Wimmera and Mallee farmers will have the opportunity to hear how research conducted in their region can improve the efficiency, profitability and productivity of their farm business at the BCG Trials Review Day on Friday, February 17.
Held at the Birchip Leisure Centre, the event will feature industry specialists and guest speakers who will cover a wide range of topics including variety performance, crop nutrition, stubble management, precision agriculture and more.
The favourable conditions in 2016 resulted in spectacular trials and a plethora of results. The event will provide farmers with a great opportunity to reflect on the past season, discuss opportunities and debate how these results may effect on-farm practices and profitability.
Guest speakers Jason Brand (Southern Pulse Agronomy/DEDJTR) and Simon Craig (NVT specialist, Farm 360) who will discuss current pulse and canola varieties respectively.
Pulse performance will be especially relevant with the high incidence of disease last year an issue for researchers and farmers. There is also renewed grower interest in canola with the crop proving to be particularly profitable in 2016.
BCG CEO Chris Sounness said that he was expecting a great turn out of members given the bumper season.
“Our trials produced some amazing data as a result of the wet spring,” he said.
“Members are definitely very interested in what will be presented on the day.”
Variety trials really made the most of the brilliant season with wheat yields up to 5.3t/ha at the Warmur main site, and barley yields of up to 5.6t/ha at the Nhill site.
Mr Sounness said the BCG team have worked really hard to ensure members receive relevant information in a timely manner.
“And I know staff are keen to present the information they have found,” Mr Sounness he said.
The program will include BCG contract services manager Cam Taylor (BCG) who will discuss results from a canola PodGuard trial conducted at the main site (Warmur) and also reveal the outcome of plant growth regulator (PGR) trials at Longerenong and Kalkee.
Crop nutrition information will be presented by BCG project manager Louisa Ferrier and researcher Sebastian Ie. Ms Ferrier will present results from BCG’s barley response to nitrogen trial while Mr Ie will discuss the findings from wheat trial examining the influence of different nitrogen rates applied to a failed barley trial in the previous season.
Also to be launched on the day is the 2016 edition of the BCG Seasons Research Results compendium which
Includes the results from many of the trials conducted in 2016 along with interpretation and analysis from BCG research staff and industry experts.
The BCG Trials Review Day is for BCG Members only. Non-members can purchase a membership prior to the event or on the day. Registration is from 8:15am with sessions to begin at 9:00am sharp. For more information, including the 2017 BCG Trials Review Day program, visit www.bcg.org.au or phone (03) 5492 2787.
