BCG has established a new vetch agronomy project through the GRDC NGN (National Grower Network). The trial is designed to assist growers in the Southern Victorian Mallee to develop a better understanding of the nitrogen and soil moisture legacy benefits that occur from growing vetch under different management strategies.
The project was developed in response to growers seeking to understand how the nitrogen legacy of a vetch crop varies depending on what the crop was used for in the preceding year, such as grazing, hay, brown manure, or if it was harvested for seed. The trial will assess the varying end uses of vetch, pre-sowing decisions including variety, and in-season management decisions such as grazing and the use of gibberellic acid. This information will provide growers with an understanding of how these management strategies impact key cropping factors such as biomass production, total nitrogen fixation and nitrogen removal. In addition, the research aims to develop a greater understanding of the hay quality requirements of growers’ key markets, as well as the crop management practices required to produce quality hay and meet market expectations.
The trial
The two-year project encompasses two replicated field trials at Kinnabulla and Ouyen. Vetch varieties of varying maturities were targeted. The Kinnabulla and Ouyen sites were sown to Studenica (very early maturity), Volga (early maturity) and Morava (late maturity) on April 19th and April 20th, respectively. Each variety will then be assessed under the treatments of hay, early termination, late termination, hay with the application of gibberellic acid, hay with grazing, and hay with a combination of gibberellic acid and grazing. In 2024, the trials will be sown to wheat with grain yield and quality to be assessed.
An in-season crop walk is planned for later in the growing season, where attendees can visually inspect the impacts of each treatment.
If you would like more information on the trials, please contact Brooke Bennett on 0468 304 335, or the BCG office (03) 5492 2787.
