Every year new barley varieties are released promising more benefits. One of the main challenges growers face is whether to replace currently grown barley varieties with a new one and which to choose.
To prevent falling into the trap of changing varieties every season, it is important to consider how a new variety will improve profitability and address any shortcomings from the current selection. Choosing a variety that suits the needs of the farming system in terms of rotation, paddock disease and weed status, seasonal outlook, segregations, potential quality and cash flow is essential. It is recommended that growers’ trial a variety for a number of years to determine its suitability for various soil types and adaptability to different seasonal finishes.
Fortunately several recently-released varieties, provide potential for considerable improvement in grain yield and profitability (Appendix 4: Barley variety specifications, pp. 170) As part of the GRDC-funded ‘Southern region barley agronomy’ project, these varieties were compared with existing varieties to determine their fit in the Wimmera and Mallee.
TAKE HOME MESSAGES
- La Trobe was the highest yielding malt variety in 2015.
- Compass has consistently produced high yields in the Mallee and Wimmera.
- New varieties Rosalind and IGB1334T were high yielding in their first year of trials.
- Short (early) season varieties performed better than long season varieties in 2015.
AIM
To compare the performance of new and existing barley varieties in the Wimmera and Mallee.
TRIAL DETAILS
Pests, weeds and diseases were controlled to best management practice.
METHOD
Replicated trials were established at Berriwillock, Quambatook and Nhill using a randomised complete block design. Assessments included establishment counts, NDVI (measure of canopy greenness) and grain yield and quality parameters.
RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION
Mallee
The Berriwillock trial was dry sown into a vetch stubble and emergence two weeks later was quite patchy, due to a lack of soil moisture. Initial unevenness across the trial was no longer apparent by early tillering stage. However, the dry finish was unfavourable for later maturing varieties which suffered from issues relating to head emergence and poor grain set.
Hindmarsh was the highest yielding variety, followed closely by La Trobe (Figure 1). Compass and Fathom had the next highest yield, performing better than the rest of the varieties. Late maturing varieties, GrangeR and Oxford, were the poorest yielding. Grain quality across the site was extremely poor and reflected the harsh finish to the season. There
were no differences between varieties in terms of protein, test weight, retention and screenings (data not shown). All varieties achieved Feed 1, 2 and lower feed grade values.
The trial at Quambatook was dry sown into a pea stubble. Establishment was even and it looked good throughout the winter, but became moisture stressed late in the season. Prior to grain maturity, the site received rainfall. This led to secondary tillers forming together with the developing grain, especially in later maturing varieties. The trial was desiccated for harvest, but it was observed that some varieties held their greenness for longer, including later maturing varieties such as GrangeR, Gairdner, SY Rattler, Commander, Scope CL and Bass.
Two treatments were applied to the trial. A plus disease treatment, by means of which plots were spread with inoculated stubble (infected with spot form of net blotch (SFNB) and scald) at tillering, and a minus disease treatment, where seed was treated with Systiva® and Prosaro® foliar fungicide applied at early tillering (GS23) and early noding (GS31). Disease severity assessments were visually estimated on 7 August, 31 August and 1 October to determine the percentage of leaf area affected. Only SFNB infected the trial. Whilst varieties with greater susceptibility showed the most amount of SFNB present, the infection levels were very low due to the dry season and did not affect grain yield.
The highest yielding varieties were Compass, Hindmarsh, Rosalind, IGB1334T, Fathom and La Trobe (Figure 2). These varieties were all significantly higher yielding than others. There was also a strong trend to suggest that early maturing performed better than later maturing varieties.
Grain quality across the site was extremely poor, similar to that at Berriwillock, and was reflective of the seasonal conditions. There was a difference between varieties in terms of protein, test weight, retention and screenings (data not shown), but all varieties achieved a very low feed grade due to extremely low retention (trial average 2.7%), high screenings (average 59%), high protein (14.7% average) and low test weight (59kg/hL).
According to Mallee National Variety Trial (NVT) data (Figure 3), which compares the verage long term yields from 2012-2015 (per cent site mean) with the 2015 average (per cent of site mean) from the Manangatang, Rainbow, Murrayville, Birchip, Hopetoun, Ultima and Walpeup sites, Compass, Fathom, La Trobe and Hindmarsh have yielded consistently well across the Mallee.
It is important to pay close attention to the performance of a variety over a number of years to
see how it yields in different seasonal conditions and on different soil types. Note: IGB1334T is not presented in NVT in 2015 and Rosalind has only one year (2015) available for long term average.
Wimmera
The Nhill trial was sown into a one year fallow paddock; the trial emerged well and exhibited excellent establishment. It held on longer than those at the Mallee sites due to stored moisture. Despite the dry finish to the season, the Nhill site was the highest yielding BCG trial site.
The highest yielding varieties were IGB1334T, Rosalind, Compass and La Trobe (Figure 4). Later maturing varieties again yielded less, but higher than at the Quambatook and Berriwillock sites. GrangeR was the lowest yielding due to missing grains in the heads (possibly affected by frost).
Grain quality was poor, but slightly better than at the Mallee sites. All varieties had test weights within malting specifications (average 66kg/hL), but no variety was different from the other. Commander and Compass had the largest grain size (retention), but were still below minimum malting specifications (threshold >70 %). Screenings (average 14.5%) and protein (average 14%) were also very high, with no differences between varieties.
Wimmera NVT data, which compared the average yield per cent of site mean from 2012-2015 for Horsham, Kaniva, Minyip and Brim with the 2015 percentage of site mean average, showed that Compass, Fathom, La Trobe and Hindmarsh have yielded consistently well across the Wimmera. The highest yielding varieties were the earlier maturing ones. Note: IGB1334T was not presented in NVT data and Rosalind has only one year of NVT data.
COMMERCIAL PRACTICE
The 2015 season was characterised by a dry finish and below average rainfall during the winter months for most of the Mallee and Wimmera. Early maturing varieties such as Compass, La Trobe, Hindmarsh and Fathom yielded the highest in BCG trials, as well as in the NVT trials over the last four years.
These results highlight the importance of assessing variety performance over a number of years, on different soil types and through a range of seasonal finishes. It can be very easy to fall into the trap of changing varieties every season as each new variety, claiming to be bigger and better than those before, is released. It is important not to forget the individual characteristics and needs of the farming system (rotations, paddock disease and weed status, potential quality, suitability to soil type/s, marketability) and to view variety data comparison critically.
Appropriate variety selection can be one of the major drivers in increasing profitability.
Malt
La Trobe is consistently the highest yielding malt variety currently in the Mallee and Wimmera.
Feed
Compass is a consistent performer across the Mallee and Wimmera. Agronomically, this variety has a relatively good package (in terms of disease, grain quality and weed competitiveness), but can be more susceptible to delayed harvest in favourable conditions (refer to ‘Delayed harvest and sprouting tolerance in barley’ pp. 40). Fathom is a well-adapted feed variety for the south and north areas, offering good weed competition.
The only major difference between Hindmarsh and La Trobe is that malt specification achieves a slightly higher premium for La Trobe (malt) than Hindmarsh (food).
Rosalind is a high yielding feed variety but has been in BCG trials for only one year. It has a similar growth habit to La Trobe and Hindmarsh, and may potentially lack in competitiveness. Limited yield data is available.
Clearfield
Scope CL is the only malt Clearfield option. Scope CL is agronomically not the best variety to grow (due to lower yields, susceptibility to head loss and SFNB) unless it is being grown for its imi-tolerance. IGB1334T, the new Clearfield option, is currently a feed variety but undergoing malt accreditation (earliest expected date 2017). IGB1334T has yielded well in trials, but bear in mind this is BCG’s first year of trialling this variety and limited yield data available.
ON-FARM PROFITABILITY
Based on long term averages, yield is king. Select a variety based on its yield potential instead of its grade potential. Quite commonly, the season is not favourable to achieving malt and grain will be downgraded to feed. Typically, feed varieties are consistently yielding more than malt varieties. This year, for example, (based on long term NVT averages) in the Wimmera, by adopting Compass over Commander, a grower could achieve an extra $126/ha (calculated using Nhill grain prices). If Commander achieved malt this year, Compass would still have offered a greater profit of $57/ha.
REFERENCES
GRDC Victorian winter crop summary, 2015
GRDC National Variety Trials, www.nvtonline.com.au, 2015
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research was funded by the GRDC through its ‘Barley agronomy for the southern region’
project (DAN00173).
