Climate variability or climate change? Whatever the situation we face we need to be prepared to respond quickly to temperature and rainfall extremes with better in-crop management decisions.

Climate variability is something we have to learn to live with, and we need to manage it better. Be prepared to learn more about the impact of increasing variability in temperature and rainfall on the bottom line of your farm.

These experiments provide a framework to allow growers in the Wimmera and Southern Mallee to use soil tests for nitrate N, organic carbon, and soil water to determine firstly, their yield potential, and secondly, whether there is a need for nitrogen fertiliser to achieve that potential.

• To justify the use of late-applied nitrogen(N), a premium for H2 wheat (almost $60/t over ASW) was required in 2011.
• UAN still increased protein despite rainfall 15 days after application.
• 2011 highlighted the need to apply N during tillering to promote biomass and encouraging greater yield potential.

• Compass, Fathom and Scope CL were good competitors with weeds, which is consistent with previous years’ findings.
• Hindmarsh and Spartacus CL are poor weed competitors.
• The advantage of sowing earlier in order to increase crop competition failed to improve the competitiveness of La Trobe given the high spring rainfall.

Stripe rust indicator plots were sown at three BCG trial sites - Sea Lake, Birchip and Marnoo. Seven varieties with different disease resistance levels, ranging from Very Susceptible (VS) to Resistant (R), were sown. These plots served as an excellent tool to observe when stripe rust establishes in an area, what impact a single application of fungicide had on the disease level and also, very importantly, whether the established rust resistance ratings were holding true for each of the varieties. T

• However, the influence of seedbed N application (50kg/ha N) was evident in the crop structure scores, producing 150-200 more shoots/m2 and producing higher readings when the crop sensor Greenseeker® was passed over the trial than the GS30 stem elongation timing or the zero nitrogen controls.
• Despite a relatively low soil nitrogen reserve at sowing (43 kg/ha N 0-100cm), there was no influence of nitrogen on yield.
• In a trial subject to low levels of spot form of net blotch (SFNB), there was no response to fungicide over the untreated.

Chickpeas need to be inoculated in paddocks which have not had chickpeas before.

The season was too dry to see the benefits of inoculating legume seed with rhizobia.

For key messages please see the attached trial report.

• Insect prest pressure was generally low in Victoria and Southern NSW for 2001.
• There was no significant yield differences between the different pest control treatments, with the site mean being 4.92t/ha.
• Selective insecticides promote and encourage beneficial species which can be useful in combating harmful pest species attacking crops.

Insecticide sprays are effective in controlling crop pests, but do not always provide yield benefits.

• A combination of chemical and non-chemical weed control strategies can extend the life of herbicides and improve the sustainability of intensive cropping systems.
• Windrow burning, crop topping and chaff carts are options which can reduce the ryegrass seed bank without any yield penalty.
• Cutting a cereal crop for hay for one year can significantly decrease ryegrass levels in the following crop.

Inter row sowing in no-till systems works well and can increase crop profits for wheat, lentils and canola.

Inter row sowing in no-till systems works well and can increase crop profits for wheat, lentils and canola.

Inter row sowing in no-till systems works well and can increase crop profits for wheat, lentils and canola.

Inter row sowing in no-till systems works well and can increase crop profits for wheat, lentils and canola.

In a high yielding trial (5-6 t/ha), Baudin barley gave small responses to fungicide (mean 2- 4%), compared to Gairdner which gave no response.

In a decile 1 growing season, with no rainfall in October, barley yielded between 1-1.5 t/ha. Baudin averaged 1.38 t/ha, with the experimental low protein barley VB0229 averaging 1.31 t/ha. Both were superior to Gairdner, which as a result of poorer establishment, averaged only 1.02 t/ha.

There were no yield penalties or benefits associated with using either a growth regulant or the osmoprotectant.

The efficacy of Select (clethodim) and Aramo (tepraloxydim) in controlling ryegrass was investigated using water of different qualities (rainwater, dam water, hard water and UAN). It appears that Select is less efficient in controlling ryegrass when mixed with hard water, however further trial work is necessary to verify this.

This demonstration has highlighted the impact poor nozzle selection can have on herbicide efficacy. Generally all post emergent herbicide applications are made with the one nozzle type, as a result, less than optimal weed control may occur. It was found that selecting a nozzle with a fine droplet pattern and good coverage gave best results for contact herbicides (Brodal and Bromoxynil) and for those poorly translocated within plants (Group A herbicides). For LVE MCPA, which moves readily through the plant, coverage is not essential allowing larger droplet size nozzles to be used without losing efficacy. This is important for preventing drift, as phenoxy herbicides such as LVE MCPA are susceptible to drift. Understanding how herbicides work will allow for better nozzle selection and more cost effective weed control.

This demonstration has highlighted the impact poor nozzle selection can have on herbicide efficacy. Generally all post emergent herbicide applications are made with the one nozzle type, as a result, less than optimal weed control may occur. It was found that selecting a nozzle with a fine droplet pattern and good coverage gave best results for contact herbicides (Brodal and Bromoxynil) and for those poorly translocated within plants (Group A herbicides). For LVE MCPA, which moves readily through the plant, coverage is not essential allowing larger droplet size nozzles to be used without losing efficacy. This is important for preventing drift, as phenoxy herbicides such as LVE MCPA are susceptible to drift. Understanding how herbicides work will allow for better nozzle selection and more cost effective weed control.

Continuous wheat has worked in the Charlton district over the past below average rainfall seasons. It has been a relatively low risk option and has provided a better return compared to growing pulses and canola in rotation with wheat. Whether continuous wheat will be as successful in other areas with different weather patterns, soil types and disease pressure should be investigated.

Wimmera had the greatest yield loss in the presence of weeds and produced the highest weed yield. Hindmarsh also produced the same weed yield. Both of these varieties should not be sown into weedy paddocks unless there is a good management strategy. Scope, Buloke and Compass were identified as very competitive varieties, with the least amount of yield loss and weed seed production. Generally, the presence of weeds reduced barley yields by 1.4t/ha on a 5.4t/ha crop (mean of all varieties).

• Two lontrel resistant biotypes have been identified in overseas vetch populations.
• Risk of resistance in Australian farming systems is low, but management practices to avoid lontrel resistant vetch should be implemented.
• Be more wary of wild vetch populations as opposed to volunteer vetch.

Crop stubbles provide a valuable feed source for stock over the summer period. The results from this trial indicate that grazing stubbles does not reduce either the amount of soil water stored during the summer fallow period or subsequent crop yield. In low rainfall environments, it is rarely possible to grow sufficient stubble to improve summer fallow efficiency by reducing evaporation (>5t/ha): growers should make use of this valuable feed source. Growers should maintain at least 70 per cent stubble cover (about 2t/ha of cereal stubble) to minimise the risk of wind erosion.

This quick look at rainfall patterns does not prove whether there is, or isn’t, a change t to farming in the dry mid 1990s nwards. High rates of N and no fallowing worked during the wet periods but have ot worked very well in the last decade. We need to adapt our farming practices to prevent over-supplying inputs in low rainfall years. This must be done in a way which does not compromise potential yield if it turns out to be a wet season. We cannot change crop type once sown but can increase the proportion of cereals and fallow if there is no stored soil moisture at seeding. We can also reduce P rates in accordance with past applications and with potential yield AND we can delay N inputs until later on the season. Refer to numerous articles on these topics in this manual. occurring in our climate and rainfall patterns. It does show that, although not desirable, it is not unusual to have a run of dry years – it could be just chance or a normal periodic event. Other long periods of dry seasons occurred at the start of the 20th century (1897 to 1906), mid 1920s to early 1930s; and the longest dry spell between 1938 and 1950.

Yield loss of 0.1-0.5t/ha was observed in some SFNB susceptible varieties at Horsham that had two fungicide applications. The Quambatook site suffered significant yield loss but this was due to a combination of SFNB and an additional factor (possibly crown rot). It is unlikely that a single application of foliar fungicide would have provided effective control of SFNB and prevented yield loss if applied after GS39 or to MS or better rated varieties.

Zinc needs to be applied as part of the fertiliser program every three to four years in the Wimmera and Mallee. The use of zinc as a seed dressing or foliar application will only be beneficial when the paddock has had a poor zinc history. In trials at the Rupanyup site where zinc had been applied 2 out of the last 5 years there were no yield benefits of adding more zinc even to responsive crops such as faba beans and lentils.

UK grain farmers are very fortunate that their soils and climate sustain high and very reliable yields. On average, the wheat yield is around 8 t/ha and it varies little between years. Indeed, the cost of land and labour in the UK makes it essential that high economic yields are achieved in order to spread the costs over as many tonnes as possible. Labour and machinery costs for grain farmers in the UK run at around £250-300/ha. Despite poor returns from agriculture, the cost of land has been increasing in recent years, often driven by people outside the industry. Rents for grain production can be around £150-250/ha, depending on the type of tenancy and the quality of the land.

There was no yield or protein response to the application of K-Komplex at the rates tested.

• Summer weed control is not a luxury item and should be considered an essential expense.
• The financial reward of timely summer weed control far outweighs the outlay and this was again proven in 2006.
• Expenditure on summer weed control can be minimised if weeds are sprayed early.

This demonstration investigated knockdown weed control options prior to sowing. For the knockdown control of ryegrass, canola and wild radish prior to sowing, glyphosate is quite effective and no additional herbicides are generally required. Glyphosate is weak on marshmallow and a group G herbicide is required as a mix with the glyphosate. To reduce the risk of group M (glyphosate) resistance developing in ryegrass it is strongly recommended to use the ‘double knock’ approach (glyphosate followed four to seven days later by SpraySeed®) on at least some paddocks every year.

• It is no longer a question of whether ryegrass will become resistant; it is when! 
• Double knock was the most effective treatment for managing this ryegrass population  (98% control).
• Alternative crop options should be integrated into the rotation to manage weeds and reduce the reliance of glyphosate. 
• High water rates, spraying closer to evening and no later than 7-10 days after the initial knockdown are essential when using Paraquat.

• Following drought affected cereals, labile P concentration was greater in the crop row than in the inter row.
• There is potential to exploit carry over P following 2006.
• In addition this may also have implications for those with auto steer systems with 2cm accuracy to seed into higher concentration of P in last years failed or low yielding crops.

Lambs grazed on forage brassica at Jil Jil from November 2011 to early January 2012 achieved adequate growth rates (230 g/head/day). The forage brassica provided green paddock feed for nearly two months during harvest, saving stubbles for later use and avoiding hand feeding.

• Commander was the only variety which did not meet the minimum protein of 9%.
• 50kg/ha Urea was required to increase Commander’s protein into the malt range from 8.6 to 9.7%.
• To increase grain protein by 1%, 10kg/ha Urea is required for every tonne of expected yield.
• For example, a 5t/ha crop requires at least 50kg/ha Urea. applying nitrogen (N) later in the season, when the yield potential is relatively certain, knowing the N (available soil N, mineralisation and applied N) available to the crop, will help refine the amount of N required.

Crop yields were dissapointing due to the frost in late October.

For results, please see the attached trial report.

There are very few quick and easy ways of obtaining reliable information in the field for use in the management of legume nitrogen. The development of tools for this purpose awaits further research and innovation.

good nodulation in the uninoculated treatments, and the absence of growth or yield responses to inoculation in this trial, indicated that pulses have been grown sufficiently often in this particular paddock (lentil in 2007 and pulses every two/three years previously) to maintain appropriately high rhizobial populations in the soil. as the numbers of rhizobia decline in the soil over time, consider inoculation based on, paddock history and length of time since growing the last legume crops. Pulses often benefit from inoculation if there has not been a legume grown in the paddock for six years. where rhizobial populations are low in the soil, inoculation of legumes at sowing is extremely important to ensure adequate nitrogen fixation

Lentils are best to be used as the last legume crop in a rotation as the volunteer lentils are hard to control in other legumes.

The BCG have undertaken trials with lentils for two years, in both years the lentils have failed due to very poor conditions. The results of the two years of trial work show that lentils should be sown from early to mid May. at 50kg/ha. Row spacings are best as narrow as possible so that the lentils stand up better at harvest. Optimum sowing depth is 7 to 8 cm. It is always best to sown lentils into a relatively clean and flat paddock.

The BCG have undertaken trials with lentils for two years, in both years the lentils have failed due to very poor conditions. The results of the two years of trial work show that lentils should be sown from early to mid May. at 50kg/ha. Row spacings are best as narrow as possible so that the lentils stand up better at harvest. Optimum sowing depth is 7 to 8 cm. It is always best to sown lentils into a relatively clean and flat paddock.

The significant detrimental effect of P Pickle T on lentil yield was thought to be due directly to the seed treatment rather than due to a reduction in disease control.

The Simazine and Lexone treatments had the lowest yields and these wer significantly lower for Northfiedl lentils.

There were no significant differences in crop effect (measured as yield) from the various herbicides used.

• The take home message from the lentil production trial in a disease-free year is that lentils should to be sown prior to mid June, preferably in the late May to mid June period to achieve optimum yields.
• A difference of 1t/ha was achieved between sowing in late May compared to an early July sowing. However it must be remembered that with an early sowing if crops are reaching canopy closure in late winter/early spring then significant levels of disease could be expected under conditions conductive to disease.
• Fungicide applications made no improvements to yield regardless of fungicide type, application timing or the number of applications made.
• However, if the season had been wetter with a higher disease incidence, then crops may have benefited from one or more fungicide applications.

Lentil rolling is a relatively common practice in Wimmera/Mallee districts. Although several management techniques are advised when rolling lentils, after 2 years (2001 and 2003) of BCG trial work there seems to be no adverse affect on lentil growth or no yield reduction when rolling lentils at any stage of growth.

This trial indicated that rolling just prior to coleoptile emergence delivered a desirable paddock surface for harvest without impacting on yield. There have however been reported cases of shoot damage in crops when rolled at this stage.

Lentils need to be sown prior to mid June, preferable late May to achieve optimum yields. Sowing rates equivalent to the current recommendations of 120 plants/m2 appear adequate for cultivars used in this trial.

Sowing depth for lentils to be sprayed with Lexone is critical, a minimum depth of 5cm is required.

• There was a significant difference in lentil yield from sowing depth (shallow yielded none).
• There was no effect of herbicide use.
• Commercial practice would still indicate a minimum sowing depth of 6cm is required for lentils.

• The optimum sowing time for lentils in the southern Mallee is mid May.
• The current recommendation for a sowing rate of 50kg/ha should be followed.

The optimum time for sowing lentils, for the 1996 season, was in early to mid May.

• Desiccating lentil crops was critical in 2010 to minimising losses by allowing an earlier harvest, prior to the heavy rainfall events. Rainfall affected crops yielded up to 50% less.
• The earlier maturing varieties PBA Flash and PBA Blitz offer higher yields in drier years but not necessarily in long seasons such as 2010.  
• In the Mallee, PBA Blitz offers good disease resistance which improves reliability and yield and its medium large seed makes it attractive for export.
• Late in 2010 in the Mallee, disease and virus were observed. These may have resulted in higher seed infection and inoculum levels. Be prepared for higher disease and virus levels in 2011.

• Ascochyta blight- and botrytis grey mould-resistant red lentil variety, Nipper, available for higher rainfall areas.
• Green lentil, Boomer, available for farmers but must be harvested early to maximise yield and seed quality.
• Good lentil management is beneficial in most years, irrespective of rainfall.

Paddock selection, disease management, variety selection and marketing are important to maximising profitability from lentils.

Lentil yields were poor in 2004 due to dry conditions, mainly through October, combined with high temperatures and frost during the reproductive period. Trial data were unreliable for many sites and variety selection should be based on long term data. Disease was not a major issue in 2004 but seed from the Horsham trial site had high levels of infection by ascochyta blight and diligence must be maintained in disease management.

Note: CIPAL203 was resistant to botrytis grey mould and ascochyta blight and is suited to medium rainfall areas such as the Wimmera. CIPAL411 and CIPAL415 have improved salt tolerance. CIPAL402 is moderately resistant to botrytis grey mould and ascochyta blight and is a larger seed size than Matilda.

• Lentils are a viable pulse option for the Southern Mallee, except in dry years on soils where high soil boron, sodicity and salinity are a problem.
• Digger has consistently been the highest yielding variety tested in the Mallee but the new variety Cassab offers a good alternative to growers.

• Nugget has been the highest yielding variety in Victoria in long term variety comparisons.
• Botrytis grey mould and ascochyta blight are major threats to the yield and quality of the Australian lentil crop.
• Digger and Cassab have the best resistance to botrytis grey mould. Northfield is the only variety with seed resistance to ascochyta blight but it is the variety most susceptible to botrytis grey mould.
• Northfield, ILL7685 and ILL6788 are more tolerant to salinity in glasshouse studies and were the highest yielding lines at Birchip where EC levels were high.

• Paddock selection, disease management, variety selection and marketing are important in maximising profitability from lentils.
• Nugget has excellent yield potential in the Wimmera. Nugget, Cassab, Digger and Cobber are the best varieties for the Mallee.
• Cassab, Digger and Nugget are the best varieties where botrytis grey mould is a serious threat and Northfield is the best variety where ascochyta blight cannot be controlled.

When selecting a variety, growers also need to consider their individual farm and paddock situation and the access and availability of likely target markets and to make their selection on all available information.

Good October rains and mild weather in spring ensured relatively high yields, especially in the Mallee, and good whole seed quality. However, there were several cases of poor quality seed from late infection by ascochyta blight. Growers are urged to treat seed for sowing in 2006 with a fungicide seed dressing and remain vigilant in controlling this disease.

Ascochyta blight and botrytis grey mould resistant red lentil variety Nipper and the green lentil. Boomer are now available for farmers (AWB Seeds). Good lentil management is beneficial in most years, irrespective of rainfall.

• Newly released varieties, PBA Ace and PBA Bolt, had the highest grain yields at Curyo (southern Mallee, Vic.) in 2012.
• Yields exceeded 2.5t/ha for both varieties when sown early, despite the very dry season. All varieties had higher grain yields when sown early (May 4) compared with later dates (June 5 and June 22).
• Varietal differences were evident in the relative decline in grain yield as sowing dates were delayed.
• Differences in tolerance to a range of group B herbicides were observed in several breeding lines. Pulse Breeding Australia will use this information to define future breeding directions for herbicide tolerant varieties, following PBA Herald XT.

Managing brome grass populations in wheat is a challenge facing many growers, however chemical and variety control options have improved over the years with the introduction of Clearfield wheat technology and now metribuzin tolerant wheats.

• Granular and liquid fertilisers were equally effective in terms of grain yield for wheat. ƒ
• The addition of zinc and copper had no effect on crop performance.
• Liquid P produced more dry matter production at the 5-leaf stage than granular P. ƒ
• More P was taken up by the crop as a liquid rather than as a granular.

• Over two years of trial work, there has been no economic advantage for the use of fluids.
• The site was yield responsive to high rates of liquid P.
• At rates typical of farmer practice there was no difference between granular and fluid.

• Modest autumn grazing of no-till crop stubbles sometimes leads to small measurable increases in surface soil bulk density.
• In two seasons, on soils in the Mallee and Wimmera, modest autumn grazing of no-till crop stubbles had no measurable effect on crop yield, quality or weed seed burial.

Light to moderate grazing of sheep on no-till stubbles in autumn is unlikely to have detrimental impacts on crop growth in the following season.

After 8 years of trial work on a Mallee clay loam with subsoil limitations:

• In only 2 years did yields increase after applying P fertiliser,
• the site has remained responsive at nil and 5P treatments, but maintaining rates >5kg P/ha did not produce any extra yield,
• in 2010 there as a 25% increase in wheat yield between nil P and where P had been applied (at rates 5kg P/ha or higher),
• the 5kg P/ha treatment provided the highest net income, and
• soil Colwell P together with PBI accurately estimated the response seen in 2010.

• After nine years, applying more than 5kg P/ha had no impact on grain yield in 2011.
• Consistently applying 5kg P/ha has been the most productive and profitable rate used.
• The DGT soil P test will undergo commercial testing at CSBP laboratories in 2012.

• In a Morgan pea hay crop, there were no dry matter differences between any of hte P fertiliser rates in 2009.
• The most profitable application of P on average between 2003 and 2009 has been zero P/ha on a site with a strong fertiliser history and initial soil P Colwell of 41mg/kg.
• A rate of 5kg P/ha per year produced the second highest net income with the least amount of risk.

• The application of P improved the yield (especially barley) and soil P content (Colwell P).
• Soil P balance doubled when high P rates were applied.
• Responses to P applications above 6kg P/ha are rare and extra expense would not be justified in the Mallee.

Phosphorus responses were undertaken in 2004 on a barley crop. This is a long-term trial to determine the effect of a range of fertiliser application rates of phosphorus (P) on long-term grain yields and soil phosphorus reserves. Results indicate that in paddocks with a good phosphorus history little response, in terms of grain yield and protein, will be gained from higher rates of P. However grain yields and protein were significantly higher where some P was applied compared to no P.

• Since this trial began in 2003, there has been no significant economic response to applied P. The most profitable treatment over five years was where either no P or 5kg P/ha had been applied.
• If considering reducing P rates in 2008, it is important that the amount of P that has been applied and removed over a 3-4 year period is calculated. If the P removal is not greater than P inputs then you can consider reducing P rates.
• The 5kg P/ha rate maintained a neutral P balance after the 5 years, whereas the control had a negative balance of just under 20kg P/ha. The higher rate treatments failed to utilize applied P and subsequently accumulated a positive balance greater than 20kg P/ha.

• There was no significant yield difference between any of the P rates in 2008
• The most profitable application rate of P on average between 2003 and 2008 has been zero on a site with a strong fertiliser history and initial soil P Colwell of 41ppm
• Maintenance rates of 5kg/ha, produced the second highest net income with the least amount of risk
• Avoid making fertiliser decisions on ‘gut feel’. Make use of tools such as soil tests and nutrient balances to determine P rates in 2009.

• Field peas are responsive to the applicatio nof phosphorus.
• In the Mallee, peas sown on low phosphorus soils (<15ppm Colwell) should be sown with 13-15kg P/ha. In higher P soils, rates should be 10-13kg P/ha. 

• Good paddock selection, average growing season rainfall and high inputs meant this was a very high yielding site. The average yield at the site was 2.5t/ha, with a difference of only 0.4 t/ha across all varieties tested.
• Hyola 60, Surpass 603CL performed well however these varieties rely on the B. sylvestris major gene resistance for black leg, which has broken down in some SA districts.
• Varieties with conventional blackleg resistance (multigenic) such as AVSapphire, AGCastle, and ATRBeacon performed well at this site. This demonstrates that there are both conventional and triazine tolerant high yielding alternatives to B. sylvestris varieties, suited to this district.
• Oil contents at the site were high, with the exception of Stubby and Beacon, which fell below the minimum 42%.

• Pea vs cereal: field peas will not compete with the lucerne seedling for light and moisture as much as a cereal.
• Peas/cereal vs sowing alone: field peas and cereals provide the opportunity to generate income in the year of lucern establishment.

Lucerne (medicago sativa) is being utilised for a range of benefits in modern farming systems. This includes the incorporation of phase farming principles into dryland cropping systems within the Mallee and Wimmera. In the Mallee, recharge rates vary from 5 to 35mm per year under traditional cropping systems. The principle of phase farming involves the tactical insertion of a lucerne pasture in a crop rotation to retrieve deep soil moisture and create a dry band below the rootzone of annual crops.

The main messages from the workshop were:

P fertiliser inputs can be reduced in most situations and MAP will be the product of choice next year,

N fertiliser inputs will be low at sowing, but growers should top-dress crops if the season turns wet,

Work out your requirements as soon as possible and discuss these with your supplier.

The overall conclusion of this work is that even in yeras with a tight finish, screenings are unlikely to increase as a result of topdressed nitrogen.

• Malting barley needs to be sown early to optimise yield and minimise the risk of protein and screenings being too high.
• Applying fertiliser nitrogen to paddocks with high soil available nitrogen at sowing will lead to high protein and high screenings.
• Narrow row spacings wnd higher sowing rates increases yield and also minimises the risk of producing barley with high protein and screenings.

• Allowing weeds to grow during summer reduced subsequent wheat yield by more than 50 percent
• Provided summer weeds were controlled, other surface treatments (slashed stubble, standing stubble, cultivation, bare earth) had little effect on crop yield
• Controlling summer weeds is one of the most cost-effective input investments available to growers in the Mallee, returning $5 for every $1 invested in this demonstration.

Crop Year Rainfall (November-October) is contributing up to 61% of variability in gross income received by farmers in southern Mallee but only 23% of variability in the Wimmera. Why? : high rainfall years (1993, 95, 96) were difficult years for Wimmera farmers and they were generally unable to take full opportunity of the rainfall received.

• Milling oat varieties Mitika, Bannister, Dunnart and Yallara yielded highest, closely followed by breeding line WA02Q302-9.
• Yallara and new variety WA02Q302-9 had the greatest dual purpose value, incurring little yield penalty after grazing.

The benefits of controlling traffic for yield in the Mallee are uncertain, but could potentially be determined quite easily. However, the benefits for management and input costs should be similar to those experienced by southern Queensland and northern New South Wales controlled traffic farmers.

In years with high summer rainfall, growing break crops is low risk and is an effective management strategy for reducing weeds, while growing profitability. Two year breaks are better than one at achieving favourable returns and reducing brome grass populations. The best brome grass control and gross margins were achieved by two year rotations of Clearfield canola/vetch and continuous Clearfield wheat followed by wheat.

• Another dry season has highlighted the increased resilience that early-maturing cereals express over mid-season-maturing varieties in these adverse years
• Season 2009 will see an increased opportunity for farmers to include new innovative wheat varieties into their farming systems
• Relying on one wheat variety is like ‘putting all of your eggs in the one basket’. New varieties with differing maturity dates and improved agronomics/disease resistance are now commercially available to help offset this potential threat
• Yitpi continues to be the Mallee benchmark, although as Table 1 indicates, a number of new release varieties have grain yields and agronomics that compare favourably with the Mallee icon.

• Yitpi - Watch out for stem and leaf rust and yellow leaf spot - otherwise an excellent wheat for the Mallee.
• Mitre - Smaller grain size than Yitpi, but higher yields - an excellent wheat for the Mallee.
• Camm - Possibly at risk because of a new race of stripe rust, a good wheat for the Mallee where CCN is controlled in other ways.
• Chara - An option to achieve a Prime Hard premium, if markets are available.
• H45 - An alternative very early maturity wheat to Silverstar with improved grain size, but lacking CCN resistance.

• Increasing row spacing reduced plant establishment and shoot densities but this was notreflected in reductionsin grain yield at widerrow spacing treatmentsin droughtstressed trial environments: there were no statistically significant differences in grain yield between any of the row spacing treatments.
• Key management decisions for optimising production were variety choice (at all sites) and nitrogen management (Curyo).
• At Curyo, barley varieties responded differently to row spacing, nitrogen timing and combinations of row spacing and nitrogen.
• Varying pre-emergent herbicide did not effect yield at Manangatang or Jil Jil.
• Variety yield performance was consistent with long-term National Variety Trial data (Hindmarsh, Buloke performing well, Commander and SloopVic performing poorly in dry environments).