Near record-breaking barley yields are being reported across the Wimmera and the Mallee which are being mirrored in BCG variety trials.
As harvest commenced at BCG’s main research site at Warmur (near Birchip) in November, the research team were thrilled to report barley yields between 5.9 and 7.6 tonnes per hectare (t/ha). Then a few weeks later, at the Wimmera research site at Kalkee, the worst of the varieties yielded an impressive 7.0t/ha while the best reached an incredible 8.6t/ha.
At both sites feed quality varieties Fathom and Rosalind were among the best yielders while Compass, which has been a consistent performer in BCG and National Variety Trials in recent years, failed to finish in the top five (for yield).
In 2016 Compass appeared to be more effected by lodging than some of the other varieties and BCG researchers are currently working to determine if increased head loss played a part.
Nevertheless, BCG barley agronomy leader Linda Walters said in both the Wimmera and the Mallee barley yields from BCG 2016 variety trials have been nothing short of phenomenal.
However she urged growers to apply due diligence before making variety changes in response to this year’s results.
“On a yearly basis, new barley varieties are released promising bigger and better yields and traits and this leads to the tough decision whether to keep your existing variety or make the switch to a new variety,” she said.
“Purely chasing yield might be good in the short term but its important growers think about a varieties long term impacts such as its ability to suppress weeds or its ability to withstand or carryover disease.”
To help growers make early and considered crop variety decisions BCG releases its preliminary yield and quality results to members within 48 hours of harvest. To become a BCG member log on at www.bcg.org.au or phone the office on (03) 5492 2787.
A full analysis of barley variety performance in the Wimmera and Mallee in 2016 will be published in the 2016 BCG Season Research Results compendium and the results presented at BCG’s Trials Review Day at Birchip on February 17.
In the meantime, information about barley varieties can be accessed via BCG’s podcast channel, ‘BCG in Focus’.
https://soundcloud.com/bcg-birchip/barley-varieties-linda-walters-bcg
