GRAIN production can be a lot of "theory testing", according to Bute graingrower James Venning, so in a hope to dodge frost damage in his crops, he has trialled two winter wheat varieties this year.
Mr Venning has lost many crops to frost, so decided to sow 30 hectares of Bennett and Longsword wheat to see if the delayed flowering period offered by a long-season variety could help.
"I investigated Bennett at Hart. It is a very long-season wheat that would usually not be suitable in our drying environment but it performed well at Hart in a tough season," he said.
One particularly troublesome "frosty" paddock was the catalyst for Mr Venning to trial the winter wheat varieties.
"After consulting with an agronomist, I knew I could not keep doing the same thing and expect different results," he said. "Out of six wheat crops sown on a particularly low-lying, heavy soil paddock, five were frosted - I had to do something."
The crops were harvested in the first week of December and Mr Venning said yields were "surprisingly good".
Out of six wheat crops sown on a particularly low-lying, heavy soil paddock, five were frosted - I had to do something.
- JAMES VENNING
Winter options tested at Bute
Informal trial results from the Bute area suggest frost risk can be reduced by 50 per cent if flowering is delayed until early September, so this year, one graingrower decided to see for himself.
On April 9, James Venning sowed long-season winter wheat varieties Bennett and Longsword, which have a flowering window from about late September to October, compared with spring wheat varieties, which are late August to very early September.
"Frost can happen at any time but winter wheat varieties may have a better chance battling it in some of the farm's frost prone-paddocks," Mr Venning said.
The crops were sown at 30 kilograms a hectare in low-lying heavy clay paddocks.
"The areas most prone to frost also have the heaviest, driest soils," Mr Venning said.
Sown alongside spring wheat variety Scepter, which yielded about four tonnes/ha, the long-season wheat crops averaged 2.5t/ha to 3t/ha.
Mr Venning said despite limited frost damage in the spring wheat varieties, there were some signs of it in the Bennett.
"It flowered at the right time but the drought could have also affected the crop - it was not a text book year for a winter wheat trial," he said.
But Mr Venning said compared with losing 3t/ha because of frost damage in past seasons, losing half a tonne in a long-season wheat crop was an improvement.
The varieties were sown across about 60ha and Mr Venning said the low sowing rate was beneficial for a grain only system.
"Generally I would sow Scepter at 80kg/ha but sowing these varieties thin helps with water efficiency in thirsty soils," he said. "But for croppers with sheep, sow it thick and it can be used as a grazing crop too."
Mr Venning believed there were a few things to consider before sowing a winter wheat crop, such as managing crops for an extra two months when compared with spring wheat. He said pre-emergent selection was crucial to gain longer protection against weeds.
"Some have half life protection two weeks post application - so by April 23, when a lot of problematic ryegrass begins to show up, there is half the amount of protection available," he said.
"I used Sakura with a spike of Avadex for longer protection. Once a crop is established, there is a big canopy to shade out the weeds."
Mr Venning also said soil moisture monitoring was key for the crop's performance.
He encouraged growers to check the soil moisture profile before seeding, as well as forecasts for the season.
"If there is a drought forecast, keep it in the shed, and do not sow dry because if no rain arrives for a month after sowing, it will not go to head," Mr Venning said.
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Vanessa Binks
I am the Markets Editor and journalist at the Stock Journal. I am based at Nuriootpa in SA's lower north.
I am the Markets Editor and journalist at the Stock Journal. I am based at Nuriootpa in SA's lower north.
