Northern NSW research results 2017 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT – INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FOR INDUSTRY www.dpi.nsw.gov.au Northern NSW research results 2017 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT – INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FOR INDUSTRY an initiative of Northern Cropping Systems Editors: Loretta Serafin, Steve Simpfendorfer, Stephanie Montgomery, Guy McMullen and Carey Martin Cover images: Main image– Jim Perfrement; inset left and right– Loretta Serafin; inset centre– Steven Simpfendorfer. © State of New South Wales through Department of Industry, 2017 ISSN 2208-8199 (Print) ISSN 2208-8202 (Online) Job number 14289 Published by NSW Department of Primary Industries, a part of NSW Department of Industry You may copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose, provided that you attribute the Department of Industry as the owner. However, you must obtain permission if you wish to: • charge others for access to the publication (other than at cost) • include the publication in advertising or a product for sale • modify the publication • republish the publication on a website. You may freely link to the publication on a departmental website. Disclaimer The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (July 2017) and may not be accurate, current or complete. The State of New South Wales (including the NSW Department of Industry), the author and the publisher take no responsibility, and will accept no liability, for the accuracy, currency, reliability or correctness of any information included in the document (including material provided by third parties). Readers should make their own inquiries and rely on their own advice when making decisions related to material contained in this publication. The product trade names in this publication are supplied on the understanding that no preference between equivalent products is intended and that the inclusion of a product name does not imply endorsement by the department over any equivalent product from another manufacturer. Always read the label Users of agricultural or veterinary chemical products must always read the label and any permit, before using the product, and strictly comply with the directions on the label and the conditions of any permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or not made in this publication. Foreword The NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) Northern Cropping Systems group is excited to provide a snap shot of some of the results of their Research & Development (R&D) programs operating in cropping across northern NSW. The majority of this work is conducted in collaboration with our major investment partner, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to address key issues in the northern grains region. The NSW DPI R&D teams based across the region; at Trangie, Tamworth, Narrabri and Grafton continue to conduct a range of experiments both at our research stations as well as at numerous on farm locations across the disciplines of plant breeding, agronomy, soils, nutrition, physiology and crop protection. In this eighth edition, a collection of 46 short papers have been prepared to showcase some of the results of our work to you, our valued clients. This book continues to be a major source of information to advisors and growers across the northern grains region, hopefully providing some insight into potential strategies which are available for on farm implementation to increase profitability and industry viability. These short papers have been written to improve the awareness and accessibility of the results from NSW DPI run research trials in the region. The papers are based on scientifically sound, independent research but need to be taken in the context of the situation and season that the work has been conducted. In many cases the research that is reported will prompt more questions and we encourage you to contact the authors to discuss any of these queries. The work that is reported is only possible through the cooperation of the many growers, advisors and consultants who our research teams work with throughout the year and these contributions are acknowledged within each paper. We also collaborate with other research organisations including grower groups such as Grains Orana Alliance and Northern Grower Alliance, agribusinesses, universities, seed companies, research development corporations and other state based research providers. Finally, we would like to thank the authors and editorial team for all their work compiling and reviewing the diverse range of papers in this year’s edition. We hope that you find the papers informative and of value to your business and we would welcome any feedback that you might have that would help us to continue to make the Northern NSW Research Results book a valuable resource into the future. Loretta Serafin, Leader, Dryland Systems North On behalf of the Northern Cropping Systems Team NSW Department of Primary Industries 2 | NSW Department of Primary Industries Contents Agronomy 7 Yield response of 32 bread wheat entries across three sowing dates – Trangie 2016 Greg Brooke, Tracie Bird-Gardiner and Jayne Jenkins 12 Wheat variety response to plant population and sowing date – Terry Hie Hie 2015 Rick Graham, Stephen Morphett, Jim Perfrement, Michael Dal Santo and Neroli Graham 17 Re-evaluating seed colour change in canola to improve harvest management decisions – Tamworth 2016 Rick Graham, Rod Bambach, Jan Hosking, Stephen Morphett, Michael Dal Santo and Jim Perfrement 22 Agronomic drivers of yield in rain-fed wheat production systems – Liverpool Plains Rick Graham, Guy McMullen, Steven Simpfendorfer and Neroli Graham 26 Agronomic drivers of yield in rain fed wheat production systems of Central West NSW – Trangie Greg Brooke, Rick Graham, Guy McMullen, Steven Simpfendorfer and Neroli Graham 31 Effect of sowing date on phenology and grain yield of 19 bread wheat and five durum cultivars – Tamworth 2016 Rick Graham, Stephen Morphett, Michael Dal Santo and Neroli Graham 37 Evaluation of new soybean varieties for the Macquarie Valley – Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, 2013–2016 Leigh Jenkins 42 Evaluation of new mungbean varieties for the Macquarie Valley – Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, 2013–2016 Leigh Jenkins 47 New Australian soybean variety RichmondA outperforms traditional varieties, Asgrow A6785 and Soya 791 Natalie Moore, Sam Blanch, Nathan Ensbey, Andrew James and Stephen Morris 54 Sunflower configuration × population × hybrid – Gurley 2015–16 Loretta Serafin, Mark Hellyer and Peter Perfrement 57 Contribution of leaves to the yield of sunflowers – Gurley 2015–16 Loretta Serafin, Mark Hellyer and Peter Perfrement 60 Contribution of leaves to the yield of sunflowers – Pine Ridge 2015–16 Loretta Serafin, Mark Hellyer and Peter Perfrement 64 Contribution of leaves to the yield of sunflowers – Willow Tree 2016–17 Loretta Serafin, Mark Hellyer and James Filby 68 Sorghum row direction x configuration x hybrid – Terry Hie Hie 2015–16 Loretta Serafin, Mark Hellyer and Peter Perfrement 71 Susceptibility of chickpea varieties to seed markings – Tamworth and Trangie 2013–2015 Jenny Wood, Catherine Keir, Leigh Jenkins and Andrew Verrell NORTHERN NSW RESEARCH RESULTS 2017 | 3 75 Susceptibility of chickpea varieties to pod splitting after delayed harvest and impacts on grain yield Jenny Wood, Catherine Keir, Steven Harden and Andrew Verrell 81 Disease risk prediction evaluations for phytophthora root rot of chickpeas Sean Bithell, Steve Harden, Kristy Hobson, Willy Martin, Alan McKay and Kevin Moore, Crop protection 86 Faba bean fungicide efficacy trials – Breeza 2016 Bill Manning, Joop van Leur and Stuart Marshman 90 Impact of winter cereal crop choice and sowing date on final soil populations of Pratylenchus thornei – Tulloona 2015 Steven Simpfendorfer and Rick Graham 94 Crown rot yield loss response curves – Macalister 2015 Clayton Forknall, Steven Simpfendorfer and Alison Kelly 99 Fusarium head blight at low levels in the northern grains region in 2016 – cause and implications Steven Simpfendorfer, Daniele Giblot-Ducray, Diana Hartley and Alan McKay 103 Regional crown rot management – Trangie 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer, Greg Brooke and Robyn Shapland 106 Impact of common root rot and crown rot on wheat yield – Tamworth 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer 109 Regional crown rot management – Garah 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer and Robyn Shapland 112 Regional crown rot management – Tamarang 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer and Robyn Shapland 115 Regional crown rot management – Bullarah 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer and Robyn Shapland 118 Regional crown rot management – Gilgandra 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer, Greg Brooke, Ryan Potts and Robyn Shapland 121 Regional crown rot management – Wongarbon 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer, Greg Brooke, Ryan Potts and Robyn Shapland 124 Regional crown rot management – Parkes 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer, Ryan Potts and Robyn Shapland 127 Regional crown rot management – Edgeroi 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer and Robyn Shapland 130 Regional crown rot management – Merriwa 2016 Steven Simpfendorfer, Greg Brooke and Robyn Shapland 133 Faba bean disease tolerance – Breeza 2016 Joop van Leur, Bill Manning and Stuart Marshman 4 | NSW Department of Primary Industries 138 Nitrogen response of six wheat and four barley varieties across two sowing dates – Nyngan 2016 Greg Brooke, Tracie Bird-Gardiner and Jayne Jenkins Nutrition & Soils