Sown: 28 April 2024
Harvested: 29 November 2024
Rotation position: 2023 Canola
Soil type: Forest gravels
FAR code: FAR WAA II W24-25-02

The Germplasm Evaluation Network (GEN) is a FAR Australia ‘Industry Innovations’ initiative that tests crop variety performance across FAR Australia’s national network of Crop Technology Centres. GEN sites test variety performance with and without fungicide. FAR Australia provides the control varieties and breeders enter their chosen lines for evaluation.

Key Points:
• A drier season at the start and finish resulted in 372mm growing season rainfall (GSR) and grain yields that ranged from 4.16 – 5.21t/ha depending on variety and fungicide input.

• In general varieties with slower development during stem elongation were lower yielding, although Genie which was slower than Rockstar still performed well.

• Varieties with heads out but had not yet flowered on the 5 September (Rockstar GS55 & V15019-88 (milling spring wheat) GS57) were the highest yielding.

• Despite the presence of Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB) and yellow leaf spot (YLS) there was no significant grain yield increase from fungicide application, even in varieties with the higher levels of infection.

• The highest levels of SNB and YLS infection in untreated crops were recorded in Brighton, Mammoth, Stockade, and LRPB Vortex, and although fungicide significantly reduced infection, grain yields were not improved suggesting that sufficient green leaf was already present to achieve grain fill with the available soil moisture.

• The warmer drier grain fill period had the effect of increasing screenings particularly in the later maturing winter variety Mowhawk and the earlier flowering spring LRPB Vortex.

• Proteins in the trial averaged 11.1% with a range from 12.7% (Matador) down to 10.2% for the red grained winter wheat Triple 2. Screenings averaged 4.1% ranging from 2.4% (Mammoth) to 7.6% (LRPB Vortex). Test weights averaged 77.6 kg/hL.

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