Take Home Messages
- The top yielding barley varieties in the Mallee in 2024 were Combat, Beast, and Compass.
- The top varieties in the North Central for 2024 were Minotaur, Neo CL, Rosalind, and Cyclops.
- The highest yielding varieties in the Wimmera in 2024 were Neo CL, Fandaga, Minotaur, and Combat.
Aim
To compare the performance of new and existing barley varieties in the Mallee, North Central and Wimmera NVT
Background
The 2024 season began with high January rainfall across much of the Mallee, North Central and Wimmera. This weather pattern did not continue through the year, and by April and May many farmers were deliberating the best approach to their sowing program: whether to sow dry, or wait for the break to come. Like many growers across the regions, some National Variety Trials (NVT) were dry sown (Table 1).
Barley varieties are constantly changing and evolving as plant breeders release new varieties to combat the latest challenges facing growers. When considering a new variety, think about the traits needed to increase productivity on the farm and what best fits the system. Considerations may include whether a variety is classified as malt or feed – and potential price differences – lodging susceptibility and head loss risk, herbicide tolerance, or maturity timing.
In 2024, BCG established 12 main season barley trials: seven in the Mallee, two in the North Central and three in the Wimmera (Table 1). These trials were about 40 per cent breeding lines and the rest released varieties.
The combination of NVT data, individual site reports, and multi-environmental trial analysis (MET) long-term data provides a useful tool for growers to determine which varieties are performing well and may be suitable for their farming system.
Trial Details & Inputs
Crop type: Barley, refer to Figures 1–3 for varieties
Target plant density: 130 plants/m² (Mallee), 160 plants/m² (North Central and Wimmera),
Seeding equipment: Knife points, press wheels, 30cm row spacing
Replicates: Three
Nutrition, weeds, insects and disease were managed as per best practice. For individual trial details see https://nvt.grdc.com.au.
Method
This research was conducted through the NVT program delivered by GRDC. The program involves a series of replicated field trials that test varieties from different crop types. These trials aim to maximise genetic potential yield, rather than profitability. The sites receive multiple fungicide applications and are managed to ensure they are not nitrogen limited to avoid confounding factors when assessing the genetic potential of varieties. The data displayed in this article are a combination of NVT results, individual site reports, and multi-environmental trial analysis (MET) long-term summaries. Variety performance is presented as the grain yield percentage of the site average, with MET data indicating performance in 2024, relative to the previous five years (2019–2023).
Results & Interpretation
New varieties released in 2024
Bigfoot CL is a quick-to-mid maturing, high yielding Clearfield variety from Australian Grain Technologies (AGT). It is closely related to Compass, with its good early vigour, and has reduced plant height compared with other Compass types to reduce risk of lodging. It only has a feed classification but offers high yield in low-to-medium rainfall areas.
Granite CL is a new Clearfield variety for the low-medium rainfall zones bred by InterGrain. It is high yielding, has a feed classification, quick-to-mid maturity, and has strong lodging tolerance with low head loss risk. It has a MRMS rating for both spot form and net form of net blotch, but is rated S to leaf rust and powdery mildew.
RGT Atlantis is a new waterlogging-tolerant barley from RAGT Australia. This variety has been bred from RGT Planet and is combined with a waterlogging tolerant barley. Under non-waterlogged conditions, RAGT claims it has a similar yield potential to RGT Planet, and when waterlogged can outyield RGT Planet by 20 per cent or more.
Pegasus AX is a new variety from AGT with CoAXium® herbicide tolerance. This Hindmarsh plant type variety gives it a shorter, compact plant type, lowering lodging risk, and is suited to medium-high rainfall zones. It has a quick-to-mid maturity and is a feed quality variety. The CoAXium® herbicide tolerance allows early post-emergent control of problem grass weeds such as brome grass, barley grass, annual ryegrass, and wild oats with Sipcam’s Group 1 Aggressor® AX herbicide, which contains the active ingredients quizalofop-p-ethyl and cloquintocet-mexyl. Note: this only applies to grass weeds which are not resistant to group 1 herbicides.
Yield results
In the Mallee, the top yielding varieties over the past five years have been Neo CL, Combat, Cyclops, Bigfoot CL, and Minotaur (Figure 1). The two Clearfield varieties in this group, Neo CL and Bigfoot CL, have only two years of NVT data. In 2024, the highest yielding varieties for the Mallee as a percentage of the region mean were Combat (112 per cent), Beast and Compass (both 111 per cent).
At an individual site level, the top variety varied between locations. At Birchip, the highest yielding was Compass at 109 per cent, Compass and RGT Planet both yielded 114 per cent at Manangatang, Combat yielded 116 per cent at Merrinee, and Beast yielded 129 per cent of the site mean at Murrayville.
Numerous varieties yielded above the site mean at all the individual sites in 2024. These were Beast, Combat, Commodus CL, Compass, and Leabrook. From 2019 to 2023, all Clearfield varieties, excluding Scope CL, yielded above the region mean. Neo CL and Bigfoot CL are at the top with two years of data, and in 2024 Commodus CL and Neo CL were the higher yielding Clearfield varieties.
The only 2024 data included in Figure 2 is from Colbinabbin, so bear that in mind when looking at 2024 data from other parts of the North Central region. Historical data from the past five years in the North Central has Neo CL, Combat, Spinnaker, Zena CL, and RGT Planet (Figure 2) as the top performers. The highest yielding varieties at Colbinabbin as a percentage of the site mean in 2024 were Minotaur (115 per cent), Neo CL (113 per cent), Rosalind and Cyclops (109 per cent), and Granite CL (108 per cent). Looking at the Clearfield varieties, Neo CL and Zena CL are both averaging above the region mean in the historical data, although Neo CL is only in its second year of NVT. Granite CL is another newer variety to keep an eye on as it performed well in 2024 but has just one year of data. Looking at the two CoAXium® herbicide tolerant varieties in 2024, Pegasus AX (107 per cent) was only in its first year of NVT but outperformed Titan AX (90 per cent), which was in its in its third year of NVT.
The top yielding varieties over the past five years in the Wimmera region have been Combat, Neo CL, Minotaur, Cyclops, and Spinnaker (Figure 3). Neo CL was released in 2023 and has again yielded highly in its second year in the NVT, producing 114 per cent of the region mean. The other top yielding varieties for 2024 were Fandaga and Minotaur (109 per cent), Combat (108 per cent), and RGT Planet and Spinnaker (107 per cent). Combat was the highest yielding variety at Brim, yielding 120 per cent of the site mean. At Kaniva, Neo CL yielded 118 per cent of the site mean, which was 9 per cent or 0.6t/ha higher than the next variety, Spinnaker. Neo CL and Zena CL are the higher yielding Clearfield varieties in both 2019–2023 and 2024. Bigfoot CL, a new variety in its first year of NVT was just above the region mean at 102 per cent in 2024. Seven varieties yielded above their individual site means at both Brim and Kaniva: Combat, Fandaga, Minotaur, RGT Atlantis, RGT Planet, Titan AX, and Zena CL
Commercial Practice and On Farm Profitability
The NVT network allows growers to compare different varieties based on yield, grain quality, and disease ratings. These data can be used by growers to see which varieties are performing well in their area, and to compare newly released varieties with those currently in their rotations. It is important to take note of historical data and not just the current year, as the historical data is a better guide to what will perform well under a variety of seasonal conditions.
The price difference between malt and feed barley was only small, and varying from about $7/t to $20/t (The Weekly Times, 2024) across the regions in 2024. The top barley variety in the Mallee was Combat, a feed variety which yielded on average 3.39t/ha, compared with malt varieties RGT Planet and Maximus CL which yielded 3t/ha and 2.97t/ha. Growers should consider the likelihood of achieving malt grade versus the yield advantages often seen in feed varieties. Neo CL is worth keeping an eye on as it has been yielding well and is targeted for malt accreditation in 2025 (Grains Australia, 2024).
There were numerous frost events across the regions in 2024. As frost varies in frequency and severity, growers should assess frost risk early and implement management strategies to reduce the risk of losses from frost. Barley is most susceptible to frost damage during flowering and grain fill, and variety choice is one strategy that can be implemented to reduce risk (DPIRD, 2024). Sowing during the optimum period is important for avoiding flowering during times of high frost risk. Selecting varieties with varied maturity timing can help spread the risk. Sowing the right variety at the right time is typically a key message in minimising crop damage from frosts during their more sensitive growth stages (GRDC, 2024). This however may not always work, such as in seasons similar to 2024 when hit with a late frost.
Grain quality data from NVT was not available at the time of compiling this report.
NVT results compromised due to frost and drought are not released publicly. They will be made available within the ‘Quarantined trials report’ section of the website <https://nvt.grdc.com.au/trials/quarantined-trial-reports>.
References
GRDC, 2024, National Variety Trials yield data, <https://nvt.grdc.com.au/>. Accessed 18 December 2024.
GRDC, 2024, 2025 Victorian and Tasmanian Crop Sowing Guide, <https://grdc.com.au/resourcesand-publications/all-publications/nvt-crop-sowing-guides/vic-tas-crop-sowing-guide>. Accessed 6 January 2025.
Grains Australia, 2024, Malting Varieties, ‘Varieties under malt barley evaluation’ <https://grainsaustralia.com.au/master-lists/malting-variety-list#barley-master-list/varieties-under-evaluation/>. Accessed 6 January 2025.
DPIRD, 2024, The science of frost and frequently asked questions, <https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/frost/science-frost-and-frequently-asked-questions>. Accessed 10 January 2025.
GRDC, 2024, Crop and variety choice, <https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/resources/frost-management/crop-and-variety-choice>. Accessed 10 January 2025.
GRDC, 2024, Disease Ratings, <https://nvt.grdc.com.au/nvt-disease-ratings>. Accessed 10 January 2025.
Acknowledgements
This trial was conducted through the National Variety Trial (NVT) program delivered by GRDC (BWD2401-002SAX).
This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Thank you to Harm van Rees, Cropfacts, for providing a technical review of this article.
BCG sincerely thanks the Watts family (Nullawil), Devon Mill (Hopetoun), Brad Plant (Manangatang), Matt Curtis (Merrinee), Giles Oster (Murrayville), Warrick and Baden Grey (Ultima), Mick Pole (Walpeup), Jon Whykes (Charlton), Darryl Rathjen (Colbinabbin), Graeme Holland (Brim), Karl Beddison (Horsham), and Alwyn and Jonathan Dyer (Kaniva) for generously hosting the trial sites and for their support throughout the project.
