NVT Cereal Varieties Summary

By BCG Staff and Contributors
Views

Take home messages

  • Vixen, Scepter, Corack, Mace and Emu Rock were the top yielding varieties in the Mallee.
    Emu Rock, Vixen, LRPB Scout, Scepter and Razor CL Plus were the top yielding varieties in
    the Wimmera.
  • Fathom, Compass, LaTrobe, Rosalind and Hindmarsh were the top yielding varieties in the Mallee. Buff, RGT Planet, Banks, Commander and Fathom were the top yielding varieties in
    the Wimmera.
  • Across most locations, shorter season varieties were best suited to the 2018 conditions. However, long-term data is important for making variety choices rather than single season results.
  • More than just yield needs to be considered when making variety choices.

Background

Following two good seasons with reliable early breaks, 2018 left many searching for opportunities. Some growers took a chance on high risk crops such as canola and pulses while others took less risks due to an average to drier than average seasonal outlook.

Establishing crops successfully was difficult as starting rains were variable and small, and any crops on heavier soil were the most significantly compromised. Between patchy germination, low in-season rainfall, frosts and in some areas a wet harvest, the NVT program replicated the same challenges faced by growers in 2018.

Consequently, testing genetic potential without confounding effects across the regions was
challenging with some trials abandoned due to any number of these issues. In many cases, these results will be made available as quarantine reports rather than main reports with caveats around the confounding effects of the trial. This means that this season, there is a limited set of immediate data to review and make variety decisions with. However, there is still value in the results to see where some of the newer varieties fit in a much lower rainfall year.

Aim

To summarise the wheat and barley variety data released by GRDC-funded NVT between 2013 and 2018 for the Mallee and Wimmera.

Method

Analyses for this summary was carried out using the NVT data sourced from the website (www. nvtonline.com.au). Grain yield data is represented as a per cent of the site mean which shows how the variety performed in a given season compared to the sites/regions overall mean yield. In most cases, varieties were only included if they have been in NVT for two or more seasons (except for Buff barley due to soil type adaptability). Varieties presented in graphs aim to provide insight into the current variety mix growers are using and are stacked up against emerging varieties. In 2018, sites with data presented and collated were sown on the dates represented in Table 1.

Table 1. Sowing dates for trials where data has been released by NVT before 31 December 2018.

NVT cereal varieties summary table 1 edited

Results and interpretation

Wheat
Mallee

Varieties quick in maturity were favoured in this low rainfall season and a late start with Vixen, Scepter, Corack, Mace and Emu Rock being the top five varieties. Many of these varieties performed better than their long-term percentage of site mean average suggesting they were better suited to this type of season (Figure 1). This needs to be kept in perspective with yields this season averaging 1t/ha across Mallee sites represented in this data. Beckom has performed well in the previous two seasons but fell away under the more challenging conditions of 2018.

Long-term data still has Scepter, and the new variety Vixen providing the highest yields, and showing good adaptation over contrasting seasons in the past few years. This needs to be kept in perspective with sowing dates utilised. There is potential for yield upside from longer season varieties with an earlier break and sowing to match that break (as in 2017), but with an early to mid-May sowing these varieties seem to be best suited. Sowing these quicker varieties too early increases the risk of frost, but also makes them progress too quickly, reducing ability to set up biomass to support yield. This was found when significantly pushing the sowing opportunity too early through other research investigating winter wheats being sown from mid-March to early-May (see page 67 ‘Managing early sown wheat in a dry season’).

NVT cereal varieties summary figure 1 edited

Figure 1. Mallee wheat NVT average wheat yield as a per cent (%) site mean from 2013-2018 for 23 varieties. Number in brackets denotes number of years out of past six seasons it has been in NVT. Note: 2018 data only includes Birchip, Merrinee, Quambatook and Ultima sites.

Wimmera

The only 2018 data in Figure 2 is from Brim (other sites suffered drought and frost conditions and data was not released). As such, treat this with caution when making decisions on variety choices in other areas of the Wimmera. Mirroring Mallee results, varieties quick in maturity were favoured in a season of low rainfall and a late start with Emu Rock, Vixen, LRPB Scout, Scepter and Razor CL Plus being the top five varieties. Some of these varieties performed better than their long-term percent site mean average suggesting they were better suited to this type of season, particularly in the case of Emu Rock and LRPB Scout (Figure 2). This needs to be kept in perspective with yields this season averaging 1.96t/ha at the Brim site. Vixen has performed very well over the past three years of its inclusion in NVT, suggesting good suitability for good and poorer seasons. It will be of interest to see how it has performed in higher rainfall districts to further quantify this.

Long-term data has Scepter, and the new variety Vixen providing the highest yields, and the new Clearfield variety Razor CL Plus also performed well, although it only has two years of supporting data.

NVT cereal varieties summary figure 2 edited

Figure 2. Wimmera wheat NVT average wheat yield as a per cent (%) site mean from
2013‑2018 for 20 varieties. Number in brackets denotes number of years out of past six seasons it has been in NVT. Note: 2018 data only includes the Brim site.

Vixen, the highest yielding variety across Mallee trials in 2018, and second highest in the Wimmera, is a new early-mid maturing AH variety from InterGrain with similar characteristics to Scepter. It has been in NVT for three years and has performed equivalent to Scepter over that time. Its disease package offers improvement in stripe rust tolerance (MR-MS vs Scepter MS-S), however it is less suitable against stem rust and cereal cyst nematode (CCN). Being MR-MS to yellow leaf spot (YLS) means it may offer opportunities for wheat-on-wheat rotations, however, this is no different in classification to Scepter. Vixens performance over the past three seasons has been consistent, however if you already have Scepter in your program, there is arguably little to gain from shifting to Vixen as yield is comparable, and there are trade-offs in their disease packages offered. Grain quality comparisons were not available at the time of writing this article and so cannot be commented on.

When looking for a Clearfield® option for herbicide rotation or residue management, Razor CL Plus, represented for two seasons in NVT and released in 2018, may offer a better yield compared to Kord CL Plus or Grenade CL Plus. Razor CL Plus is derived from the highly adaptable variety Mace and is of early maturity, slightly quicker than Mace and similar to Corack. It has good physical grain quality with low screenings, high test weight and can be suited to areas with CCN risks. Its main downside is quality being listed as an ASW variety whereas Kord CL Plus and Grenade CL Plus are both AH varieties. Sherriff CL Plus is mid-late maturing variety, its later maturing than Kord CL Plus, Grenade CL Plus and Razor CL
Plus. It has good YLS resistance however a proactive disease management program would be required for all other diseases and it is MS for CCN. It has a fit in the Wimmera and Mallee where a grower may be looking for a later maturing Clearfield® variety.

Barley
Mallee

Barley trials averaged yields of approximately 2.2t/ha, being a 1.8t/ha and 2.5t/ha reduction on 2017 and 2016, respectively. Some sites were omitted from analysis as a result of frost and dry conditions, therefore Ultima data is not available.

The top five varieties were Fathom, Compass, LaTrobe, Rosalind and Hindmarsh, all producing 107 per cent (%) or higher than the site mean (Figure 3). Fathom was impressive across several sites, and was considerably higher than long-term averages, suggesting it handled the seasonal conditions well. Most others were on par with their long-term performance.

RGT Planet, which performed well in the past two seasons, was of interest to see how it handled the drier conditions. While it was not the top of the table for the single season results, it met site mean yields (100.4%) and showed that it has some flexibility coupled with great top end ability when the season allows. It is also expecting to get a result from Malt Accreditation assessments in the next few months so may be able to achieve price premiums if it is successful.

Compass continues to show it is a strong performer and suits a range of seasons. However, its management needs to be done in accordance to the season (early sown results in greater lodging therefore sow towards the end of the sowing window). For those looking for a Clearfield option for rotation or weed management reasons, Spartacus CL is still the benchmark yielding 10% better than its predecessor Scope CL.

Long-term results in the Mallee suggest that any of the top nine varieties offer greater yields than the site mean, ranging between 115% for Rosalind to 105% for Buff (one year of data). Growers need to keep this in mind when choosing varieties to decide what their main motivator for change is. With only a 10% long-term difference that swings depending on the season, there may be little benefit to change for yield if it compromises the disease package or other elements on the farming system.

NVT cereal varieties summary figure 3 edited

Figure 3. Mallee barley NVT average yield as a per cent (%) site mean from 2013-2018 for 14 varieties. Number in brackets denotes number of years out of past six seasons it has been in NVT. Note: 2018 data includes Birchip, Manangatang, Murrayville, Rainbow and Walpeup sites.

Wimmera

The top five varieties were Buff, RGT Planet, Banks, Commander and Fathom, producing 104% or higher than the site mean (Figure 4). It needs to be noted that Buff has only had one year of NVT inclusion and is suited to a WA environment. RGT Planet performed well in the Wimmera, although the representation from the Kaniva site is unlikely to be called challenging compared to other areas with good rainfall through most of the season. RGT Planet was the top performer at this site.

Banks is another new InterGrain variety that has been in NVT for four years. It is listed as a high yielding mid-late maturing variety best suited to the medium-high rainfall zones. It is derived from a Bass type, it has a compact and prostrate habit producing low straw volume, making it suitable for no-till situations. Its disease package offers good net form net blotch resistance and has good grain quality attributes. It is undergoing Malt accreditation, but the outcome won’t be known until later in 2019.

NVT cereal varieties summary figure 4 edited

Figure 4. Wimmera NVT average barley yield as a per cent (%) site mean from 2013-2018 for 23 varieties. Number in brackets denotes number of years out of past six seasons it has been in NVT. Note: 2018 data includes Charlton, Brim, Horsham and Kaniva sites.

Looking at long-term results which should be utilised when making decisions on variety changes, there are many varieties that have been performing well over varied seasons. Fathom, RGT Planet, Rosalind, Compass and for a Clearfield option Spartacus CL have all shown, over multiple seasons, that they can deliver above site mean yields. In shorter seasons as a result of a later break, or a sudden cut off of the season, a shorter maturing variety may have a better fit to get in and fill grain quickly under testing conditions. In more favorable seasons, a longer season variety that can set up more biomass to convert to yield generally offers a better choice, however, yield alone is not the only factor to consider. Therefore, a mix of varieties to be able select the best one based on the season and outlook can be beneficial to getting the maximum return. Disease management, nutrition demand and soil limitations also need to be considered.

Commercial practice

NVT are principally conducted to identify the varieties that have a greater yield potential under the same growing conditions, as such it is a measure of genetic potential. To truly assess genetic potential, varieties need to be observed and trialed in multiple seasons.

Additionally, growers need to weigh up what the challenges of their system are, whether that be nutrition, disease or soil constraints and pair the information generated from NVT (the genetic potential), with the on-farm production threats (the management decisions) to come up with the best package to implement. NVT data offers the opportunity to see how varieties stack up against each other so that a grower can choose the variety which, given the other factors, delivers the best yield.

Given the data from 2018, in most cases, for both wheat and to a lesser extent barley, short season varieties were able to best capitalise on the later break experienced in the past few seasons, and dry growing conditions.

Growers shouldn’t forget the importance of management and its role in a successful outcome either. Sowing the right variety at the right time for the season is the best way to increase chances of high yields while minimising risks from frost and heat shock to crops during sensitive stages. Also knowing the system, or rotation you are working with is important. If you have a heavy cereal system, varieties need to be able to handle the issues that come from retained stubble such as increased risk of some diseases. In these situations, it may be better to choose a slightly lower potential yielding variety in place of a better disease package to handle the system you are operating in.

For example, yellow leaf spot is a disease that can cause major issues in continuous, or tight wheat rotations, particularly in wet seasons like 2016. If you look to select a variety with a 5% yield gain to run in your system, but it is possible to get a 20% yield loss if there is a conducive season to YLS development, what have you gained?

Consider the real reason behind changing varieties, BCG has often advocated that there needs to be at least a 10% yield improvement to justify changing varieties. There are costs associated with new varieties and it may be that management practices need to be refined for increases in production.

NVT site results which were compromised due to frost and other issues such as drought and variability, and not released publicly, will be made available soon within the ‘quarantined trials report’ to be found on www.nvtonline.com.au.

References

Angel K., Clarke G., Wallace A., Porker K., Hunt J., 2017, 2017 BCG Season Research Results, ‘Managing early sowing of wheat’, pp 88-95.

Victorian Winter crop summary 2018, Agriculture Victoria.

Acknowledgements

The research was funded by the GRDC as part of the National Variety Trial program project
(BWD00029). This summary has been funded by BCG members through their membership.

Back to top

Become a BCG Member

BCG exists for its members. Research and extension activities are designed to provide members with information and resources that will help them improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their farm businesses.

Improve your profitability

Receive the latest research, extension and event news direct to your inbox! For a limited time, receive a free technical bulletin when you subscribe.