Mixed bag – dual purpose crops, PGR’s and other local research

Take home messages:

- On average the total production of grain and dry matter was greater from dual purpose than grain only wheat. Cutting and grazing tend to delay the maturity and will extend the grain fill period into the later, drier part of spring.

- Grazing up to GS 32 could be considered when the availability of pasture is low coming into spring and the value of the feed is greater than the value of the grain.

- The grain yield of canola was more sensitive to GS 32 dry matter cutting and given the 2-3 fold difference in the value of grain to feed value in canola, grazing at this late stage is likely to reduce gross margins.

- Four dual purpose crops wheat, triticale, barley and oats showed no effect of sowing time on grain yield but the dry matter yield was increased by the earlier March sowing compared to late May and May sowings. Dual purpose cutting did not reduce grain yield relative to the grain only yield of any crop type.

- Cycocel and Moddus applied in combination at GS 30 consistently reduced height and hence lodging risk across all seasons but did not increase yield in any season.

- Cycocel applied alone at GS 24 and 30 increased grain yield in most years and reduced height though not to the extent of the combined treatment.

- Moddus applied alone at GS 24 and 30 at times increased yield, but the GS 24 treatment did not effectively reduce height in any season.

- Polymer control release fertiliser has been shown to more effective than basal applied fertiliser under waterlogged conditions but is no better than top dressed urea applied before or shortly after waterlogging.