Dual-purpose cereal evaluation, Tamworth 2020

Abstract

Summary of results • The cereals evaluated in this experiment had a high grain yield potential (i.e.>6 t/ha), after simulated grazing at stem elongation (GS30). • Some varieties produced >5.0 t/ha dry matter (DM) at GS30. • Yields varied in response to grazing and sowing date. Varieties, such as DS Bennett[PBR] wheat, yielded ≥20% across all three sowing dates (e.g. SD3 4.82 t/ha non-grazed versus. 5.77 t/ha grazed). • Other varieties, such as Cartwheel[PBR] triticale, showed a decrease in grain yield with grazing. For SD2, Cartwheel[PBR] had a 23% decrease from the non-grazed treatments compared to the grazed treatments (7.25 t/ha versus 5.56 t/ha respectively) • The European feed quality wheats RGT Calabro, RGT Accroc and Einstein, achieved grain yields of between 6.90 t/ha and 6.01 t/ha for grazing treatments, for all three sowing dates (13 March, 2 April and 23 April). They produced between 5.21 t DM/ha –3.35 t DM/ha for potential winter grazing at GS30. • Some higher quality, milling grade wheats performed well, providing high yielding, dual-purpose options for growers. Illabo[PBR], an Australian Hard (AH) classified wheat, yielded 6.6 t/ha after being grazed (SD3). Likewise, EGA Wedgetail[PBR] an AH and LongReach Kittyhawk[PBR], (Prime Hard (APH)) were also high yielding (6.02 t/ha and 5.87 t/ha for SD3 and SD2 respectively). Biomass accumulation at GS30 [for which group of wheats?}, was significantly lower than the European wheats at between 2.37–2.14 t DM/ha, due to their faster rate of biomass accumulation and time to reach GS30. • The two slow maturing spring wheats evaluated achieved grain yields of ≥6 t/ha following simulated grazing treatments, LongReach Nighthawk[PBR] yielding 6.67 t/ha in SD3, and Sunlamb[PBR] yielding 6.23 t/ha and 6.08 t/h from SD2 and SD3 respectively. Sunlamb[PBR] produced the most biomass of the two varieties with ~3.0 t DM/ha at GS30 in SD2. • The triticale Cartwheel[PBR] yielded 6.35 t/ha from SD3 following grazing, which was comparable to the European wheats and produced good levels of biomass of ~3.8 t DM/ha at GS30. Cartwheel[PBR] was also the second highest yielding variety yielding 7.68 t/ha in the SD3 non-grazed treatment. Cartwheel[PBR] showed a yield penalty when grazed or where sowing was delayed. • Barley was generally lower yielding than the better performing wheats and triticales. Dry matter production at anthesis (GS65), an indicator of potential hay production, ranged from 16.5 t DM/ha to 9.4 t DM/ha SD3. DM production at GS65 following grazing at GS30 tended to decline with later sowing times.