinone tolerant) variety time of sowing 2 (TOS2) trial (Table 2b) averaged 5.56 t/ha and ranged from 6.32 t/ha (Pheonix CL) down to 5.18 t/ha  (Banker CL).
• There was no significant difference in yield between the varieties. 

There are no NVT Canola sites in the lower south-east and Millicent is seen as important in evaluating canola varieties in a high rainfall environment. 

• Brassica carinata is a crop similar to canola that may be used to produce biojet fuel.
• Carinata is grown in Canada over summer but is very late flowering and taller when grown under our winter conditions.
• Earlier flowering carinata lines were selected in 2017 and tested in 20 yield trials in 2018.
• Several carinata lines have produced higher grain yields than canola at Bordertown.
• Future studies will develop an agronomic package to optimise carinata production.
   

• Positive crop production responses still remain at Cadgee five years after amelioration treatments were applied.
• Application of clay improved establishment and flowering biomass, regardless of incorporation depth (shallow, 10 cm and spaded, 30 cm), compared to the control and the spaded lucerne treatments (see Fig. 1 in attached trial report).
• Grain yield response to clay application increased with the depth of incorporation, and were doubled in the spaded clay + Luc treatment compared to the control, adding 1.58 t/ha in 2018.
• Over the long term, this treatment has produced an additional 95 % grain (4.5 t/ha) since 2014 (four years grain data; Fig. 2). 
• Changes in soil chemical, hydrological and physical characteristics as a result of spading and lucerne and clay addition were the focus of 2019 soil measurements at the site.
• A full report detailing temporal trends and long term soil fertility changes will be released soon.
   

• Project aimed to evaluate dual-purpose canola varieties, comparing two times of sowing and exploring grazing management options.
• Biomass production was greater at the earlier sowing date.
• Feed tests are important to determine feed quality.
• There were no yield differences between the two times of sowing.
   

• Pulse crops can suffer from root diseases.
• Next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has potentially identified multiple pathogens of economic significance on South Australian (SA) crops — further work needs to determine which are the most important.
• Intensification of pulses in cropping rotations can increase pulse soilborne diseases.
• If you suspect soilborne disease issues in your pulse crops, send samples to SARDI.
   

• The best yielding winter cultivars yielded similar to the best yielding spring cultivars despite a month difference in flowering date.
• Winter barley shows promise but we are still learning.  Strategies utilising Nitrogen, Plant Growth Regulators and Grazing need development to manage the increased biomass production and to improve the conversion of biomass to grain yield
• Early sown winter barley is a different agronomic system. The farming system benefits of winter barleys such as grain and graze, improved disease resistance should not be overlooked
   

• In 2017 and 2018 a total of 61 paddocks were assessed from 10 properties on Kangaroo Island (KI) and the South East (SE) of SA with 44% having the potential to cause fertility issues in ewes, with visual assessments ranking them moderate to high.
• Whole farm assessments of the two focus demonstration farms have identified that 38% of the paddocks were moderate to high risk on the SE property and 60% of the paddocks were moderate to high risk on the KI property.
• Producers found that identifying all four of the oestrogenic clover cultivars was difficult.
• Undertaking paddock assessments to determine the risk rating of a paddock is time consuming for most producers.
   

• A newly released herbicide tolerant faba bean provides increased weed management options.
• A new release lentil provides another herbicide tolerant lentil variety with different agronomic characteristics.
• However, care still needs to be taken in relation to herbicide use, paddock selection, and herbicide permits and registrations.
   

• Knowing how much water is available at any point in time, and where the crop is using water from is extremely valuable when making management decisions.
• Potential water extraction depends not only crop type but also crop growth during the season.
• Correct data interpretation is critical for success when using soil moisture data.
   

• Annual medic had lower levels of soil N (kg/ha) remaining in the soil post-harvest compared to balansa clover and subterranean clover at Sherwood.
• Annual ryegrass establishment was greater in crops following wheat, compared to crops following a pasture break crop.
• Overall pasture biomass production was greater at Bordertown compared to Sherwood.
• Wheat yields at Sherwood were greater following balansa clover and subterranean clover, compared to following canola and cereals options, wheat, barley and oats.
• Grain barleys Compass and Rosalind have demonstrated a capacity to produce biomass as a forage or hay option; feed tests need to be considered to ensure they are as favourable as forage options for livestock production. 

• All cultivars gave their highest yield under higher fungicide and nitrogen input (High input management), but cultivars differed in their response to increasing input with Westminster being the least responsive (1.69t/ha increase from low to high input) and Oxford the most responsive (3.09t/ha).
• RGT Planet was the highest yielding cultivar, although its advantage over Westminster was only apparent at higher levels of input, under low input both yielded similarly.
• Disease control resulting from the later fungicide application at GS37 and GS59 was strongly implicated in the yield differences, particularly between low and standard input where there was no difference in N input.
• Disease (net form of net blotch) in Oxford was uncontrollable in this trial even under high input where yield was maximised.
• RGT Planet, RGT Conquest and Westminster showed no significant difference in grain protein across the three management levels, whilst the proteins of Granger and Oxford decreased as yield increased from low to high input.
• Granger and RGT Planet recorded the lowest grain screenings. There was no significant effect of management level on screenings with these two cultivars or Westminster.
• In contrast, Oxford and Conquest that gave the largest responses to higher input showed significant decreases in grain screenings as input was increased.
• The devastating effect of NFNB on Oxford in this HRZ environment was very evident in both yield and screening results. As later fungicide input was removed from the management program so was the yield with significant reductions in yield and increased screenings.
• Under the lowest input RGT Planet and Westminster were significantly higher yielding than other cultivars tested.
• Under the highest input RGT Planet was significantly higher yielding than all other cultivars tested and produced the highest gross margins at each management level.
• With the very high disease pressure in this trial, the higher fungicide input associated with the High Input management made this the most cost effective management program of the Crop Technology Centre trials.
• As a result of higher disease pressure unlike wheat (Protocol 1) higher inputs of fungicide were generally more cost effective in barley sown early, irrespective of cultivar.

Of the malting/food grade varieties evaluated, all varieties were above the required receivable standards for hectolitre weight of 65 kg/hL but protein levels were outside the receivable standard of 9.0 % to 12.0 % for MALT1. Only RGT Planet fell below 12% and although classified as a feed variety for the 2018/2019 season, this variety has received malt accreditation in early March 2019. Yields averaged 3.41 t/ha and were reduced overall compared to 2017. Spartacus CL was the highest yielding (3.83 t/ha) closely followed by Rosalind (3.81 t/ha) and RGT Planet (3.79 t/ha) but as in 2017, yields were not significantly different

 With four distinctly different seasons, the results reiterate the importance of reviewing long-term data when making varietal choices.

• MFMG and SARDI funded a wheat nutrition (Granular vs. Liquid) scoping study at three sites (Sherwood, Frances and Conmurra).
• The aim was to evaluate wheat production with either granular or liquid fertiliser inputs.
• Planning is underway to expand this study in 2019 and an application for additional funding submitted.

• A range of agronomic and variety trials for pulse crops were sown at sites across the High Rainfall Zone
(HRZ) of the South East in 2018.
• Trials across this zone are part of national breeding program trials (adding varietal information to GRDC
National Variety Trials database) or funded by MFMG.

• A range of pulse agronomic and variety trials were sown across the Medium Rainfall Zone of the South
East in 2018

• New faba bean PBA Bendoc, may be an option for growers in the Medium Rainfall Zone of the South East

• The use of Gaucho®600 on lentil to reduce the occurrence and impact of Alfalfa Mosaic Virus was evaluated at Keith
• Chickpea yields of over 1.0 t/ha were obtained at Sherwood
• At Keith average field pea yields were similar between a May sowing and a July sowing
• Average lupin yields of 2.68 t/ha at Sherwood, show it is a productive pulse option on suitable soil types

 

• Contrary to expectations Russian Wheat Aphid pressure in Southern Australian cereal production seems low over the last years (2017, 2018). Dry and hot summer conditions seem to reduce green bridge survival of Russian Wheat Aphids.
• Barley grass and Brome grasses are major hosts (van Helden 2018) supporting RWA survival over summer. Their development will strongly depend on summer rainfall.
• Development of regional economic thresholds are in progress at trial sites throughout South Australia,Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales. Use of international thresholds are still advised until Australian thresholds are developed.
• Observations suggest that crop infestations occur in autumn on early growth stages, then persist over winter and can build up in spring, especially when plants are drought stressed.

• Industrial hemp shows potential as a summer irrigated rotation crop
• Shallow sowing (10-20 mm depth) is key to successful emergence and establishment
• High plant density (>75 plants/m2) allows hemp plants to outcompete co-germinating weeds

• Water salinity above approximately 1500 ppm (2.7 dS/m) causes leaf burn and death of young plants

• Varieties still being evaluated for suitability to Riverland and Limestone Coast regions

Two NVT barley trials were sown in the South Eeast (SE) region of South Australia (SA) in 2018. The Keith trial was
sown on the 16th May and the Bordertown trial site was sown on the 6th June. Long term yield performance (2014
– 2018) from the trial sites are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Both sites experienced frost conditions and extreme heat
conditions throughout the flowering period. Interpret results with caution.

Full NVT data including individual site yields and grain quality can be accessed online at www.nvtonline.com.au.
All NVT data shown is sourced from this site and varietal information is sourced from the 2019 SARDI sowing guide

(https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/publications/2019/south-australian-crop-sowing-
guide).

 

• Select crops best adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of your region; faba bean is the pulse crop best adapted to soils prone to waterlogging.
• Avoid soils with acidic subsurface layers and/or shallow topsoil that limit root development and impermeable subsoil that restrict drainage.
• Test soil pH at 5cm intervals to a depth of 20 cm, to detect subsurface acidity.
• Select paddocks at least two years before sowing acid-sensitive crops to allow time for applied lime to react and increase soil pH, if required.
• Sow early in the recommended sowing window for your location, to encourage effective nodulation, early vigour and biomass accumulation before the onset of cold, wet conditions.

The Wolseley “Cereal Challenge” is an initiative of the Wolseley Ag Bureau and funded by the MFMG. The challenge compares grain yields and quality of milling oats, durum wheat, bread and feed wheats and feed and malt barley varieties and the subsequent gross margin when all crops are grown side by side on the Wolseley flats.

• Four oestrogenic sub clover varieties (Yarloop, Dinninup, Geraldton and Dwalganup) have been found in South East SA and Kangaroo Island pastures.
• Oestrogenic clovers can be responsible for reduced ewe fertility, difficult births, prolapse of the uterus, urethral blockages in wethers and udder development in maiden ewes and wethers.
• Growers are encouraged to assess their own paddocks for the presence of problem species, potential impact on their flock and the development of appropriate management strategies

• Acidity was found to be more widespread in the USE than expected, with 15 of the 18 paddocks examined containing zones of soil with pH below 5.5
• Sandy loam and clay soils used for cropping were acidic
• Clay spread shallow sandy soils used for cropping were acidic
• Clay spread deep sandy soils used for grazing were acidic
• The target soil pHCa range is between 5.5 and 6.5; lime needs to be applied now to combat current and future acidification.

In 2017, there were three canola variety trials sown across the South East region of South Australia: located at
Keith, Bordertown and Frances. The site at Keith evaluates early season varieties, and those at Bordertown and
Frances evaluate mid-season varieties. Both sets of trials have similar sowing and harvest times and have a similar
complement of varieties, although there may be several early maturity varieties in the early series that are not
tested in the mid-series, or vice-versa. The data from the 2017 Bordertown canola variety trials has not been
released.

• Incorporating clay into the sand has led to yield increases that are improving with time.
• Yield response to clay application increased with the depth of incorporation; a cumulative increase of 0.74 t/ha (23%) over the control was achieved when clay was incorporated in the top 10 cm (Fig. 1 Shallow clay), increasing to 1.41 t/ha (44%) when the clay was incorporated to 30 cm (Fig. 1 Spading + clay).
• A similar response was achieved when 10 t/ha of Lucerne hay (organic matter (OM)) was spaded in, resulting in a 1.62 t/ha (50%) increase in yield (Fig. 1 Spading + OM).
• The combination of OM plus clay gave the best grain yield result in all years, with a cumulative 2.95 t/ha (92% increase) achieved across the 2014, 2015 and 2017 seasons (Fig. 1 Spading + Clay + OM).
• Spading alone led to cumulative decreases in yield of 0.39 t/ha (-12%), which is in contrast to results on Mallee sands, where the effect of spading has remained positive over time.
• Changes in soil chemical, hydrological, physical and biological characteristics as a result of clay and OM addition are the focus of 2018 soil measurements at the site.
• The response to deep disturbance and placement of OM and nutrition, in contrast to spading, is the focus of future research conducted by PIRSA at Murlong on the Eyre Peninsula in 2018.

• Break crops can be just as profitable as wheat crops.
• Antas sub-clover (for hay production) as the break crop was the most profitable option.
• Beans were the most effective at fixing nitrogen, averaging 13 kgN/tDM produced.

• Second year of a 3-year project funded by SAGIT and managed by SARDI.
• Project aims to evaluate dual-purpose canola varieties, comparing two times of sowing and exploring grazing management options.
• Trial site waterlogging resulted in variable results, interpret results with caution.
• Feed test results appear to vary between varieties and varieties at different times of sowing, indicating the importance of feed tests.
• Conventional canola varieties dry matter (DM) production was greater at time of sowing (TOS) 1 compared to TOS 2. Grain yield differences were not measured between varieties or TOS.
• There was a significant difference in DM production between the Triazine Tolerant varieties and TOS. Average grain yield was greater at TOS 2, than TOS 1.
• Greater DM was removed at TOS 1 compared to TOS 2 for Clearfield canola. Hyola 970 CL showed a significant difference in grain yield between TOS, with TOS 1 having a greater yield compared to TOS 2.

• Know the risk of yield loss from eyespot before sowing a cereal - inspect stem bases (lodging does not always occur) in a previous cereal crop or take soil samples pre-sowing and submit them to PreDicta B for analysis.
• Select less susceptible varieties which are well adapted to the area - untreated they will perform better and they may also be more responsive to fungicide application, particularly where disease pressure is high. Avoid varieties with weak straw strength as they are more likely to lodge when affected by eyespot.
• No fungicides are registered at present for eyespot management, but a number are in the process of registration. Once these are registered - use the correct rate (lower rates can be less effective); apply before canopy closure (GS30-31 is usually recommended); use high water rates; target the base of the plant.
• Delays (due to waterlogging) in fungicide application until after early stem elongation may reduce eyespot incidence and severity but may not give a yield response.
• Inoculum carryover is unlikely to be influenced by variety resistance alone but is likely to be reduced where a fungicide is applied prior to canopy closure. Greatest reductions in inoculum carryover were seen where two fungicide applications were made (tillering plus GS30-31) or where one fungicide application was made to a less susceptible variety.

• Wheat was surprisingly tolerant of continuous flooding for nearly 4 months, yielding up to 2.8 t/ha with the best combination of nutrients tested.
• Despite the extended flooding there was a 13% response to P at a starting Colwell P of 29 mg/kg, with an economic optimum application rate of 7 kg P/ha.
• Canola was intolerant of extended flooding, producing no harvestable yield.
• In-crop application of urea shortly before flooding showed no grain yield response in wheat, while there was a negative response of 9% to applying S as in-crop sulfate of ammonia.
• Ideally in-crop applications of fertiliser should be made at least a week prior to flooding to allow time for the crop to take up the nutrients.

• Timeliness of harvest is critical to try and maximise the number of annual ryegrass (ARG) weed seeds captured (prior to the onset of seed shedding).
• Harvest height will aid in the capture of increased numbers of ryegrass.
• The amount of ARG captured will depend on conditions prior to harvest and the level of lodging that occurs prior to harvest.
• When weed levels get too high, several years of alternative crop sequences may be required to get numbers down to an acceptable level.
   

Knowing your initial soil nitrogen levels will assist in determining if there is likely to be a benefit of including nitrogen and other nutrients for humification when incorporating stubble. If initial soil nitrogen levels (0-60cms) are adequate i.e. above 70kg N/ha in the high rainfall zone, and above 50 kg N/ha in the medium rainfall zone, then the addition of nitrogen may not provide immediate responses – depending on the stubble nutrient levels.

• Most legumes favour pHCa > 5.0 to a depth of at least 20 cm; acidic layers below 5 cm adversely affect root growth, nodulation, plant vigour and N2 fixation potential of acid-sensitive pulses.
• Ineffective incorporation of lime under minimum tillage systems confines the lime effect to the shallow surface layers (0-5 cm).
• An ‘acid throttle’ located between 5 to 20 cm in the soil profile is not detected using soil samples collected at standard depths of 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, finer sampling at 5 cm intervals is recommended to detect acidic layers.
• Apply and incorporate adequate rates of fine grade, high quality lime at least 12 months before sowing acid-sensitive species to allow time for the lime to react and increase pH to the depth of incorporation.

• Research funded by the GRDC- SARDI Bilateral Research Agreement.
• Focus on ‘Integrated Farming Systems in the Medium Rainfall Zone’.
• Three field components, long-term rotational trials, targeted agronomic trials and focus paddocks.

• Trial work funded by GRDC via the Southern Pulse Agronomy Program.
• Early sowing of beans in 2017 at Bool Lagoon did not increase grain yields.
• Different PGR treatments and application timings did influence grain yield at Conmurra in 2017.
• Trial planning for 2018 is underway.

• Know the risk of yield loss from eyespot before sowing a cereal - inspect stem bases (lodging does not always occur) in a previous cereal crop or take soil samples pre-sowing and submit them to PREDICTA B for analysis.
• When selecting varieties with some resistance to eyespot, check their susceptibility to leaf/stem diseases to ensure they are not very susceptible to diseases such as stem rust.
• Where eyespot pressure is low, varietal resistance alone will assist in reducing yield losses, but at medium to high level eyespot pressure, resistance alone may not be sufficient to provide good protection from eyespot.
• Varieties with weak straw strength are more likely to lodge if affected by eyespot.
• If applying fungicides for eyespot control - use the correct rate; apply before canopy closure (GS30-31); use high water rates; target the plant base (note that Aviator® Xpro® @ 500mL/ha is registered for eyespot control).

The importance of reviewing long term data when making varietal choices was evident at both Sherwood and Frances.
Some varieties yielded well in both 2016 and 2017 demonstrating their ability to perform well under different seasonal conditions in
the environments at the respective sites. The Frances site was sown on 16 May 2017. All varieties except
Westminster were F1 classification. Of the malting/food grade varieties evaluated, Buloke, Compass and Commander were below the required receivable standards for hectolitre weight of 65 kg/hL whilst Westminster protein level was outside the receivable standard of 9.0 % to 12.0 % for MALT1 and would have been MALT COMP. Rosalind, a new feed barley, has the potential to yield well in high rainfall environments. As in 2016, Rosalind was the highest yielding (6.18 t/ha) but in 2017 yields did not differ significantly between varieties at Frances (Table 1).

The Sherwood site was sown on 19 May. Yields ranged from 3.10 to 4.74 t/ha (Table 2) and were reduced overall compared to the
2016 season where more favourable growing conditions prevailed throughout the season. All varieties were feed quality due to the
high protein levels. RGT Planet, a new variety evaluated for the first time at Sherwood, showed its potential being the highest
yielding variety (4.74 t/ha) outperforming all other varieties. Rosalind, a new feed barley, that has demonstrated broad adaption, followed closely yielding 4.16 t/ha. Compass and Spartacus CL have recently received malt accreditation in March 2018; as segregation is an issue for malting barley it is important growers ascertain if the variety chosen is able to be stored and marketed in your area.

The treatments resulted in no difference in yield, protein or oil content at Millicent.

There are no NVT Canola sites in the lower South East and MFMG growers identified that it was important to evaluate canola varieties in the high rainfall zone of the South East. 

• MFMG funded variety trials at Conmurra and Millicent on high yield potential wheat and barley lines.
• Released cultivars and experimental lines were evaluated.
• This trial provided growers the opportunity to increase their knowledge on the management and performance of high yield potential wheat and barley varieties for the high rainfall zone (HRZ).
• Trial planning for 2018 is underway focusing on elite lines.

• Trial work in other states suggests plant growth regulators (PGR’s) can manipulate plant architecture in early sown cereal crops.
• MFMG funded PGR trials at Conmurra and Millicent on wheat and barley.
• The application of PGR’s on wheat increased yield overall at Conmurra, but did not alter plant architecture, flowering or grain quality.
• This trial provided growers the opportunity to increase their knowledge on the use of PGR’s.

No grain yield or quality differences for the dual purpose wheat Manning were observed at Millicent with additional N and S treatments.

• Ryegrass is an increasingly significant weed in the SE of SA and Western Victoria due resistance to major knockdown, pre emergent and post emergent herbicide chemistries.
• As resistance develops to post emergent chemistry, pre emergent chemistry becomes increasingly important in managing resistant ryegrass.
• Knowing the resistance status of weeds within a paddock allows for the most cost effective herbicide to be applied....the most expensive herbicide is the one that doesn’t work.
• Incorporating alternative herbicide modes of action can improve ryegrass control especially where the presence of Group D resistant ryegrass is suspected or known.

When making oat varietal decisions, it is important to consider various factors. These include the environmental suitability, end use (milling, feed grain, grain and graze or hay production) and likelihood that the required grade/quality will be achieved, potential disease issues (both root and foliar leaf diseases) and yield potential.

• A range of agronomic and variety trials for pulse and alternative crops were sown at sites across the High Rainfall Zone (HRZ) of the South East in 2017.
• Trials across this zone are part of national breeding program trials (adding varietal information to GRDC National Variety Trials database) or funded by MFMG.
• Results suggest a variety of pulses and alternative crops may be adapted to the south east. 
• Agronomic treatments applied at Millicent did not alter broad bean performance.
• Trial planning for 2018 is underway.

• A range of pulse agronomic and variety trials were sown across the Medium Rainfall Zone of the South East in 2017.
• Trials across this zone are either part of the GRDC-SARDI Bilateral Agreement, the GRDC National Variety Trials program, or funded by the MFMG.
• Results suggest a range of pulses may be adapted to this region.

• Winter feed options trial to value add to the MFMG day at Keith.
• Range of winter feed options evaluated under specific local conditions.