The use of two break crops in a row as a double break crop sequence has been successfully used to increase the grain yield of successive wheat crops in South Eastern Australia, and this study has tested this approach in the WA wheatbelt region.
Four demonstration sites were established in 2017 near Bencubbin, Corrigin, Miling, and Calingiri. These sites were established in paddocks with a history of root diseases or weed populations that a single break crop could not address, and which were sown to a break crop, pasture, or fallow in 2016. In 2017, a range of break crop options were grown on small plots and with the remaining paddock area sown to canola or wheat. All sites were sown to wheat in 2018.
The West Midlands Group (WMG) and Gallagher have recently pledged to work together to support the pastoral beef industry through the BEEFLINKS backgrounding project.
The WMG led project will focus on the collection of animal performance data that can be used by backgrounders and pastoralists to increase the productivity and efficiency of their operations.
WMG executive officer Dr Nathan Craig said the involvement of Gallagher will complement the project as its core is based on collecting accurate animal production data.
“Gallagher will provide significant technical support to assist our project officer, Charles Callaghan in being able to easily navigate the producers’ weighing systems, and where needed, to identify and fix issues as they arise,” Dr Craig said.
With data driven decision making at the forefront of the project’s outcomes, Gallagher will provide decades of expertise in livestock data collection and weighing systems, as well as access to a higher level of technical support than normally available to producers.
The use of two break crops in a row as a double break crop sequence has been successfully used to increase the grain yield of successive wheat crops in South Eastern Australia, and this study has tested this approach in the WA wheatbelt region.
Four demonstration sites were established in 2017 near Bencubbin, Corrigin, Miling, and Calingiri. These sites were established in paddocks with a history of root diseases or weed populations that a single break crop could not address, and which were sown to a break crop, pasture, or fallow in 2016. In 2017, plots of up to 2 hectares in size were established using grower equipment for a range of break crop options that the grower identified as options to integrate into their farming system. The remaining area of the paddock was sown to either wheat or canola depending on grower’s paddock plan. All sites were sown to wheat in 2018.
The aim of the National Variety Trial (NVT) program is to generate independent information for growers and industry about newly released varieties of winter field crops relative to the current commercial varieties grown in the area. The data generated can be compared by year/s, location and variety, providing an important decision support tool for growers when assessing if they are growing the right varieties for their farm business. This trial was sown onto a high yielding, burnt barley stubble on the 7th June.
The soil type was a high quality dark Dandaragan sand/loam. Unlike many areas of the state in 2019 this site had reasonable subsoil moisture from some earlier localised rain so germinated and grew exceptionally well. The late start to the season and dry spring tended to suit the quicker varieties, however good yields were returned by all varieties in the trial.