Dual purpose crop trials

Overview of the trials

We have collaborated with NSW Department of Primary Industries to sow two dual purpose cereal trials this season. The data from these trials will help producers select the appropriate variety for their production system. The trials are located at Bogan Gate and Purlewaugh and include 18 varieties of winter cereals including oats, wheat, barley and triticale.

Why dual purpose cereal crops?

Dual purpose cereals are known to be a good option for mixed farmers in the Central West to reduce risk as well as potentially increase gross margins. Agronomically dual purpose crops can be an advantage as early sowing can help with weed competition and grazing can be an added weed control opportunity.

The Purlewaugh trial was sown on Wednesday, 8 April and the Bogan Gate trial was sown on Thursday, 9 April.

Varieties included

As seen in Table 1, there are a number of new varieties included as well as some regionally proven varieties included for comparison. An interesting inclusion is RGT_Planet Barley. Planet was included as we had been hearing that a quite a few producers were planning to sow it for quick feed, particularly because traditional dual purpose varieties of oats, wheat and barley were short. Some producers were hoping to be able to graze it and then lock it up for grain. Due to Planet not being reliant on a vernalisation period to go to head, there is a significant frost risk at the end of the season. We will be testing this in the trial.

Notes on each of the varieties are available here (taken from from NSW DPI's Winter crop variety sowing guide 2020)

Table 1: Cereal varieties in the trials

Wheat

Triticale

Barley

Oat

Knighthawk

Endeavour

Urambie

Eurabbie

DS Bennett

Kokoda (AT715)

RGT_Planet

Genie

RGT Accoc

Cartwheel

 

Wizard

EGA Wedgetail

   

Longsword

   

Kittyhawk

   

Manning

   

Naparoo

   

Sunlamb

   

Illabo

   

Trial funding

The dual purpose cereal trial is one of a number of on farm demonstrations as part of The Adapt Project which aims to help producers adapt to changes in market and climate. This project is supported by Central West Local Land Services, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Contact

For more information on the trials, please contact Callen Thompson on 0417348687